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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  An expection - 2007 Volvo V50
  By Aaron - June 21 - 2:50 pm

  Ive never thought Volvo was this good. I just bought it for safety reason for kid but it exceeds my every expectation. In short, perfectly quality built for saftety without sacrificing performance and fun of driving. I got it on 15km. Overall it has been giving me satisfaction out of expectation. Very responsive, Powerful enough of its class, running stable like a rock, outstanding sound system - feel indulged driving as listening; strong sense of safety sitting in the car. Wonderful small family car, beautifully designed for storage and family traveling; every function works perfectly.

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  Volvo 2001 V70 T5ASR - 2001 Volvo V70
  By rpd544 - June 18 - 2:00 am

  Dont buy this car! This car had an oil leak at the same spot three times during the first month of me owning it. When you first buy the car, it is fast! Its like a rocket! But after 12,000 miles, the car doesnt accelerate worth anything! The brakes needed to be replaced at 18,000 miles. The tires needed replacing at 20,000. The interior rattles like crazy. And there is a knocking sound whenever you make a left turn (which the dealership says is a "Normal Event.") The fuel pump is noisy! Buy a Toyota Sienna and youll be much happier with it!

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  Who needs options - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By Dale - June 16 - 10:32 pm

  The base Momentum is a steal compared to the competition. The only option I ordered was a trailer hitch. The ride is smooth and quiet. The sound system is great. The seats are the most comfortable I have every experienced. So many optional items on other vehicles are standard such as heated, leather, power seats, huge moonroof, navigation and lots of safety features. We are getting 27 to 28 MPG on the highway at 70 to 75 miles per hour in calm winds. I am not a fan of the auto start/stop function and I prefer the Dynamic driving mode which is very peppy in city driving and disables the start/stop function. I wish the car remembered the previous driving mode setting so you dont have to select it each time you start the car. I also would like to see a Home Link option for opening the garage door.

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  great car - 2006 Volvo S60
  By ingrid - June 14 - 12:43 am

  The leather and sport package make this car as much fun to drive as my husbands BMW 530i. Plus, I didnt have to drive around with the owners manual the first week like he did.

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  Very nice Car - 2008 Volvo S80
  By First Time Volvo Dri - June 13 - 8:16 pm

  I never thought I would be the owner of a Volvo, but fell in love with the safety features, and torquey engines. Although critized I find the ride quite smooth and as pleasant as my wifes Mercedes. The car feels like it floats, and such is not as engaging as BMW, infiniti or alike. The car rides like a cruiser. The car has great passing power, but feels a little slow off the line. The interior is all soft to touch and feels like reserved luxury. You can tell all controls were put in place with safety in mind. The Navi is placed on top of the dash and is operated via steering wheel controls to minimize driver distraction. All audio/car settings can only be adjusted when the car is stopped.

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  Luv it and leave it ! - 2000 Volvo S80
  By Mark - June 10 - 8:10 pm

  Enjoy driving my S-80 but beginning at 55K miles repairs have been constant. Now have 100 and have to sell because it is costing me $1000 per quarter for repairs. The mechanic said that the items needing to be fixed are not common problems. Great. I cant wait until the common problems occur. I hate the idea of selling but my comfortable car is no longer dependable. If dependability could be improved, I would buy another one. i.e. wheel hub $700, throttle $1200 a/c next last 4 months in repair. Sorry Volvo.

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  XC90 set back - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By nathan - June 8 - 4:13 pm

  I was number 11 when i bought my volvo when it came out. i love the truck but here are some problems i experienced. Turbo lag @ 3000 rpm, leaks in tail light allowing water in, misaligned steering wheel slightly, an unusual sound in my engine that led to a broken transmission that needed replacement a year ago, depleted steering fluid @ 20,000 with reason unknown, engine hose leaking that needs replacing @ 30,000 miles, 4 tires worn out @ 30,000 miles, 2X changed front brakes, front rotor change last December. I have a Toyota that does not have most of his problem. Despite of everything I still like my truck, probably due to safety and looks, who knows

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  Not your Uncle Olafs Volvo 240D - 2012 Volvo S60
  By silverfox13 - June 8 - 5:12 am

  I am truly blown away by this car. I owned a 1980 Volvo 240GT years ago and loved it. I sold Volvos and BMWs in Canada for 4 years and loved both brands. I have had my T6 R-Design for only 5 months and was a little concerned I might miss my Infiniti G37 Sport with manual transmission. The S60 is so much fun to drive, I havent thought much about the G37. I liked what I saw and read when the S60 was redesigned and got seriously interested in the new R-Design. One test drive and I was sold. Only mistake I made was letting my wife use it for a short road trip. A week later we had traded in her Ford Edge on a stunning white/taupe interior Volvo C70 convertible.

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  They got me "For Life" - 2005 Volvo XC70
  By priusdriver101 - June 8 - 12:34 am

  I got an excellent deal on this XC70. The ride, seat comfort, power, and space make it the perfect vehicle. I only owned it for 1500 miles (It was an investment), but I am now sold on Volvo. I did have some issues: The siren stopped working (sunroof stopped working too because of this (weird, I know), and the timing belt needed to be replaced. Many people would say that wagons are lame, but this car has POWER. Fuel economy is just like any other Crossover SUV. The style is awesome. I wish mine had the Third row jump seat. And the nav. Great car. I have fallen for them, and now they have me "For Life"!

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  I thought this was a volvo - 2004 Volvo S60
  By androidv11 - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Nice exterior styling and sleek interior, though the back seat is a little crampled. 5 speed very responsive and quick. Sound system good though not as good as Japanese models Ive owned. Three significant events in first week of ownership; fuel line coupling broke rendering the car inoperable, Volvo would only tow the car 25 miles free (dealership was 31 from my location, right rear shock absorber squeeks loudly. Might consider another car next time.