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 Car, but... - 1998 Volvo V70
  By markymark - January 23 - 1:06 am

  This is my 4th Volvo and it is definitely a "love/hate" relationship. When all is good, I love it. Its the most comfortable car Ive ever owned. The heated seats are sublime on a cold Colorado morning. But just too many small problems that indicate poor design and engineering. Ive replaced, engine mounts, suspension, brake rotors, check engine lights, turbo seals, and am holding my breath now that my extended warranty has expired. Ill keep it as long as it doesnt get too expensive, then Ill probably jump to an Audi or maybe a good ole dependable Subaru! Too bad for Volvo, I think we all want to stick with them, but they just seem to have lost their focus.

• 

  Best Volvo Yet! - 2003 Volvo S80
  By S80 2003 - January 21 - 2:00 am

  This is my third Volvo and the 2003 S80 2.9 is outstanding. Fit and finsh are the best Ive seen on any car. Solid performance, comfort, and avg 25 mpg!

• 

  Perfect SUV Alternative; Great Quality - 2004 Volvo V70
  By mobile36602 - January 21 - 2:00 am

  Incredible seat comfort, drive 10-12 hours without stiffness/fatigue. Performance excellent. Runs well on regular without pinging but using premium fuel enhances performance noticeably. Build quality superb...car delivered with zero defects, fit/finish is world class. Vehicle feels solid, safe, and very controllable in inclement weather and at high speeds. Fuel economy 19 city/24 mpg highway. Rain sensor wipers alleviate need for constant wiper speed adjustment. Best vehicle I have ever had. Great alternative for luxury car buyers who want high quality,slick styling, solidity, and comfort without the stigma of pretentiousness of a BMW or Mercedes.

• 

  The XC90 is a fantastic vehicle - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By nsaliba - January 21 - 2:00 am

  We traded our 2000 suburban on the XC90 T6 in November of 2002. There is a tremendous difference in the quality and the way both vehicles perform. The quality in the craftsmanship between the vehicles is not even comparable. The XC90 is first class, while the suburban is a typical GM with very little consideration for workmanship and quality. Relative to performance is goes without saying, the xc90 is light years ahead of the suburban.

• 

  Its a Cool Car - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By GDP - January 21 - 2:00 am

  The Volvo XC 90 is a very cool / sleek SUV with all the safety features to keep your kids safe and sound. It does feel "heavy" but I guess that makes it all the more safer. We love it.

• 

  Excellent balance - 2005 Volvo S60
  By DocG - January 18 - 12:03 pm

  Have driven this car for just about 1 year now. It has been a great balance between practical and fun. Two back seats for the kids, very comfortable seats, and a great sound system, matched up with the 300 HP AWD has put a grin on my face every day. With winter tires, it is unstoppable in the snow.

• 

  2.4L 4-dr Wagon Automatic - 2006 Volvo V70
  By JR - January 18 - 7:13 am

  You can feel quality in the ride and for a station wagon, it handles surprisely well. The instrumentation panel is easy to read and manipulate (within easy reach.)The gauges are visually appealing. My previous car had Bose stereo, the Volvo, although not Bose, it can be argued sounds somewhat comparable. Pick-up and go wont leave you quivering when passing another vehicle. With recent money incentives, you can hardly beat the price compared to comparable vehicles. If you must drive a station wagon, the Volvo is the way to go.

• 

  Driven over 115,000 miles - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By dough - January 17 - 10:23 am

  If the headlight covers were not so pitted, it would still look new, inside and out. After 60,000 miles I started changing my own oil and at 105,000 had that service done by a pro. We have the 2.5 and I wish it would shift to 5th gear earlier than it does. Otherwise, we just drive the thing. I have read a lot of reviews and we have not had the issues some reviewers note. Had a couple of issues that the dealer took care of. Does what I want. Looks fine in the driveway, starts and goes when we want. I carry most of the stuff. Level floor works like a mini van. Hope to get another 100,000 miles before replacing. Replaced front brake pads at 70,000 miles

• 

  Great Car! - 2012 Volvo S60
  By kj83 - January 15 - 8:26 am

  OK, so the other reviews describe the car well. For those wondering how they hold up over time: my S60 T5 is nearly 2 years old (purchased May 2011), has about 24K miles on it, and has had no problems (OK, well, I did get the wiper blades replaced for free at my last routine service, and a firmware update before that). I bought this over a BMW 3 series, Audi A4, Infinity, etc, and that was a bit of a shocker as I only stopped into the Volvo dealer because it was on my way to another car dealer. Good thing, as I was won over after many test drives, and I do love the car.

• 

  Off to a good start - 2004 Volvo S60
  By kjessen - January 15 - 2:00 am

  I received my 2.5 turbo awd on Dec 15,2003. It was great timing with a good snow storm coming the next night. I went out at midnight to drive up and down the unplowed hills in this part of Wisconsin and was amazed at the cars ability to just go where I wanted it to go with out any real effort. I took a quick cruise to Detroit and back (averaging about 78 mph going along with flow of the crazy drivers around Chicago and across Michigan) It was extremely comfortable and secure feeling. It has taken me a little while to get used to the "turbo lag" in city street driving. So far (about 5000 miles) it has been totally without defect or problem.