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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  Sweet car, poor reliability - 2002 Volvo S60
  By MODandANGRY - March 30 - 2:16 pm

  By far, one of my favorite cars EVER!!! Too bad its always in the shop. I now only have 57K, and the Central Control Module has crapped out twice. Ive also had to replace the clutch master cylinder which wasnt covered under warranty for $800. So far, these two are the only serious problems, but other little electrical things occur. The power window switches wont work, the radio randomly turns on and off, any number of light bulbs are constantly burning out, and the headliner vibrates which can be VERY irritating at times. I would recomend the 5sp. Besides the master cylinder no other problems, unlike the auto. Problems aside, this is an EXTREMELY fun and comfortable car to drive.

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  Mines Fine! - 2005 Volvo V50
  By PCB - March 29 - 5:30 am

  Ive had my car for 60,000 miles now. It has had one or two minor things go wrong with it (needed new brakes and rotors under warranty), but the dealer has taken care of them. It is a _gas_ to drive- lots of power, responds well. It is just so much fun. The wagon lets me take my dogs, go to the hardware store, etc. If you want a car with lots of room, then get a bigger one.. but this is fine for me. I am still in love with this car-- by far the best Ive ever owned.

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  The Best - 1996 Volvo 850
  By it - March 28 - 6:50 pm

  Amazing car. A car 10 yrs old and its still going very strong. I tell you, if you buy an 850 that was well kept...you will be rewarded.

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  Not happy with my XC90s we have 2!! - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By spottvmom - March 27 - 3:56 pm

  Ive had this car for almost 6 years. Its had a few minor annoying problems that were mostly covered under the warrenty until it hit 80K The warrenty is now up and its been a royal pain. I have an AWD 6 cyl. turbo that has 90,000 miles on it. This is my 2nd Volvo and we currently own 2 XC90s so we have double the pain.... Issues have been the anti skid sensor- $700 plus to fix, burns through tires in about 30k miles with easy, gentle driving. New issue is my wheel bearings are shot. My husband has a 2005 what we just spent about $3,000 on new tie rods, new bearings, new e-brake, new oil pump, leaking in oil system and after all that his check engine light is on again!

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  Best Ive Owned to Date - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By mdblue - March 26 - 11:53 pm

  By far, best vehicle Ive owned - beats all other luxury SUV/CUVs out there. The "R Series" really makes a difference in handling & performance. Gas mileage is sub-par, but uses regular gas, so its a wash. Every single time I drive the car, heads turn - dont see many on the road which I like. Feels incredibly solid and handles better than my 3 yr old sports sedan. R Series interior is on par with Q5 and nicer than all the others. Exterior styling - esp taillights is very cool. More masc than Q5. Nav system was a little annoying at first, but now Im used to it and it works great. Most comfortable seats on the road.

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  A refined weakling - 2006 Volvo S80
  By Richard - March 26 - 8:43 pm

  I didnt buy this car for the power... and its a good thing. Acceleration is poor at best. My 2002 Toyota 4Runner SUV seemed to have better acceleration. Handling is a bit sketchy as well. HOWEVER, what I did buy this car for... comfort, safety, quality, value - its a homerun. Compared against some of the other luxury sedans, this is a value buy and a good entry level luxury sedan. It may disturb many that Volvo is now owned by Ford, but rest assured that Volvo has been able to keep quality issues to a minimum.

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  s 40 - 2001 Volvo S40
  By dave n - March 26 - 2:26 pm

  leased in nov 2000, great lease deal. 22,500 miles so far dealer replaced rear brake pads and head light under warranty very pleased with dealer service already told my salesman im interested in an S60 turbo

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  Fun and comfort rolled into one! - 2004 Volvo S40
  By brandonpaz - March 26 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for about a week now and I love it! It is fun to drive meets comfort. My boss has been really happy because I am finally getting to work on time. I wake up before my alarm goes off because I am so excited to wake up and drive to work. She handles and corners like a dream, yet I still get all the luxury features that I want! I was originally looking at a honda accord v6, BMW 3 series, Acura RSX. It finally came down to I was the most comfortable in the Volvo and it was the best bang for my buck, 27k included the T5 with premium, audio, climate, and sports package.

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  best overall midsized convertable - 2004 Volvo C70
  By B.Combs - March 26 - 10:00 am

  this vehicle replaced a merz 560sl.Which was the 6th merz I had owned.I drove and checked out all midsized convertables on the market and found this car to be the best overall one on the market. The turbo is a must as the car without the turbo is too slugish.The safety features of the Volvo are well known for years but the style was always like a box.This model is very sleek and eye catching.The performance is excellant and the highest when facturing in the price. This car has gotten more comments than any of my mercedes and I love the car.

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  S80 2.5 T - 2004 Volvo S80
  By wdkm - March 26 - 10:00 am

  I have already driven it 10,000 miles and have really enjoyed the experience. The people in the back seat have as great experience as those in the front.