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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  Extremely reliable car! - 1999 Volvo V70
  By VolvoFan - October 16 - 6:06 am

  68K miles and still running like a top! Aside from regular schedule maintenance I havent had a single problem with this car. I just fill it up and go! It handles great, has comfy seats and has a ton of cargo room.

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  Unique but poor design! - 2000 Volvo C70
  By dezitrondeluxe - October 15 - 2:01 pm

  When I bought this car it was already 5 years old and over 90,000 miles and now it is up to 130,000. I have taken such good care of this car yet I always have to take it to the shop for major problems. It has had electrical problems from day one, the throttle is going out and so is the transmission. There was a recall on the electronic throttle in 06 I was never aware of. From what I have read online this car was just a bad design because everyone else I know with other Volvo models have not had nearly as many problems as I have with the c70. I admit I love its aesthetics because it is so sleek and rare but I spent over eight grand fixing it. Not worth it!

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  Bi-polar Car - 1999 Volvo S70
  By sjdrury - October 15 - 2:32 am

  Overall, being a high-school kid who has parents to pay for silly things like $1000 repairs once every few months, I love it. Sometimes the dashboard warnings light up like a Christmas tree, and other times it tells me everything is running fine. Sometimes I feel like Im in a sporty sedan, other times, I feel like Im in an old boat thats about to fall to bits. Be ready for repairs. When its running as it should, its a sportier car than you would ever guess by looking at it, and the drivers seat is a nice place to be.

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  Scrap at 75,000 miles - 2000 Volvo S80
  By r_brian - October 14 - 9:50 am

  Front a arms replaced, timing belt, and now the fly wheel became toothless. Two thousand to fix this item and the value of these cars is gone.

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  Owned for 9 years - insanely reliable - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By 10162001 - October 12 - 7:33 pm

  I bought this car as a pre-owned, non warranty vehicle form an independent car lot in 2006. I had never owned a preowned vehicle before, I always bought/leased new cars before. But when I stumbled upon this car I fell in love and was willing to take a chance. Nine years on I am still in love with this car. It has not been without the odd issue: - when I first had it, the driver side headlight would randomly go out. I took it to a few garages and they didnt have a clue. I found an independent garage opened by a Volvo Certified Master Tech and he sorted it out right away (nearest Volvo dealership is over 2 hours from me) - the radio died in 2011 (it was 7 years old) but I was able to replace it with one found from a salvaged xc90 in 2012 and saved a lot of money by waiting for a salvaged radio vs. a new replacement ($80 + installation) - In 2014 (at 10 years old) we knew that there were some significant bits that needed to be replaced simply due to wear and tear - belts, water pump, blower fan was starting to go and the starter needed replacing. Thought about selling it but we had a rash of bad luck with BMWs and even a Porshe Cayman. My XC90 was still running great and the estimate to get all of the worn out pieces replaced was far far cheaper than getting another car. We even bought some new floor mats - no one believes this car is 11 years old. It rides and looks like a much newer car. So here I am, 9 years after I bought it and still love it. The drivers seat is getting a bit worn but the rest of the car is still in amazing shape. The fabric on the roof has a bit of a droop in a place behind the backseat light and the weatherstripping is a bit worse for wear but these are all cosmetic. Mechanically it drives as beautifully as the day I bought it. Next year Im probably going to look at getting a preowned XC60 or maybe another XC90 but Im keeping this 2004 for my daughter. She doesnt start driving for another few years but I have full faith that this car has many more years left. And Ill feel a lot safer with her in the XC90.

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  Volvo: True to its Mission - 2004 Volvo S60
  By mickeyalso - October 12 - 10:00 am

  Volvo has produced an excellent car in the S60 T5. It has performance, reliability, looks, safety, and value in a European sedan. Furthermore, our dealer treats us like royalty when we come in for service. We have had various other luxury makes (including a BMW M3) and they do not compare to our Volvo experience. Still I do love our 2002 Z06.

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  Volvo98V70AWD - 1998 Volvo V70
  By DTW - October 12 - 10:00 am

  The AWD is wonderful! It will go anywhere in bad weather. Have had to make some major repairs that I did not believe would be needed on a Volvo.

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  Safety at its best! - 1999 Volvo S80
  By Janet3kids - October 12 - 10:00 am

  I have never written a review on a car before but I really feel I owe this to Volvo. Last week while taking my kids to school we were hit, and I mean hit bad. A pickup ran through a light and smashed into our S80 hard. The police estimated the truck was driving between 50-60 mph. I was so afraid when I saw the truck coming that fast, and right into us. I thought we were going to be killed. My son, my daughter and I were all okay. Not a single injury! The police could not believe the blow this car took. There were deployed airbags everywhere, even in the backseats for my kids. We are going back to Volvo for another S80. Thank you Volvo for saving our family.

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  Stranded - 2004 Volvo V70
  By Stranded Again - October 12 - 10:00 am

  I have driven more miles on the loaner than on my own car. I have owned this car for 30 days and 12 of them have been in the garage. So far the car has left me stranded twice. Then to add insult to injury they pick up the non-working car, and leave my wife and children* on the street to call our own cab and arrange our own rental car after hours on a holiday weekend. I would have to say I am dissappointed. * wife and children - For whom you bought the car, so they would be safe!

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  I traded in my year 2000 Mercedes S500 - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By sam hobbs - October 12 - 10:00 am

  I loved my S500 because I could drive 800 miles without stopping and never feel it. The S500 had too many electrical glitches, so I traded before the 4yr warranty expired. The XC90 has the same ride, handling, driveability and comfort as my S500, plus holds 7 people and has all-wheel drive. The 6 cyl engine is not as powerful as my 8 cyl. mercedes, but is nevertheless plenty peppy.