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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  Nice!!! - 1996 Volvo 850
  By Laura - November 24 - 10:50 pm

  Love this car, fun to drive, easy handling, great interior space, smooth and good ride!

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  The Bad Reviews are all TRUE! - 2000 Volvo V70
  By Joe - November 24 - 2:06 am

  Bought this car in January 2009 with just over 100K on it. After disregarding Consumer Reports and many horror stories on this site, I am paying the price now. In just two months, over $2000 put into it, and the check engine light came on couple of days ago, with codes for an oxygen sensor and catalytic converter. The interior is cheap and noisy, crazy squeaks and rattles. Alternator died, leaving me stranded on the highway. $700 to fix. Vibration in the engine, drivetrain issue the mechanic says. Stay away from the 98-00 XC, great look and feel, but 90% chance it will cost you a boatload to keep running. I was hoping to be that 1 out of 10, but no such luck.

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  Volvo C70 first two thousand miles - 2007 Volvo C70
  By tim2it - November 23 - 6:40 pm

  Got one of those 6000 imported C70 2007 babies, and Im really enjoying it. It is Magic Blue Pearl with white interior. Best, most intuitive interior I have ever owned. I think it is called ergonomics. I also get people stopping me all the time to admire the car. Auto trans is a lagger at the light, but acceptable for people who dont care to shift. There is a pull to the right during accelerated lane changes at higher speeds, but again, it is OK if you know it is part of the turbo right twist phenom. I took it to Yosemite and over 9,000 feet mountain passes and the car was fantastic. Overall, it is a great ride, and a nice, safe drive. Lets hope I can get parts as it ages.

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  Hmmmm - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Leeroy - November 21 - 10:00 am

  The styling and creature comforts in the XC90 are outstanding. For an SUV, the fuel economy is pretty good at an average 18.5 MPG in combined city and hiway driving. The engine and road noise are almost non-existant. We took it cross country from Louisiana to Washington State (2700 miles)loaded. It got a flat 20 mpg fighting a head wind and 93 degree temp. with the AC fully engaged across the State of Texas. In Colorado it saw mountain passes at 11,000 feet in elevation. The winding mountain roads were a testament to the nimble handling abilities of the XC90 as well as the powerful twin turbos when throttled at highway speeds. Overall review - excellent.

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  Worth the price - 2006 Volvo V50
  By J.Smeriglio - November 17 - 11:50 am

  The 2006 V-50 is an excellent every day driver. I put 150-200 miles per day on this vehicle and have not had any major complaints other than the complete battery failure at 51,000 miles (a $200 replacement at volvo). I have noticed 26-28 mpg consistently at 70 mph cruising speed. Excellent steering response, excellent brakes, and very comfortable driver seating. I would absolutely purchase this car again.

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  Good enough to buy again - 2008 Volvo XC70
  By Schubtone - November 14 - 1:40 am

  Weve had this car for just shy of two years and have always liked it much more than the auto mag reviewers. It fits our familys needs perfectly. Its my wifes daily driver and she appreciates the tank like solidity and the overall sense of quality it exudes. The front seats may be the most comfortable of any car out there, especially for long trips. We make many trips to the ski slopes a year and the AWD makes this Volvo unstoppable. The boxy interior configuration is very efficient, great for hauling all sorts of stuff. A great “does it all” vehicle. Not particularly sporty or fuel efficient but very luxurious. That’s why we’re getting another now that our lease is coming to an end.

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  Dashboard problems - 1999 Volvo S70
  By Disappointed - November 7 - 2:50 pm

  The dashboard began making loud noises. Dealership informed me that dash has come loose from firewall and needs to be replaced because when screws came loose it broke the clips holding it on. New dash is $2k w/o labor. Volvo has this same issue in 1997 and 1998 models and will not do anything about it. Volvo told me that if it happened within the manufacturer warranty (4yrs) they would have covered it. Extended warranty does not cover it because it is a structural defect. I purchased a Volvo for safety and for the long term. They dont make them like they used to.

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  Wait Until It Gets Older.. - 2007 Volvo S40
  By gadawg89742 - November 5 - 8:07 am

  I have been very disappointed with this car. Ive had my S40 for 4 years now. Wait a few years and your AC compressor WILL go out. My friend and I got our S40s, brand new, within a week of each other and both of our AC compressors went out in the same month 4 years later. The quality over time is just not there with Volvo anymore. So I hope all you people who just got your S40s are ready to shell out a few thousand dollars in the next year. Ill be getting a Toyota...

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  Transmission Problems with the S60?? - 2001 Volvo S60
  By Toc - November 4 - 10:00 am

  We have been relatively satisfied with our S60 but have noticed that the transmission slips from time to time (it seems as if it shifts into neutral for a few seconds and there appears to be no pattern to this problem). We have been to the dealership 3 times for this issue but they were "not able to replicate the problem." At the dealership, there were 3 other customers with S60s and they were all there for transmission problems. Is this a common problem with the S60s?

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  Warning: Read this BEFORE you buy - 2004 Volvo XC70
  By ssears - November 4 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a new 2003 Volvo. Had problems within months of owning it. First it was the keyless entry, then the emissions light, then the dome light when on when driving over a bump in the road. The last straw was an oil pan leak and engine problems. For spending $40K, this car was a piece of junk. I traded it for what I have always know to be reliable a Honda!