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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  starting problem - 2005 Volvo S40
  By barry - March 31 - 8:33 pm

  i have a 2005 s40 s.41 base model with 5 speed. i have 2300 miles on it and it has been back to the shop twice so far. both times it wouldnt start and had to be towed. the 1st time they replaced the starter relay switch. now they say its the battery. anyone else have this problem or know what the problem really is? or do i just have a lemon

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  Transmissions awful! - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By T6 VOLVO - March 31 - 9:40 am

  We bought our 2004 xc90 nov. 2007 with 57,000 and it has been a great SUV. Very strong but when the transmission light went on at 87,000 I was not a happy customer. We called the Volvo dealer and they told us to bring it in. They were very helpful and we have a "brand new" transmission at no cost, yet it doesnt have "manual" anymore. a lot of drama but its driving well and I cant complain

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  Great Car - 1996 Volvo 850
  By Evan - March 31 - 2:00 am

  I have owned this car for only 8 months and have added 20k miles to it!! Over all I haven’t had any major problems, just the typical ones with higher mileage cars. This car is kind of pricey to maintain, but I love it.

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  XC 60: My favorite Volvo yet! - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By L Devoe - March 30 - 2:00 am

  Between my wife and myself we have owned 10 Volvos and consider ourselves Volvo for Life customers. Besides the obvious reputation for safety, Volvos have continued to improve their reliability, looks, and amenities over the years. The XC60 is the first Volvo SUV that I have purchased for myself. It is also the most comfortable Volvo that I have ever driven. I was impressed with the build quality, its pep on the road, and the new features such as blind spot alerts (BLIS) and rear view camera for backing up. The mileage is better than I expected with the 3.2L engine and the interior is dead quiet on the highway.

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  There is no other SUV in this league - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By Sam Samaha - March 27 - 7:40 pm

  Combine build quality, safety, design, and safety into the ultimate SUV and you get the XC90 T6, Contrary to the medias view, I drove both the 5 and 6 and found the 5 to be very buzzy and underpowered, especially at passing speeds. The ride of this vehicle is better than many cars. I own a 2004 Passat GLX (top of the line) and I find the handling of the Volvo SUV better. We also looked at the BMW X5 3.0, MB ML320, and Acura MDX.. butI I highly recommend this vehicle.

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  15+ miles, no gas - 2017 Volvo XC90
  By Reginald Souleyrette - March 26 - 5:06 pm

  The pure electric is great if you live 7 miles from work like I do. I can charge it in 2.5 hours with a 240v outlet I ran myself for $100 in parts and the charge lasts both directions. Wish it was more but works for me.

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  Why the misfire?! - 1998 Volvo S70
  By Danny - March 26 - 11:13 am

  I bought the T5 turbo because its a fast, sturdy and relatively inexpensive car (70k miles for $6900). However, as soon as I floored the gas I discovered it had a misfire problem. I tried fixing the problem myself. I replaced all its Bosch "super" sparkplugs with Denso Iridium, the misfire would not go away. I replaced the rotor and distributor cap, misfire still would not go away. The cursed intermittent misfire in cylinder 5 occurs only when I give it the beans, otherwise it rides very well. The leather seems to be pretty sub-par quality as do the brakes. Be ready to give your S70 some maintenance. Oh and my rear taillight goes out a candle in the wind.

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  Redefines "Sleeper" - 2006 Volvo S60
  By M Syd - March 26 - 10:36 am

  99.9% of the planet thinks Volvo is about safe, family style vehicles. But speed trumps safety if you slap an R badge on the boot! This car is the ultimate in sexy edge exterior design and endless creature comforts. Not seats, thrones! I’ve had the car for a little over two years now and everyday I can’t wait to get inside! Especially now with a custom 3” turbo-back exhaust (solves your turbo lag problem BTW). ZERO maintenance issues save for the 2006 software gremlin that magically turns your R into a 240 DL. Great Fuel economy! Performance upgrades are spendy, but TRANSFORM the car into a track warrior (can you spell IPD.com?) I LOVE THIS CAR!

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  Great car - 2000 Volvo S80
  By JPS80T6 - March 26 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for several thousand miles now, and continue to be pleased by it. The ride is wonderful, and the performance is just as impressive. Definitely take a look at this car.

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  Disappointing quality - 2004 Volvo S80
  By carluvr - March 26 - 2:00 am

  My S80 T6 spend the better part of its first 2 months in the shop dealing with a heavy vibration at high speeds and the eventual myriad of resulting rattles. This car did not impress upon me the quality one would expect for $46K. An inept service department and crooked dealer certainly didnt help resolve my ill feelings either. After four months of ownership, I am trading mine in (another reflection of Volvos quality is reflected in its re- sale value). Watch out! If you are looking for an impressive machine, at least test drive a Saab 9- 5 Aero.