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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  C30 rocks - 2009 Volvo C30
  By vicki walker - December 2 - 3:06 am

  This is my first Volvo. I wanted something sporty, sexy and safe. The C30 is all of these. This unique vehicle looks and drives like a sports car; yet, there is still room for kids or pets. My car came loaded with features I really did not think I needed, but now I have discovered that the bluetooth is heaven; the moon roof lights up my ride; the heated seats are cool and the stereo makes for a sweet commute. I love my new C30!

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  Wow Wow Wee Wow - 2008 Volvo C70
  By Mike - December 2 - 1:26 am

  This is a fun vehicle and very fun to drive! What originally caught my eye was the sleeker design in contrast to the other Volvo models. The hard top convertable is also an excellent plus! Like Mc Donalds "dah dup dah dah daaaaaah Im lovin it!"

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  Nice hauler and 21 mpg! - 2009 Volvo XC70
  By Pete in Golden - December 1 - 7:53 am

  We bought a demo T6 (4600 miles) to replace our well-used 98 XC (145,000 mi). After shopping the Audi A6, BMW 530xi and Passat 4Motion, we came back to the Volvo due to its edge on cargo size (and utility) and our previous experience with the XC in the snow. We drive the Colo. mountains every weekend in the winter and the Volvo (with snows) is impossible to beat: goes where you point it and stops when you want it to -- inspires a great deal of confidence in bad conditions. The reviews I read about the cars mileage gave me pause, but Im happy to report that were getting 21 mpg in mixed driving (with a cargo pod always on the roof). (Same mpg more or less as the smaller 98 XC)

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  2004 Volvo XC70 review - 2004 Volvo XC70
  By jplym49 - November 30 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my XC70 2 months, & the more I drive it, the more I enjoy it. Excellent fit and finish. Great visibility, and very comfortable seating. I am surprised that there are not more of these on the road. This car is a keeper!

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  Still love it after a year - 2001 Volvo V40
  By jfalley - November 27 - 2:00 am

  I am single, travel (for fun) alot and love this wagon. I have 2 dogs, and there is plenty of room for the standard fair for one person. 2 people with all the equipment to snowboard gets full but still has rear vision through the vehicle, have done 3 people and I dont recomend it, the back seat is tight (real tight)if the front is set for the comfort of a 6 foot tall person. Rear seat is for kids only, but that is how you get the good milage, perfect for me.

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  I love it even more than the 2.9 - 2003 Volvo S80
  By Jonathan Barth - November 27 - 2:00 am

  I had a 2001 S80 for 1.5 years and as much as I LOVED the car, I always regretted not getting the T6 package, premium sound, and color-coded trim. When I got this Pearl White 2002 T6 (with color coded trim), I was in utterly speechless; the seats where even more comfortable and the handling and responsiveness of the T6 is fantastic. And the sound… the 3rd channel and DPL are great. With the exception of the mild dead spot when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear and the fact that the premium sound does not play MP3s, I really have enjoyed the high end responsiveness of the car and the sound system. At 130 mph, the car is just beginning to beg for more.

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  DIGIT - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By SWEDISHGEARHEAD - November 27 - 2:00 am

  HAVE HAD IT ABOUT 1 MONTH AND LOVE ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT IT WISH IT HAD A 5 SPEED OR 6 SPEED TRANNY AND A LARGER GAS TANK BUT THATS NITPICKING

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  01 V70 T5 - Thumbs Up! - 2001 Volvo V70
  By Rick - November 26 - 8:06 pm

  New to the Volvo world but my brother has owned three, including his current 02 V70. Just brought home our 01 T5 last month; its a well-maintained 2-owner w. 95k mi. Ive owned various BMWs, Jaguars, VWs, etc. & this Volvo compares very well. From the interior & exterior design to the performance & fun of driving, the car has an overall feel of real quality & thoughtful engineering. As preventative maintenance, I changed the timing belt (incl. tensioner & pulley) & water pump after the purchase; also put in a new cabin air filter. The 01 V70 sometimes gets a bad rap, but I suspect thats at least as much owner issues as the car itself. Thumbs up on a great car, especially the T5.

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  Very fun to dirve - 2011 Volvo XC70
  By hikerguy69 - November 26 - 4:10 am

  I had a 2005 Subaru Forrester XT with 94K miles, and decided it was time for a new vehicle . I wanted a car that was fun to drive, yet able to carry me, my friends and camping gear up Idaho forrest roads. I looked at 2010 Forrester and Outback, but settled on the XC 70 T6. It is very fun to drive. I love the comfortable seat and the relatively quiet AWD. The handling was excellent and the turbo had loads of pickup. Ive only had it a week, but I am very happy.

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  Reserved Judgement - 2017 Volvo XC90
  By bigmountain - November 25 - 6:37 am

  We bought this car in February after multiple generations of 4 different luxury SUVs my wife and I were tired of feeding the pig at the gas pump. We travel probably 18 weekends a year so gas mileage is important to us, but so is capability for off-road and snow performance. We researched this purchase at length. This car is beyond innovative. The interior and exterior design feels like a $100,000 car, not a 60k car. Where this car shines: fuel economy, handling, long trips (the pilot assist feature is addicting), interior functionality, comfort, the Dynamic and Off Road driving modes are incredibly helpful when called upon. Where this car isnt great: ride, the ride is very busy and a little harsh which exposes some typical European car rattles and will expose every Lego stuffed in a cupholder. This is a trade off to consider if you like the confidence of the handling on a backroad. The technology can be a little invasive at times when you are just out running errands, so you have to be willing to learn about it and use it properly or it will drive you mad. The only major complaint that I have with the car is the auto-stop-start feature which is way too overzealous to cut the engine off when you are at a quick 4-way stop or pausing to let someone pull out of a parking space. I am optimistic the software engineers will release a patch for this soon (hint-hint).