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:

• 

  LOVE this car - on my second one at 167K miles - 2005 Volvo S80
  By volvocandy - October 28 - 1:26 am

  This is my second S80 and I absolutely love this car. Its the perfect size, gets really good mileage and is Swedish non-nonsense luxury personified. No Lexis toys in a toy, just quiet and comfortable safety that you can trust, all in understated elegance. It also had the ability to lock in car seats for my twin grandsons that many cars to not - which is still another safety feature.

• 

  Great Family Car - 2001 Volvo V70
  By tracprod - October 27 - 3:16 am

  Wouldnt recommend this non-turbo version. It is underpowered if you do a lot of travelling. Good city/short mileage car. Solid, no problems. Most room for a wagon youll find.

• 

  S60R Delivers! - 2004 Volvo S60
  By John2 - October 24 - 10:00 am

  The car has been a delight to drive. The handling is excellent, acceleration and torque are as advertised. Brakes offer amazingly short stopping distance. The interior is great, especially the really soft leather (I have the navy blue and I would highly recommend that color)and the seats are the typical Volvo--very comfortable. This car combines sportiness with practicality quite well.

• 

  I REALLY love this car - 2004 Volvo V70
  By vspady - October 23 - 12:30 am

  Full-size comfort, sports car handling, safety to the nth degree, gorgeous at the curb and twice as beatiful accelerating from a dead stop. this car handles like a dream, is comfortable, while being nimble AND stable. really a great performance ride with maximum comfort and that great cop-proof volvo cache (yes, we really do fly below the radar). this is my 5th volvo, and far and away my favorite. fun, safe, comfortable, and gorgeous. no complaints on maintenance or ergonomics. all around a fantastic car.

• 

  LoyalVolvoOwnerFL - 2007 Volvo S40
  By LoyalVolvoOwner - October 22 - 10:00 am

  This is my third Volvo. Same color and same engine. So far everything is great. The transmission adapts to the driver (like a fitted baseball glove) I was concerned about what to do after the warranty expires. I cant think of another car that i could get in and feel as excited as i do for the price that i paid, no matter where my destination may be...work, gym, roadtrip, or out to dinner. I dont think this car will ever look outdated. Auto body shop personnel have said great things. Extended VIP warranty is available but only before the orginal warranty expires.

• 

  We get great gas mileage - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By MLPJLK - October 22 - 10:00 am

  This is our second Volvo (first was 2003 S60 T5). Just like our frist Volvo, this car has excellent build, fit and finish. I cant beliee Ford let Volvo go. I dont understand how other owners use their cars, but we get 19 in town on 29 on the highway at 75 mph. Ours has everything except blind spot warning. The car has 9 inches of ground clearance that is 3 inches more than Mercedes and Audi. Bluetooth should autosync with which ever phone ins in range, not just the first one on the pair list. Driver #2 always has to manually sync, even when in the car alone. Dealer had us test the City Safety before we left the lot. Good idea as it would scare you if it was actually used.

• 

  Leftover 2007 - 2007 Volvo S60
  By Florida - October 22 - 6:53 am

  I walked into the dealership to purchase a 2008 V40T5 and found none available in the South Florida area. I was called back to see this car, a loaner/demo with the Premium and Sport packages. One test drive later I was an owner. Over the years I have owned every premium brand,and this is a great blend for the money.

• 

  Amazing Car All Around - 2005 Volvo S60
  By GolfingGuy - October 18 - 3:10 pm

  This car is really amazing. The interior (taupe/beige leather) is perfectly designed, with Volvos Swedish aspect present, and also it is ergonomically sound. The controls are very easy to use and look very nice. The exterior (silver) is very sporty and gives the car a much more athletic look than most other Volvos. Overall this car is really great, price too.

• 

  Its a wagon... WOW - 2004 Volvo XC70
  By JAF IV - October 18 - 2:00 am

  It is the best cross over car/suv I have ever driven. I love the AWD and the handling is fantastic. The fact that it is a wagon is forgotten once you are behind the wheel.

• 

  Safety First - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By avonpan - October 18 - 2:00 am

  My husband and I chose the XC90 for its safety features(whiplash protection, rollover protection, airbags galore even curtains to protect from glass). We were in a rollover (3+ times) accident in a different SUV;it was totalled and we were too. Both of us were paranoid of being hit by an out of control driver again and wanted the BEST protection. Volvo beats the others hands down. My husband was reluctant to even test drive one because Volvo conjures up images of "boring boxy ugly" car. However, after the test drive, we were convinced that its combination of looks, safety and performance beat the Mercedes, Acura and BMW.