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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  L-O-V-E my Volvo! - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By krysann2 - September 20 - 9:01 pm

  Purchased my 2004 XC90 in 2009 with 48k miles on it, and as of today it has 73k. Within the first year, I was smelling gasoline when outside of the vehicle. My father in-law is an expert technician for Volvo and found out that there would soon be a recall on the fuel pump- was replaced at no cost to me. I have also had to replace the ignition since one day I couldnt even turn the key over. I truly love my car, and probably wouldnt have bought it if I did not know an expert; considering the cost to maintain and repair. If I had to pay for labor and full price for parts, Id probably not love the car as much as I do.

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  non turbo wagon - 1996 Volvo 850
  By off road monster - September 20 - 2:10 pm

  I had it for about two years and so far, i had to replace the header, the catalytic converter twice, O2 sensor, the starter, a CV axle and a head lamp wiper motor. It is a some-what easy car to work on and I would be willing to try my luck with another in the future.

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  Truly a lemon - 2004 Volvo V70
  By Meadow - September 20 - 8:03 am

  Weve driven a lot of Volvos over the years, and the 2004 has the worst reliability by far. Were very disappointed that we had to replace the radiator and rack and pinion steering at 82,000 miles. These were very expensive to replace, and theres no reason that either should have failed before 100K miles. Currently the steering wheel buttons that control the stereo are frozen. The gas gauge also swings wildly from 1/3 full to empty when the vehicle is low on fuel. This car is a heap of problems.

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  Best value for the dollar in luxery - 2007 Volvo S80
  By kryfka012 - September 19 - 4:38 pm

  I never thought i would own a volvo bc i always liked the luxury sport feeling. when i saw the volvo s80 it caught my eye, and when i test drove the v8 it had the power i wanted. with the adjustible suspension i would wip it around the turns and take of when i need to. i think this car is great and it feels like it was built with great quality to the touch and eye.

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  T5 S40 - 2004 Volvo S40
  By jdhawes - September 19 - 10:00 am

  I just picked mine up a couple days ago, after waiting 5 months.... There was a production delay for those ordering the Sports Pkg. I must say the wait was well worth it! I drove the G35(great Car), Acura TL, BMW 325, and decided to go with my first choice. The car is amazing looking, very sporty. The T5 engine is very responsive and I can not feel any torque str at all.

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  Owner for Life - 2001 Volvo S60
  By Lexis - September 19 - 10:00 am

  My eye caught the dark ruby red color and I was hooked. I melted into the leather seats and fell in love. Ive I had two of the door gaskets replaced as well as the accordion-like material used in the sun roof. The driver seat had too much play and they replaced the struts. The AC is ice-cold. Drawbacks: Scheduled maintenance is too expensive - $145 every 7500 miles. 30,000 mile check-up is $510.00. Care requires premium gas. I wish they had a Trunk Release button instead of having to use the key fob. And, a locking gas door. Center console cup holder is awkward - the lid should fold down. I love the car and would buy another one in a heartbeat.

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  Great Car for A Great Price - 2010 Volvo C30
  By dugan001 - September 18 - 11:53 am

  My 2nd Volvo, other is a 2001 s60, and am very pleased. Purchased the base model in Feb of 2009, and for some reason dealer took 6k of the sticker price. Love the car, drives great and is very fun to drive around town. The 5 speed auto is very smooth however when I want to have better performance I use the auto shift feature which manually controls the shifting. Car has all the options I would want, iPhone and Bluetooth work without issues. I have 5K miles on it and have had no issues. Highly recommend this to anyone considering a mini, which is more expensive and smaller.

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  I Love this vehicle - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By sue - September 16 - 2:56 am

  Not bad gas milage considering the weight of vehicle. Love the safety features and the interior room. Drives like my Volvo S80 and is very well equipped

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  Volvo XC90 Great - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By DKJ - September 15 - 8:00 pm

  This is our second Volvo and it has been great. Feel very comfortable driving such a safe design vehicle. I used to drive American vehicles before and there is no comparison. The values and solid designs makes it so nice. Many compliments already. Kids love it. Sound system very nice. Wood steering worth it. Adds some elegance. Fuel mileage really is just like other SUVs and better than some.

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  It flies! - 2005 Volvo S60
  By BRB - September 15 - 3:06 pm

  Very nice car with excellent handling and acceleration. You just have to think about where you want it to go and its there. Many drivers of Mustang GTs and BMWs have been surprised!