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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  1st Year 2004 - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By myxc90 - August 9 - 10:00 am

  We purchased our Volvo through the Volvo OSD (OverSeas Delivery) program and it was a great experience. This 6000lb truck drives like a really big sports car. MYXC90dotCOM

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  Great vehicle - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Bonemond - August 9 - 10:00 am

  Coming from a BMW 330 convertible, I was skeptical about climbing into one of the big lumbering SUVs that crowd the roads, and the idea of just 5 cylinders trying to power 1000lbs. more than my convertible made me more skeptical. After the test drive and 1000+ miles of ownership, I am very happy with my XC90 2.5T. My earlier concerns about performance are gone - the 2.5T is more engine than this vehicle needs in just about any driving situation. The XC90 drives, performs, and handles like a much smaller car than it really is. Im definitely impressed!

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  Best Car Weve Ever Had - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By shieatt - August 8 - 6:36 pm

  We found a sweet deal on our used XC90 - 2 years old, only 6500 miles! Car has every option. My wife and I agree that it is the best car we have ever had (and weve had some nice cars). I was nervous about the T6 model, having read that it is slightly underpowered with a poor transmission - but happy to report that the car has plenty of power and shifts smoothly. The AWD system is fantastic - used it to climb an unpaved, snowy/icy grade with no wheel spin - amazing. Great ride and handling. Interior ergonomics very well thought out.

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  Mixed Review - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By vmerch - August 8 - 12:50 pm

  I added the optional Nuvi/Volvo navigation unit when I purchased the car. It looks great in the recessed dash space, but the dealership dented the center stack when installing. After getting the car back, I have had continued rattles in the back. I removed every possible part that could cause the noise and it still exists. Yesterday the BLIS on the passenger side stopped working. I cleaned the lense but it still blinks on/off and most of the time just stays on. It will be in the shop again this Friday. For 6 weeks of ownership it will have been out of service for 2. While I drove both the MB350 GLK and this car, I am beginning to regret my Volvo choice.

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  A lemon of a car! - 2005 Volvo S60
  By ddd - August 8 - 12:30 pm

  Thankfully I was able to return this vehicle under CA lemon law. In 12 months I had taken it in for brake squeak/squeal on 7 separate occasions. Tried euro spec pads, update US pads, deglazing rotors, etc. No fix worked. What good is a stealthy car if everyone around you is staring because of the HORRIBLE squeal from the brakes. Trust me, on many occasions I had to roll up my window because I couldnt stand the noise! And on top of all that, the Service Manager had the guts to tell me, "well all brakes squeak; its part of normal day-to-day sounds of a working car" To their credit, Volvo paid me back in full less $433 of accrued costs through ~1,000mi when I first reported the problem)

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  XC-90 Horiible reliabiliy - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By Rich4rennlist - August 7 - 11:00 am

  I purchased a 2005 Volvo XC90 for my wife. She was driving a ML 320 and did not enjoy the drive nor the styling. Weve enjoyed the owners driving school which was offered by Volvo for its owners but everything else has been a huge headache. The XC90 has been at the dealer 6 times since purchase (the car is only 5 months old). The check engine light came on 2 days after Ive purchased the car. The dealer has not been able to figure out the problem. Everytime the car is at the dealer, they are confident that the problem is solved. They were wrong 6 times. It makes my wonder if any of the safety features are in working order. I cant wait to get rid of it. I regret purchasing it.

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  Consultants Car - 2004 Volvo V40
  By SRH - August 6 - 1:53 am

  This was our first Volvo purchase. We wanted a car that was safe, but fuel efficient. We also wanted a car that was flexible enough to be both our family car, but also a respectable car to be driven for my consulting work. The V40 fit the bill. I have to drive both short distances in city traffic as well as long distances on highways and the V40 handles both nicely. Four years later I still love my car. I would buy another.

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  Out-of-Warranty! - 2000 Volvo S40
  By MartySullivan - August 5 - 2:00 am

  Happy w/car throught the warranty.Still had the check engine light,headlight, and brake problems. Now that the warranty is over and the dealer refuses to help this car is falling apart! I disagreed with all the negatives, I thought these would last past the warranty period, guess not. I will never buy Volvo again.

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  Great Test Drive - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By M3M - August 5 - 2:00 am

  Test Drive...Very comfortable. Im 63 and my wife is 51; we were both comfortable. It rides extremely smoothly and shifts gears well. The geartronic trans didnt shift quite so smoothly, but still useful and fun. The 5 cyl (5 speed) had better pick-up than the 6 cyl (4 speed).

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  From Audi to Volvo - 2003 Volvo S60
  By G1wzwnd - August 5 - 2:00 am

  I just got my S60 after driving an Audi A6 and there is no looking back. This car is beautiful, drives like a dream and has a very comfortable interior. Its a great choice.