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:

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  Dont buy this car! - 2001 Volvo S40
  By Dave T - May 13 - 10:00 am

  *The brakes and rear rotors wore through after only 20,000 miles. The factory admitted a bad brake pad compound. My cost $500! *The electonic gas gague would read empty when it had over a third of a tank of gas left in it. The dealership sent me away once and said that that was "normal". * The radio didnt recieve AM stations. I had to replace the radio *The cup holder spring broke two days after I bought the car. * At 23,000 I started hearing a loud knock from the under carriage when I braked at slow speeds. *The noise inside the cockpit started increasing significantly after only 24,000 miles

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  Stay away - 2000 Volvo S80
  By No More Volvos - May 10 - 4:36 am

  This car is terrible and I had chronic problems (sway bars, electrical system, power steering, ABS, electrical, etc. I have had practically all the same problems that everyone else who has rated this car has had. Repairs and routine maintenance are extremely expensive yet with this caliber of car you wouldnt mind paying once in a while if the reliability was better. I bought the car in 2000 with 5,000 miles on it and traded it this year with 47,000 miles. I traded on my first car other than a Volvo in 20 years.

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  Would you believe? - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By nick B - April 30 - 4:36 pm

  From the beginning gas leak inside the car repaired by dealer. General western warranty all but worthless on most costly parts. Spring seats not covered. Electronic module not covered ABS not covered. Cost thousand of dollars. Every maintenance check is $400 or more, and you must maintain or waste warranty. Is that reliability in our auto world today?

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  Just thought you should know - 2000 Volvo S40
  By Lynn - April 29 - 11:13 pm

  Ok, right to it: Cup holder sticks, CD cant be used when using cup holder, radio/cd lights are out, arm rest is cheap and a nusance (pops down with the slightest touch and hits drink in cup holder), head lights go out all of the time, dash board reflects on windsheild making it hard to see when the sun is out, paint job was poor, rear locks stick. Maybe the design has changed in 8 years.

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  What a lemon!!! - 1999 Volvo V70
  By letdown_volvo_owner - April 28 - 10:00 am

  My husband and I purchased the 1999 V70 XC certified preowned. The car has been in the dealer shop on average, every 2-3 months. It leaks/burns anti-freeze, has electrical issues, replaced the electronic throttle module 3xs, has had many light issues, power seats work sporadically, replaced the lock switch for gear shifter, replaced headlight switch, replaced torque mounts, gas cap issues and the list goes on. I thought Volvo was know for its reliability???

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  My review - 2000 Volvo S40
  By Patrick Whitworth - April 28 - 10:00 am

  VERY unhappy with the electrical as well as the climate control system.

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  Very Disappointed - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Andrea - April 26 - 3:03 pm

  I have had this car for less than a year and it has been in the shop for brake problems 3 times already. Ive also had to go in for software updates for 3 times also. Now Im having a airbag issue. The company is non- responsive to these problems. This car has made me miss my old car that was 8 years old.

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  Never again - 2000 Volvo S80
  By Lisa Lewis - April 19 - 2:00 am

  Its a shame that a top notch mfrg. like Volvo would let the engine quality slip to non existent.Yes, its safe and comfortable, but high maintenance-- unbelieveable. In one year, I spent over $4k in tires (only 2 types fit the rims) and constant repairs i.e. every 10k youhave to clean the electronic throttle (I did twice in a yr) or it will surge. Never again!

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  Rubber Trouble - 2001 Volvo S60
  By Rubber Trouble - April 4 - 3:26 pm

  Fun car to drive. Good handling and decent acceleration from anywhere except a stand still. Now for the horror: I have replaced 10 tires in 3 years. The car is not designed properly for the low profile tires that came with the car. I purchased a warranty on all tires from a national tire chain after the fourth $200 tire I purchased. Now I am swapping them out at $25 a pop on a regular basis. Annoying. Maintenance is expensive. Only other major problem is the discoloration of the strips that run across the roof of the car (along the top of the door). Very expensive to replace and after many letters to the company still no answer on why the body discolors on at $35k car after 3 years.

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  Poor quality control Not very relieble - 2006 Volvo V50
  By swedejunk - April 1 - 3:20 pm

  This car is most expensive headache you will buy. It has a lot of electrical issues. I have premium audio which gives me trouble intermittently and no one at Volvo knows how to fix it. Also navigation system is too sophisticated for volvo to trouble shoot. Besides that the customer care people are insensitive even if you make one trip a month to the dealership for fixing something or the other. NOW NO LONGER do volvo cars get top ratings in safety either.