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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  Great car but expensive repairs - 1996 Volvo 850
  By Geoff83 - August 19 - 10:00 am

  We bought our Volvo in 1997 with 20,000 miles, now its 2004 with 145,000 miles. In that time there have been no major problems. There have been some minor things that have had to be replaced, i.e. cup holders, lamps, reverse lights, sensors. But for a car with this many miles the problems arent that bad, in fact almost all occurred with less than 50,000 miles and havnt had to be fixed again. My one big problem with the car is the price of repairs. Parts are expensive and the Volvo dealer prices are extremely high. Got in an accident and they appraised for $600 but instead went to local mechanic and payed $50 for a new grill and that was it. But safety

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  1998 S70 was a huge dissapointment - 1998 Volvo S70
  By hakeroonie - August 19 - 10:00 am

  A huge diasappointment. Many electrical problems. Light bulbs constantly needing replacement, outsde temperature very inaccurate, power windows that work when they feel like it, a check enghine light that continues to come on after three attempts by the dealer to repair it. Build quality is lacking too, like cheesey cupholders, cerqking front end though Ive replaced two tie rods and bearings.

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  what a decision - 2001 Volvo S40
  By mkoh55 - August 18 - 4:49 am

  So I bought this car two years ago...thought I was getting a good buy but within a month I had problems. First, the service light came on and they told me I needed an oil change. Then the check engine light came on and had to replace and o2 sensor, then the thermastat, now spark plugs and wires, replaced two complete struts, one coil spring, now I am on another o2 sensor and ECT sensor. The check engine light seems to always be on and something seems to always be breaking. Horrible decision, intending on getting rid of it.

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  I love my car! - 2006 Volvo S40
  By Erin - August 17 - 9:46 pm

  I have owned my S40 for 5 months now, and I am still completely satisfied with my purchase. Its a great looking car, fun to drive and I feel very safe knowing its a Volvo. I also get a lot of compliments on it! I would highly recommend it to anyone in the market for a compact car.

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  First Impressions - 2005 Volvo V70
  By kamala95 - August 16 - 8:40 am

  I only have 300 miles on my 2004 V70 2.4. Thus far I have no complaints. I only gave this car 9 points in my review, as I am not not comfortable giving anything 10s the whole way through. This is a much better vehicle than I had expected. Even the base engine (auto tranny BTW), handles very well for us. Carrying 5 people, it seems to move pretty well too. I have not had any problems with acceleration. The V70s fit and finish are top notch. The climate control and air filtration system work superbly. There seems to be more rear passenger room than we had in our 1999 Ford Explorer, with comparable usable cargo area. While shopping for this model, we also looked at the Dodge Magnum and Volkswagen Passat Wagon TDI seriously, and I have no regrets. This is a very well put together vehicle.

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  But This Car Now - 2003 Volvo S40
  By mgriffinwalters - August 16 - 2:00 am

  I had heard before I bought this car that it was junk and that my money would be better spent buying an Audi A4 of BMW 3-series (both of which can actually be cheaper than the S40 since I have yet to see an S40 that didnt come with all of the options). However, after purchasing this car I would never want one of the others. This car is incredibly comfortable inside and Volvo has paid attention to all of the little details. In past years this car may not have had some problems, but Volvo seems to have worked them all out now. Definitely a great buy, especially if you want something out of the ordinary.

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  Volvo XC60 T6 AWD - 2014 Volvo XC60
  By bullvo2 - August 15 - 1:43 am

  I have owned the XC60 for over 2 months -- 300 HP turbo 6-cyl, AWD model. It is super quick. The AWD worked beautifully in the snow. It handles very precisely, feels rock solid, and I like the ride quality. The car is very comfortable for tall people, with plenty of leg and head room even with the sunroof. Im 66" so finding a comfortable midsize car can be a challenge. I also liked the Acura RDX but found it was not as well set up for tall drivers.

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  what a ride!!!!!!!! - 2001 Volvo S40
  By volvospd - August 13 - 9:33 pm

  Bought my 01 s40 with 25k on it in 06. Inow have 123k. This car has been my favorite car. Its sweet looking, comfortable, fast as well u know. I average 35 mpg I use moble 1,93 octan and perform maintenance as suggested. I have had only one problem and it was my fault. I had to replace the fuel pressure regulator. I kept loading my fuel lines before starting the car. It was not expensive to replace at all just a couple hundred bucks at the dealer. Love this car I want one for every day of the week.

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  Very Good Car - 2018 Volvo S60
  By Ted V - August 13 - 5:02 pm

  I am on my third S60 and have loved them all. My first S60 I owned and sold it in 2015 because my wife insisted on me driving a car with all the safety improvements. This brings me to one of the very few problems with the S60 and that is resale value. Like so many other cars nowadays my near perfect car with normal mileage was worth less than 50% on a trade. However the up to date safety features prevented me from two serious accidents so it was worth it. The car drives great. The comfort, quality feel, gas mileage and all the features work great. The only reason I ever go back to my dealer is for recommended maintenance. What I like about the S60 is I never feel bored driving it. I recently leased an end of year 2017 because the incentives to turn my 2015 in early were so sensational it made sense to do it. For the first time I got the Inscription model with the platinum trim. The extra legroom in the rear seat answered another issue with my two previous S60s. This is the best version I have had yet. The car now comes with an automatic shade for the rear window and manual shades for the two rear passengers. These are great to keep the kids cooler. This is a very good car.

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  OK car - 1999 Volvo S70
  By bw626 - August 13 - 3:20 pm

  I bought this used with 120,000 as a gas mileage car. To tell you the truth, it only gets one more MPG than my Chevy Tahoe. The interior is kind of cheap and until it died in the middle of the road, it was decent mechanically. Now, with 130,000 miles on it, it doesnt run and know one can figure out why. The engine dies when you accelerate it. Overall: This is the first import Ive owned since a 1981 BMW 8 series, and I think I will stick to American cars. My Chevys and Pontiacs have never given me problems. I dont think I will go back to Volvos, because I am very disappointed in the reliability.