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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  Boxy but Nice!!! - 1998 Volvo S70
  By Gsimon - February 4 - 10:00 am

  I have 78K miles on this car and it still drives great! Have never had a problem with this car!!!

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  Is there a better sport sedan? - 2004 Volvo S60
  By jon heberling - February 3 - 12:13 pm

  With IPD ECU and exhaust 335 hp. The Brembo brakes should be on all volvos, they would be a great selling point. Where can one find more comfortable seats? Performance is outrageous. The grip in snow and ice is quite assuring. Not being a racing driver I cannot address subtelties in steering, but I doubt that a BMW M3 or a $50,000 Mercedes could compare to this one. An Audi S4 weighs 300# more, so could not handle as well. A truly wonderful car this Volvo. The atacama leather too is unmatched by the competition.

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  My first volvo - 2011 Volvo C70
  By nodregob - February 2 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Volvo..It wont be my last! It is fast, comfortabe.well designed inside and out and fun to drive. I am very satisfied with the mileage,getting 29mpg city and open road. Fit and finish is great and to date not a single concern.

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  XC70 Electrical Problems - 2003 Volvo XC70
  By Deb - February 2 - 8:23 am

  What a dissapiontment! This car has been in the shop 6 times in the two years Ive had it for electrical problems around the SRS airbag system and the DIM. I got it at 46k. It was at the dealers for 5 weeks last month. Dx: "We dont know whats wrong with your car. But, we got the SRS warning light to go out for you!" I have no confidence in the car or the dealer at this point. Plan to trade it in and get another Honda. Also, the dealer cannot seem to decide if synthetic oil is the best choice. They have used both. Do not get your fingertips in the way of the front doors during closure. Amputation risk!

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  Great car - 2004 Volvo S40
  By Joseph Agiato - February 1 - 3:53 pm

  My wife and I think this is one of the best cars we have ever owned.

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  Run away - 2001 Volvo S60
  By kelleyga - February 1 - 4:50 am

  Very dificult car to keep running. Averaged around $250 a mo to keep running. Kept losing its memory. Brake booster went out, suspension shot, transmission problems, turbo problems, oil leaks, multiple brake problems, wiring crumbling. And no one one knows how to work on it, they just throw parts at it. Dealer always says its mass air flow sensor, how maney in one year! Lost 15k in value in 2 yrs and still falling. Finally gave up and traded it in.

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  Swedish Army Knife of Vehicles - 2005 Volvo XC70
  By ljmiii - January 31 - 7:46 am

  The XC70 is a great all purpose vehicle. It is fast and nimble on dry surfaces and has great traction in poor weather. It seats four *very* comfortably. The rear storage space is ample. In short, if you want a vehicle that can do everything fairly well this is the car for you.

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  No more Saabs for me! - 1999 Volvo S80
  By No-More-Saabs - January 29 - 2:00 am

  I have now owned three Saab models which have been relatively nice vehicles. I decided to take a closer look at Volvos flagship vehicle when it was released. To my surprise I wound up trading in my tired Saab for Volvos S80 T6 sedan. This is a great car! The car was just over $50,000 out the door and the dealer wouldnt budge much on the price. Regardless, no regrets on this car. The car now has over 90,000 miles of trouble free driving. Runs nicer than any other car Ive owned. Much more comfortable than my previous Saabs and acceleration to leave all other luxury cars in the dust (most sports cars too.) All around, this is great car!

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  good car, if you get one cheap - 2000 Volvo S80
  By connor - January 28 - 9:13 am

  well it is a good car, but the fuel economy could improve, i average 19, and 25 on a long trip. the build quality is okay, could improve.

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  ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS - 1998 Volvo S70
  By LAMBERT100 - January 27 - 10:00 am

  The S70 has many electrical problems, some minor and some major. Alternator went at 60,000 and both back door locks at 54,000 and 74,000 respectively. Transmission is showing serious wear and is not easy to change fluid. Many light bulb problems are there every 10,000 miles. We have a Vovo 760 with 190,000 miles and problems have been few , especially considering how much harder the 760 was driven.