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:

• 

  great suv. best looking in r-design - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By jk - April 26 - 11:03 pm

  i choose xc90 over a bmw x5 and so far so good. except i found out there is no pairing mode on memory seating with a remote key overall i am happy with my xc90 t6 r-design

• 

  New Volvo parents of a 2004 XC 90 - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By welcon1 - April 25 - 10:00 am

  JUst brought our new baby (XC 90) home this week. Already own a 94 940 Turbo and couldnt wait to have another Volvo in the family (but had to until daughter graduated from college!!!)... She (the SUV) is beautiful and exceeded our expectations. Smooth ride for an SUV, comfortable, and easy to wash (no sharp edges, corners, or protrusions to deal with). I KNOW MY FAMILY WILL BE SAFE FOR YEARS TO COME IN THIS VEHICLE. Its been like x-mas around here since our new "baby" has arrived.

• 

  R for Racing - 2005 Volvo S60
  By Volvo - April 22 - 5:46 pm

  This is the 2nd Volvo R I have purchased. It drives smoothly and has good balance. If you drive on rough roads this isnt the car for you. If luxury, safety and performance are of concern, look no further. The Automatic is significantly slower than the manual - absolutely take the aero package. This car gets more looks than Pamela Anderson - Enjoy.

• 

  Volvo S80 - 2000 Volvo S80
  By tails - April 22 - 2:00 am

  Solid driving car. Delivers excellent performance with very good fuel economy. Still the best styled car on the road.

• 

  Just Bought One! - 2007 Volvo V70
  By Dave - LA - April 21 - 6:33 am

  I have been wanting to purchase a V70 or XC70 for a few years. I swapped my Toyota 4Runner due to gas mileage for the V70. The Volvo drives and sounds a lot like my Honda Accord that I had 12 years ago! I love that Honda and I love the way this car drives. I will be using the car for surfing, so I opted for the optional roof racks which do produce some wind noise. The biggest suprise is the performance. I have owned 3 porsches and I currently own a 911. I must say the Volvos pick up is excellent, and I can really feel the turbos kick. I am very pleased with the car so far, and I hope to keep it for at least 8-10 years!

• 

  Best Vehicle Ive Ever Owned - 1996 Volvo 850
  By cking3177 - April 20 - 12:26 pm

  When I purchased the Volvo in 1996, I had no idea that Id still be driving it and loving it 12 years later. It is still very quiet and comfortable. Ive never had any out-of-the ordinary repair issues. This is a great car!

• 

  XC90 V8 review - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By Dixon Gannett - April 20 - 1:03 am

  Have owned 3 XC90s - 2 T5s. The V8 2005 is the best vehicle I have ever owned - throttle responsive, quiet, smooth, handles very well for an SUV. Fuel mileage: 14 city, 21 highway, (maybe 22 after break-in). City handling - excellent, highway tracking - very good. Build quality - best I have seen in 50 years. Exterior design and fits - excellent. Interior design and fits - excellent. Volvo has done it with this vehicle. I would buy another in a minute and recommend it to my grand daughter or anyone. Hard to turn over - if at all - very safe Volvo design - Volvo for life! Fuel economy for V8 - very good on the highway.

• 

  An excellent car! - 2000 Volvo S40
  By Wiliam Su - April 17 - 10:00 am

  The Volvo S40 is a very powerful, beautiful machine, with a very good value and it is the safest car in the segment.

• 

  Fun in the Sun - 1999 Volvo S80
  By Volvo4Life - April 17 - 10:00 am

  I have this car for 2 months and it drives great. I bought with 50,000 miles from a car lot and when I took it to the dealership it came with a clean report. Good Gas milage. Not as fast off the line as the T6 but on the highway it can get up and go.

• 

  LIKE MY V70 204 - 2005 Volvo V70
  By dan - April 14 - 5:23 pm

  My V70 is actually a nonturbo automatic. My mileage is 30 highyway and 20 city. This is an excellent car. When you first start it up, it revs to 2,000 rpm and within a few seconds drops to around 700 +/-. Dealer said should be that way. Had a 98 V70 XC before and only had minor stuff. I traded down this time to V70 becasue of price and looks. Bought it for safety, best seats in the market place, heated seats,dual air controls, and highly rated reliabiltiy in consumer reports. Holds the road nicely. BTW, my wife has hit in the back by a big pick up. Smased truck front and radiator, it had to be towed. No injury to my wife, drove it home. No glass breakage, bumpers & shock system did job.