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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  8 Cylinder Wonder - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By delawaredriver - May 16 - 3:46 pm

  This is a great vehicle. The 8 cylinder engine is terrific. It is comfortable with clean and efficient design inside and out. Handling is great. I sometimes forget that it is an suv. The six speed transmission is very smooth, but sometimes hesitates a little as it searches for the right gear. Volvo hit the mark with this one.

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  S60 T5 is great on highways - 2004 Volvo S60
  By volvo_md - May 15 - 10:00 am

  We also considered competitors with manual tranny: BMW 330, Acura TSX, Saab 9-3 vector, Lexus IS300. Quite happy with s60t5s looks, acceleration, handling and stability at high speeds, and comfort. Main grouses: wide turning radius; a little ponderous at low speeds that affects driving in stop-and- go traffic. If we had valued driving dynamics above all else we would have gone for the 330. Otherwise, T5 is a good package of performance, handling, safety and ride quality.

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  new V70R automatic owner - 2004 Volvo V70
  By kschel - May 15 - 10:00 am

  Owned V70R automatic (not manual, though the web form does not allow any other designation) for a week. Gave up 2003 Passat Wagon GLS 5 speed, which I loved, to get more room so we could seat all 6 in our family. Built in booster seats are great. Very fun to drive, seats extremely comfortable. You can select different settings for suspension depending on whether you want comfort or want to race. This is a lot of car for the money. Reliability remains to be seen.

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  Good! - 2004 Volvo S40
  By Ivette - May 14 - 2:43 am

  Bought it new. Very powerful, comfortable, and fun to drive. I have had it for five years, and it has been very reliable.

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  S80 Reliability - 2004 Volvo S80
  By 2004 2.9 S80 - May 14 - 1:03 am

  At 79,000 miles this car is on its third transmission. The front struts have broken through nornal driving. It has had two leaks of transmission fluid. The second leak required the radiator to be removed to replace a hose. The interior design makes it very difficult to see traffic behind you. This is our third (and last) Volvo. Repairs this year alone came to over $4000.

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  Honey Can I Drive the C70? - 2007 Volvo C70
  By Simply Beautiful - May 12 - 3:10 am

  Simply a wonderful automobile... sedan by rainy day, dream car by sunny day! We love our 07 Volvo C70! Nice lines, better looking with the top down. Its an awesome car to drive. Compared it to the VW EOS and thought we would save money by getting the EOS. One drive in the C70, DynaSound, Premium Package and we were both sold! She loves it. I cant drive it enough! Moved from an S80 to the C70 and love the car. Get one!

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  Dont Do It - 2003 Volvo S40
  By RObert - May 12 - 2:00 am

  Lots of rattles, odds and ends that break. Sure, its all under warranty, but each time another visit to the dealer for service, and who has time for that? My visits went like this, "yeah, youre right its broke, but we have to order the part, so youll have to bring it back," doubling my number of visits! Defects included chech engine light on at least 6 xs, gas cap lock broke, hazard switch broke, sun roof mechanism broke, and, for the first time with any car Ive ever owned, rear bakes went on it after one year, ate into the rotors (not covered under warranty) causing $400 worth of damage.

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  Volvo C70 - 2007 Volvo C70
  By GB - May 11 - 1:56 am

  I have only had the vehicle for 7 weeks however I am very satisfied with the performance of the vehicle. The only downside thus far is the gas mileage. I have only been getting about 18 MPG in the city.

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  Ck engine light - 2006 Volvo S40
  By alison cramer - May 7 - 5:53 pm

  Love the Car! Very Sporty! Check engine light has come on twice already with one time being something broken. Wish MPG was a little better.

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  Great Car Value - 2009 Volvo S80
  By Nugen - May 7 - 5:26 pm

  This is a great car for the money. I like Volvos for the obvious reasons, but this car is fun to drive and very comfortable, but has excellent handling. This car is a great combination of function and fun. This car is the 3.2, but it runs great and has great performance even on regular gas. The mileage is at least good for a car this size. The traction control is fantastic and really dont see the need for AWD. I live outside of Boston, so we get a fair amount of snow and have been great in the snow and ice. This is a great family car.