Overview & Reviews

Swedish-born Volvo has long been a forerunner in safety research, and its vehicles have the crash test scores to prove it. These days, the brand has improved its offerings by crafting vehicles that also offer generous amounts of style and performance.

In Latin, the word "Volvo" means "I roll." Volvo cars have been rolling ever since 1927, when the first vehicle (nicknamed "Jakob") was produced in the city of Gothenburg. The company's founders, Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larsson, put an emphasis on safety, and that dictum still holds true today. The Jakob was joined by the six-cylinder PV651 in 1929, and by 1931, more than 10,000 Volvos had been produced.

Postwar, Volvo unveiled one of its biggest successes, the PV444. By the 1950s, Volvo had begun exporting cars to the U.S., and the PV444 — with its compact size and stylish looks — helped the manufacturer quickly make a name for itself in its new territory. The decade also saw Volvo building on its reputation for being a vanguard in the area of safety; it was the first manufacturer to make vehicles with a three-point safety belt.

The 1960s saw the launch of a new Volvo sports car, the P1800. The car's sculpted good looks helped earn it celebrity status when it was featured on the long-running TV series The Saint, with Roger Moore behind the wheel. Safety features grew more advanced during this decade and Volvo was again at the forefront of the action, offering features such as padded dashboards and energy-resistant crumple zones in front and rear.

Volvo distinguished itself as the exclusive home to a number of valuable new technologies during the 1970s. If you were looking for safety features such as childproof locks, collapsible steering columns and rear-facing child seats during this decade, you'd only find them in a Volvo.

Like BMWs and Saabs, Volvos became an American "yuppie" favorite during the 1980s. The company proved its technological know-how wasn't just limited to safety when it rolled out its first turbocharged car. By the end of the decade, Volvo had unveiled new models like the front-wheel-drive 480 hatchback (for Europe) and the Italian-designed 780 coupe.

In the early '90s, Volvo launched the 850. The car was Volvo's first front-wheel-drive executive car, and teamed performance with the company's trademark attention to safety. The decade also saw Volvo rolling out new models like the S40 and C70 — cars that updated the automaker's boxy image with a more rounded, sculpted aesthetic. The company became part of the Ford family when it was acquired by the automaker in 1998. Ford helped Volvo financially, while Volvo provided Ford with new safety technologies and car platforms. Due to Ford's financial troubles during the American recession, however, Ford sold Volvo to the Chinese automaker Geely in 2010.

It's unknown how Volvo's new owner will guide the brand long term, but chances are Volvo will continue to offer sedans, coupes and SUVs known for their combination of safety and driving excitement.

User Reviews:

• 

  When my wife lets me drive her C70... - 2002 Volvo C70
  By rpgorman1@aol.com - April 14 - 10:00 am

  When my wife lets me drive her C70 it can be day when I ejoy driving again. This is a great car. When yuo hit the turbo hold on. My usual commuter car is a 2000 BMW 528i but in comparison the Bimmer is just taking the family car to work. The C70 is just plain fun to drive.

• 

  Great Car, Fun to Drive - 1998 Volvo S70
  By Adam Hohenwarter - April 14 - 10:00 am

  I have had my S70 for about 5 1/2 years. Like all S70 owners who purchased their vehicle new, they have run into the same issues head light recall, turn signal bulb recall, lamination coming off door panels etc. I can say that once you work out these bugs, the vehicle is very good and reliable. With any vehicle maintenance is the key. Never had A/C problems, however I always run mine several times in the winter. This keeps gaskets from drying out. Some good Volvo owners web sites. www.Volvospy.com www.volvospeed.com (good maintenance/repair section)

• 

  So Far, So Good - 2003 Volvo S60
  By RegularGuy - April 14 - 10:00 am

  Bought this to replace my S40 (which was very poorly designed and built). Swore I would never buy another Volvo.. but at under $20,000 took the chance. Solid build quality, good ride, and nice quiet cabin. Even the base model is nicely equipped. Fun to drive (more power might be nice).. and comfortable (I am not a small guy).

• 

  Perfect! - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By LuxurySuv Guy - April 14 - 10:00 am

  This Vehicle is Amazing!!

• 

  Great Alternative to others... - 2008 Volvo V50
  By londonwolfe - April 13 - 4:14 am

  When I was shopping a year ago for a nice small wagon commuter car, I looked at many options, VW Jetta TDI, Subaru, Audi A3 and A4. The reviews on this little car swayed my decision to test drive. Owned it a year now and 20k miles later, no disappointments. All cars have quirks, this car has been pleasant. I have had many cars in the past 5 BMWs, 12 VWs and 7 Porsches. I am a car enthusiast, this car has enough character to make it stand out.

• 

  Great car, crappy interior. - 1999 Volvo V70
  By Matthew - April 13 - 2:38 am

  This is my first Volvo. It drives and handles great. I bought with lots of maintenance recently completed including; timing chain, cam seals, head gasket, hoses and a few other things. I put new tires with a new alignment. I also installed a better stereo and reverse cam so I can see when my dogs are in the back. The only negative is that the seats are worn. I have looked at many in the 98-02 range and it seems the leather seats dont hold up well, but are comfortable. The center consol is cheaply made and moves around. Other than that the car is solid. I really enjoy driving the car and would like it to last me a few years before I get a newer used Volvo. I really love this car!

• 

  2004 XC 90 by Svenska - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Svenska - April 8 - 10:00 am

  I was really looking forward to own the XC 90, I ordered it in Dec,2002 and took delivery in May, 2003. I got one of the first 2004 models. My whole family loves this car. I understand that Volvo had some problems with some of the earier 2003 models, so I was very exited when I found out ours was a 2004.

• 

  Almost Perfect - 2010 Volvo S80
  By Enrique - April 7 - 5:30 pm

  Comparing my new 2010 S80, 3.2 to what I have driven before: Audi A6, 2.7T, Volvo XC90 3.2 and Volvo S60 T5. Lets just say when it comes to speed, it leaves much to desire. I miss that PUNCH when I floor it. The dealer warned me it wasnt as fast as what I was used to driving, but got a great deal. Dealer said car had 235 hp which is okay with me i guess. The car is elegant on the outside as it is inside. The design is signature Volvo with a slight modern flair that makes people look twice. the enlarged name and logo really make a statement too. handles well, but not impressed. comfort is unrivaled! quiet engine.

• 

  Disastrous Volvo XC90 - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By Jaimie Vonlembke - April 7 - 3:51 pm

  This car sold me on how beautifully it was designed - I was so excited for this new car... the excitement ended quite quickly. This list of things that went wrong are too many to list, however my car was in the shop every couple months the first year. The worst part is the Volvo strung me along with my major issue being that there is a computer glitch on the 2016 model that is causing transmission problems. When you go to accelerate there is a major lag, and Volvo just admitted to me after 6 months of dealing with this that they dont know how to fix it!

• 

  Great family car w/ some flaws - 2006 Volvo S80
  By mally - April 6 - 10:00 am

  Car is excllent on the highway and is very comfortable for the front two occupants. Rear can get tight w/ car seat. minimal rode noise. Cup holder design horrible. located near some very sensitive electrical mechanisms. Car stuck in park intermittently regardless of multiple trips to the dealer. seems to be a recurrent problem volvo wont fix. have had three volvos and this might be my last due to this recurrent problem