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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  Fabulous car - 2006 Volvo V50
  By amo - December 12 - 1:06 am

  I was torn between the BMW X3 and this car. However, after I drove the Volvo V50 there was no more competition--you have to drive this car to believe how great it is! The seats are extremely comfortable, it comes with a whiplash protection system, the storage capacity is huge (you wouldnt believe how much stuff this car holds), and the back sets have a lot more leg-room than the BMW 3 series wagons.

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  The Lilttle Engine That Could - 2003 Volvo S40
  By zackyson - December 11 - 7:46 pm

  What a super little car, Ive owned other Volvos, but this is amazing built. Outstanding throttle response for such a prize machine. Imagine driving from Torrance, Ca to San Diego, Ca on ten dollars worth of gas in 2008! Wow! I love this car, my Cayanne S was fast, but nothing compared to this little speed demon. Thanks a lot Sweden.

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  A little pricey, IMHO. - 2001 Volvo S40
  By Tom in Nor Cal - December 10 - 2:00 am

  Overall its been a reliable, fun little car. Ive read some of the horror stories from other reviews, I havent experienced any of these. I bought the S40 and a Cross Country the same day. Volvo of Pleasanton, CA has a great sales stff but go elsewhere for service, trust me! The only problem Ive had with the car is the shift-lock mechanism getting stuck.

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  Volvo comes up with the times. - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Nick - December 8 - 10:43 pm

  I was in the market for a good reliable family car, and I found it! This is a very fun car to drive (with manual tranny), room enough for 4 adults, or 2 adults and 2 kids, excellent gas mileage, and the Volvo reliablility.

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  2017 Volvo S90: I Do Not Recommend - 2017 Volvo S90
  By David Coker - December 8 - 4:25 am

  Period of Ownership: October 7, 2016 through April 8, 2017 (6 months) Mileage: Approximately 3900 U.S. Miles Total Loss Incurred: $9000 +/- Approximately with TTL I had endless electrical and computer related problems with this vehicle and the vehicle eventually just left me stranded due to the battery dying at 3800 miles. Turned into one of those nightmare “I bought a lemon” experiences you seem to always hear about at cocktail parties but never actually go through yourself. Having now gone through the experience of owning a lemon I can tell you: It will bring the worst out in a person and it is quite astonishing just how much of an impact owning a crap luxury car has on your day to day life. This review is to replace a previous review posted during the middle of my “I bought a lemon” experience. I do not recommend this make and model of car.

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  Stay Away - 1999 Volvo S70
  By mecjac - December 7 - 6:43 am

  Always told Volvos were reliable cars. This one has had problems since day one. I have gone through 2 sets of O2 sensors and its ready for a 3rd, used both Volvo and OEM before. 02 sensor harnesses. Replaced throttle body. Oil breather box, emissions system, and PCV needs replaced. Replaced ball joints and tie rod ends. Steering still makes noise. Power steering fluid leak. Cam seal oil leak. 2 heater cores replaced. Ate 2 sets of breaks and rotors in 50K. Turbo needs rebuilt. Fuses and bulbs go out all time. Electric seat motors are going out. Cup holders are poorly designed.

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  Got what I paid for, Volvo XC90 - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By Jose Cuartero - December 5 - 4:50 pm

  Best SUV out there. It is very good looking, reliable and comfortable. It does consume more gas than I would like to, but all of them do anyway.

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  Bad Bad Tires! - 2001 Volvo S60
  By confussed veteran - December 5 - 2:00 am

  I owned a 240 dl,850,940,andloved them all!I thought the s60 would be a step up!I love the bodystyle,heated seats,& gadgets.But there is a HUGE problem with the car,it haslow profile tires!5 blow out/flats in 1.5years!I beleive this is directly related to the wheel base size and the tire size.In my total driving experience with a volvo I have never had a flat or blow out! I fear this is a serious design flaw and would warn anyone about purchasing the car with the low profile tires on it! They are very expensive and replacing the tires is making me have a bad taste in my mouth with a company I have loved for so long.

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  Frequent Service - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By Sad volvo owner - December 4 - 9:20 pm

  Second volvo to own. Other was turbo S80. Both required frequent servicing. The S80 become costly after the warranty period. I was happy that I did not purchase the extended warranty because most of the problems were not covered or I used up the time before reaching the mileage. We are now located in Houston and recently their service is not user friendly. At least in St. Louis, the service was user friendly. Frequent service but user friendly. Service problems in this XC90 included the transmission needing replacement, the Turbo needing service and then multiple small electronic issues. I guess the Swedes havent mastered computers yet. With only 28K, looking for a new vehicle!

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  2006 XC90 2.5T - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By Pirates - December 4 - 4:43 pm

  Great SUV. Enjoy driving and great for long trips. We test drove the BMW X5 but decided the Volvo XC90 was a great SUV for about $10,000 less. More cargo room, very safe, but needs a little bit more horespower but helps in gas savings (takes regular gas) compared to the X5.