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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  Owned mine for 8 years - 2002 Volvo S60
  By johnc8551 - January 15 - 6:39 pm

  I bought my 2002 S60 used with 21K miles on it in 2004. It now has 110,000 miles on the odo, and Ive passed it along to my stepdaughter as her college car. I get it serviced regularly and it has not been overly expensive to maintain through my local Firestone service center. Its been an overall dependable car with only a few age related failures, such as alternator, water pump, strut mounts, etc. Nothing too big at all. The one gremlin this car has, and it seems to be rather common with this series, is that it eats tail light and headlight bulbs on a regular basis. However, these are easy to replace by the owner, and I now keep spares stashed with the spare tire in the trunk.

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  Best value for luxury CUV - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By Jay Kim - January 14 - 3:40 am

  I got a T6 model with comfort, climate and technology package and we love it. Before the purchase, my wife and I thoroughly researched and test drove other competitors. At the end, my we narrowed our choice down to RX, Q5 and XC60. We liked Q5 the best in terms of driving dynamic, followed by XC60 and dreadful RX, but Volvo won us over in interior/exterior design, utility and value. RX had great interior, technology features and excellent fit and finish, but totally uninspired exterior design and driving characteristics. Our biggest concern for getting a Volvo was reliability issue, but we got convinced by Volvos safe and sound program that provides 5 years of warranty and free maintenance.

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  great wagon - 2003 Volvo V70
  By Jaltmann - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Wife loves it. She bought it and actually enjoys driving to work every day.

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  Volvo Owner - 2000 Volvo S40
  By Ron Laub - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I have had a few maintenance problems but overall very satisfied. Worked with Volvo of the Triad in Winston- Salem, NC and Volvo of Dallas in Carrollton, TX. The sales people (Trey) at Volvo of the Triad were great to work with. Totally opposite the dealership in Greensboro (Crown). Have referred my brother and two friends to Volvo of the Trid and they both bought Volvos there. Most of my service work has been with Volvo of Dallas and the shop supervisor (Aldo) is the best.

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  S70 Great Car - 1998 Volvo S70
  By MSD - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Volvos S70 has provided me with excellent service. Maintaining the car according to mfrs suggestions will result in many trouble free miles of driving. The only negative was the frequency of bulbs burning out. Volvo corrected the problem but only after a couple of years of complaints. Everthing else has been trouble free. Great highway car.

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  No longer driving an SUV - 2004 Volvo XC70
  By mhldca - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Very nice creature comforts for the little ones and Mom, great handling and power with the LP turbo for Dad. Mom likes the extra room the wagon has for the dog and groceries on the beach weekends, and the last Volvo a family member owned lasted 350K miles.

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  Great Family/Fun Car - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By pblax8 - January 12 - 10:40 pm

  Ive owned volvos most of my life and this is by far the most stylish inside and out. The handling and engine responsiveness are outstanding for a 4200lb vehicle and far better than the BMW X3 or Mercedes GLK which I also considered purchasing. I have 4 kids and wanted the safest car possible w/o buying a tank. Volvo claims its the safest car theyve made, that says a lot by itself as Volvos are known as very safe cars.

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  Lots of pros and cons - 2001 Volvo S60
  By Sara - January 12 - 3:26 am

  I bought a certified used S60 T5 from a great dealership. Unfortunately I moved and the dealerships Ive dealt with in Los Angeles are pretty bad with customer service. Calabasas Volvo in particular is horrible. Anyway, I do really enjoy the car, but have been frustrated with some random problems that I think are unacceptable for a "luxury" car. Pros: 1) Very comfortable, wonderful seats and beautiful interior 2) adequate power and muscular feel 3) safe and stable Cons: 1) The turning radius is AWFUL. I cannot make U-turns, period. Ever. Even turning around in a parking lot is tough. 2) Visibility is really poor. 3) CD wont play burned CDs, often gets "stuck". 4) random electrical problems

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  great value compared to BMW - 2006 Volvo S60
  By mick - January 11 - 11:00 am

  I have a 2005 S60 T5 (manual)...performancewise the S60 2.5T and T5 are a lot of car for the money...the worlds most comfortable seats and built like a tank with a lot of get up and go....if you are looking at a BMW 330 or ACura TL this Volvo is a much better value...

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  Good for the money! - 2003 Volvo S80
  By Jack B - January 11 - 1:50 am

  I have owned the S80T since Aug 2003 and have mixed feelings on the car. Decent acceleration & Braking. However, the turbo lag can be somewhat annoying. Love the Stepronic like shifter. The interior of the car is cheap. Tons of plastic. Volvo saved a ton going this route. If you have experienced a BMW, Lexus, or MB, you will be dissapointed. The main reason I bought the car was for the seats. These seats are incredable! The Stereo rocks when playing CD s. However, the AM radio stinks. Several trips to the dealer to solve the ear popping crackling and interference have failed to solved the prob. Good Performance, Cheap interior, Great seats. 15K less than a BMW.