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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  My first Volvo...wont be my last - 2000 Volvo S40
  By ColumbusS40 - October 1 - 10:00 am

  I wanted a Volvo since I was a kid and was quite surprised when I got financed into an S40 at agreeable terms. The maintenance schedule is a little high, I must admit, but in my opinion its worth it. In one year, Ive put about 20,500 miles on the car. (This will go down as I moved closer to the city). Very comfortable, very solid, and fun to drive. Like it a lot but will upgrade to a station wagon (V70)when I can.

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  Love it! - 2007 Volvo XC90
  By Dena - October 1 - 12:46 am

  I traded in a 2004 Lexus RX330 for the 2007 XC90. I love the way it handles and it feels much tighter and sportier. It accelerates and shifts gears much more smoothly than my Lexus. My only complaint is the gas mileage is not as good, and I had a minor issue with the Sirius installation. This car is fun to drive!

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  Excellent Car! Great Price - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By Cindy Fabre - September 28 - 2:36 am

  I have this car fully loaded. The navigation is great. It prompts you, big screen, and is accurate. I also love the DVD system. The twin screens are great. The car drives smoothly, and I have no problems (knock on wood). I had previously owned the merceds that had issues every few months. This is an excellent value for the price and you can put the cheap gas in. The Booster Seat is also a great feature.

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  Volvo Turbo runs like a dream - 2001 Volvo S80
  By Jon Entine - September 28 - 2:00 am

  This car hums. It drives beautifully in city and highway, with effortless automatic shifting. Its also an eye turner.

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  The understated luxury car - 2008 Volvo S80
  By Mike Schumer - September 25 - 4:59 am

  The Volvo S80 is a great car if you dont care about status but still have luxury. It is one of the safest cars on the road. Yes its ride is so comfortable and disconnects you from the road but that is nice sometimes, especially on long trips. I own a Mini Cooper so I get my road jollys with that. People complain about the inadequate performance of the base engine. I find that to be a ridiculous statement. Its not a sports car, its a luxury sedan that handles any road situation under normal circumstances. This is my second Volvo, my first bought new in 2003 and still have it at 235,000 mile. Volvos are known for longevity. Yes maintenance and some problems will arise but its not as expensive as a BMW or Mercedes and will probably outlast both of them. This is a practical luxury car. Its not for people that care about what others think or how fast you can go from 0-60. I got Volvos 2008 flagship with 48,000 miles on it for $12,500. Not bad for a car that should be around at 235,000 miles.

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  C70 A lot of fun - 2006 Volvo C70
  By Steve Buschel - September 24 - 2:03 pm

  The car is wonderful. Handles great; Styling is excellent. Interior is very well appointed. Manual transmission is smooth to shift. A real fun car to drive. the retractacle roof opens and closes with ease. With the top up you would never know the car is a convertible. The road noise is almost non existent.

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  Best Car I ever owned - 2000 Volvo S80
  By 123@aol.com - September 22 - 2:00 am

  Our family has been buying Volvos since 1980, and this is by far the best one yet. Fast, comfortable, and great sound system.

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  Perfect driving dinamic - 2012 Volvo C30
  By 1ptbijou - September 21 - 9:24 pm

  This is my first Volvo, I was looking for a drivers car and this is it. The driving confort and position is superb. The power is very good at low RPM, the 2.5 L. turbo has a lots of tork at only 1500 RPM. and no turbo lag. If you are looking for a reliable European car, this is it, the ride is very confortable for our bad roads. I selected the 16 wheels for that reason. I just drove from Vermont to Nova Scotia in 12 hours non stop with zero back problems. I dont understand why this car is not selling more as mine was the price of a Civic SI and Volvo is having huge promotions with 5years waranty and free maintenance 0% finance and $5000. off.

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  FUN, FAST, SAFE - 2009 Volvo S80
  By Mlee - September 21 - 7:30 pm

  Came from XC90 to S80. A classy ride, Big step across but not down. Love it.. Needed smaller size, good road ride and more power. Got it. Go for the turbo and upgrade package. Very nice, Volvo very nice. Not yous old moms car any more. Nice

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  Great little car - 2009 Volvo C30
  By D - September 20 - 9:23 pm

  We bought a C30 on our return to the US after a few years overseas. Previously wed owned a 2003 VW GTi and a 2001 Porsche Boxster but now we only need one car. The C30 has everything we require -- more refined than the VW and, okay, not a Porsche but much cheaper to run. Space is fine for the two of us and the performance is more than good enough. When we bought it the trip computer software had not been loaded. The dealerships salespeople said it wasnt available on the manual. This simply was not true and the mechanics at the dealership installed it in a few minutes when we took it for its first service.