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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  Sorry but I dont miss Z4 or C230 much - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By z4jjazzman - July 2 - 4:56 pm

  I had two cars b4 this and they were MB C230 and BMW Z4. Believe it or not I dont miss much of those two. They were both great get away cars but neither were comfortable cars. XC90 is just one extremely comfortable car to drive and I looked at Tourag seriously but it was little too small and I just couldnt risk VWs reliability. I had 2002 GTI and was in shop every two weeks and lasted less than 2 yrs. My brother just bought new 2006 Passat.. stopped on next day of purchase.. Rear AC was not working and turns out vent was missing. What a poor built quality. Beware of VW!

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  I Always Smile - 2004 Volvo S60
  By yoyoman - July 2 - 10:00 am

  Itll be my one year anniversary with my R ... and I still smile everytime I turn the ignition :) Fast, good looks .... and sooo comfortable The car is a rocket on the highway ... and hugs corners like a dream. But what goes on with the squeeky brakes??

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  Love this wagon! - 2001 Volvo V70
  By gm in TX - July 1 - 11:33 pm

  I bought the Volvo after driving guzzlers -- a Suburban and a Sequoia. What sold me, however, was the built in booster seats for my kiddos. (They can get in and out and buckle all by themselves now, and no more lugging around big booster seats!) It is very smooth, quick and super in the rain. My brakes squeak because the dealer replaced them when I bought them with cheaper ones than volvo would have. My husband, who is an SUV man, actually loves driving this car.

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  1996 Volvo 850 Turbo Sedan - 1996 Volvo 850
  By Volvo 850 Turbo - June 29 - 12:00 pm

  Great Car...

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  Extremely Reliable - 1996 Volvo 850
  By TG894 - June 29 - 2:00 am

  I have owned 5 volvos and everyone of them have been great cars

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  Great Alternative! - 2003 Volvo XC70
  By MicMadden - June 29 - 2:00 am

  We have had gas-guzzling Range Rovers and Suburbans prior to our Cross Country and we really appreciate the total functionality of this wagon. It took us through a blizzard, navigating unplowed roads with 24 inches of new snow without a problem. In fact, we could not think of another car we would rather have been in. It is very comfortable and has good road manners. It is attractively styled if you select the right color to offset the racoon mask front cladding. Why pay a premium for the XC90? I guess if you need a 7 seater it might make sense.

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  Great car for my used car budget - 2004 Volvo S40
  By JRGILLESPIE - June 28 - 7:56 pm

  I owned a 94 850 wagon and loved it, then I saw this one for sale at a lot. So far its great. I love the eye catching "Virtual Blue" color. The turbo is great and its got good pick- up. My $11k went far and I know this car will last me just like my last one did. I love the aggressive look of the front end and the rims. My complaints are like most everyone elses...the radio is ridiculous. The knobs to control the presets are just awkward. A "popping" trunk release would have been nice as well. I rated reliability at an 8 but I havent had the car long. I base this on previous Volvo experience.

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  V50 T5 AWD - 2005 Volvo V50
  By KW - June 27 - 8:30 am

  Have had my V50 for about 8 months now. I still love to drive home from work each day. The engine is responsive, the handling great and feel is solid. Test drove many other makes (Audi, BMW and VW) and with thier lease options couldnt even come close to the value of the Volvo. I have most all the options except for the sport package and navigation. Recommend the upgraded stereo, sounds fantastic. So far, no complaints just that their is not that much room for storing things. Best of all I feel like I am driving a bank vault!!

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  Fantastic car - 1996 Volvo 850
  By I love my Volvo - June 27 - 5:50 am

  We bought our 96 Volvo Wagon in 1998 with 30,000 miles on it. We love this car. It now has 106,000 miles on it and is still running like the day we bought it. It is very comfortable, has decent pickup and handles very well. The ride is nice and controlled. Only weak spots are the brakes tend to warp to easy (you just need to upgrade to a higher quality rotor) and the factory A/C unit will only last a few years before you have to spend $1000 to replace it. The A/C in general is not great, but I have never been in a European car with great A/C.

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  Excellent car - 2001 Volvo S80
  By Jonnie44 - June 26 - 12:36 pm

  I have owned the car for 3 years now (purchased as a used car), and have had no problems. The car now has 150k miles on it with the original transmission, and it hasnt missed a beat. I have only had to have the DSTC unit replaced ($800.00) and the brake master cylinder ($550.00), and I was able to do both jobs myself (neither was very difficult). I get 27 mpg hwy and 22 around town. I liked the car so much, that I have just purchased another one. I did have a problem with the radio reception, but I was able to fix it with a Volvo TSB that involved adding a brass strip to the antenna module, and now its crystal clear. Also have not seen any corrosion problems with any of these models.