Volvo Research & Reviews

Overview & Reviews

Average Score

4.36/5 Average
5,634 Total Reviews
Make Overview:

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:

Showing 2711 through 2720 of 5,634.00
  • 2005 Volvo XC70 - 2005 Volvo XC70
    By -

    Just took delivery of my new 2005 XC70. A trade from a 2002 XC70. Volvo has cut some corners which is very disconcerting. The under floor storage has been replaced with insulation (and not very well installed) The seat pockets are smaller. The handy in-dash cup holder has been replaced by a useless nook. The center console has lost a lot of its usefulness and been replace by useless cup holders. In short poor quality creep has set in, a trait learned apparently from Ford. unt. Additionally, the poor quality Perilli tires are still there.

  • Overall I got what i hoped I was getting - 1999 Volvo S70
    By -

    Having only owned this vehicle for a month a guess I should have had the opportunity to say N/A for the reliability. But being on the road five days a week and driving approximately 2000 miles a month, I think I can fairly assess everything else. Performance wise, the spunky little 2.4 5L has plenty of pep (no,not as performance based as an Audi or VW) and handles corners cleanly. Ergonomically, in some regards Volvo needs to be more intuitive with small things like better front cupholders. On a plus, this car is the simplest vehicle there is when it comes to changing a brake or tail light. Build quality is where I got what I hoped for, a solid, safe, fun to drive, car!

  • no more volvos for me - 2000 Volvo V70
    By -

    A friend showed me this site and wow how insightful! Guess Im not alone with my endless Volvo problems; AC, throttle body control unit (which left my wife stranded), AC again, faulty air flow unit, (that took 4 trips to the dealer to fix) broken, CV joints, strut mounts @ 82k, numerous little things that have broken through normal use; cup holders both front and back, windows controls -every one has gone out -save the drivers unit, the list goes on... It also burns through tires (my wife drives it 80% of the time and she is a conservative driver) going through a set of yokohamas in half the warranted life (60k). Im told that we are part of the Volvo 200 club -Every visit to the shop =$200!

  • Worst big-ticket purchase of my life - 2001 Volvo V70
    By -

    What a disappointment. Terrible ride -- you feel every bump. Loud interior. Awful electronics: blown lights, faulty electronic key. Ignition problems. Broken gas tank sensor. Steering column leaked fluid. Altinator failed. WORST RELIABILITY OF ANY CAR IVE EVER OWNED - - AND I ONCE OWNED A FORD. Terrible in- dash stereo for the price. And Martens Volvo is terrible, too. Were already looking for a replacement.

  • Entry luxuary at modest price - 2009 Volvo S60
    By -

    Smooth and solid ride. Very comfortable seat. With promotion in July, I got my Volvo at Camry/Accord price! AND, 5 year 60,000 free maintenance plus road assistant!! It was no brainer to go for Volvo. Also came with leather/sun roof as standard. The climate control system is excellent - I love rain sensing wipers.

  • Safest SUV on the road - 2006 Volvo XC90
    By -

    We picked up our XC-90 in Gothenberg, Sweden in June 05. What a fabulous experience. The factory delivery program is just one of the best!! We toured Sweden for 8 days in great comfort before flying elsewhere and shipping this car home. Our trip was very memorable, had a lot of fun driving this spacious SUV around the country, putting 1000 miles on it. It has great pick up, very stable feel and we just love it!! This is our 5th Volvo, 3rd new one, all still running. Two are now owned by another family member. 3 of them have over 200K miles and running great. We have had no repair problems whatsoever with this car.

  • Stay away - 2009 Volvo XC70
    By -

    Ive owned this car for 14 months and I cant wait for my lease to be up. Wait a couple years before Volvo puts everything together in this car. Every week there is one thing, electronic issues, alert messages, ratles, transmission jumps from one gear to another for no reason and in the mountains the car goes nuts. The dealer says it is normal in this model and Volvo is still trying to improve it. Resale value is horrible, reliability is even worse, check for yourself Consumer reports and see the ratings from the editors at Edmunds. Do not make the same mistake and wait until they do something about it, it is hard to believe that from the past model Volvo has done such a bad job.

  • Give credit to this is a excellent SUV - 2007 Volvo XC90
    By -

    Handles great and very good safty evan in very bad weather, Big blind spot in backing up> A wow and beutiful style gets lots of looks and questions asked of it, Just drives great and wonderful in ALL weather, this is not an off road or a all so fancy SUV. Volvo is a safe, powerful and beutiful SUV. Good job Volvo. Gas MPG is much better than those other very High end SUVs. It is a keeper..

  • WAY more bang for the buck... - 2005 Volvo S40
    By -

    I use this primarily as an "airport" car so I wasnt looking to make an emotional purchase. I wanted a dependable, well-made, safe sedan that offered a warranty at least as long as my 48-month lease. I got a lot more than I bargained for with the S40 Its very rewarding to drive-- solid, smooth, and responsive enough with the 5 speed manual to have plenty of freeway acceleration. This car feels like it could be driven over 100MPH all day long without breaking a sweat. Fantastic interior with a very smart center control console. So much more car for the money than the Camry, Mazda 6, and Honda Civic I shopped it against. Would recommend to anyone. Great car, period!

  • Ford Should butt out - 2002 Volvo S60
    By -

    This car has been in the family since it was brand new. Its a pretty nice car, but its had a lot of silly little problems. In its lifetime, the wheel bolts rusted, the front bumper popped itself out of place. Just recently, went to get gas and when the attendant opened the fuel door it fell into his hand. This, from what I have seen, is a popular issue with S60s and V70s of this generation. The glove compartment door is now sagging, and the paint quality is very poor. Mechanically, the transmission seems a little screwy, causing the car to shake when you let go of the brakes after a complete stop. This is an awesome looking car, but unfortunetly its a bit unrefined.

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