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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  Dont ever buy a volvo!!!! - 2000 Volvo C70
  By jennyd9 - January 19 - 7:21 am

  The worst car I have ever bought! the door panels came off a week after I bought it, the door locks stopped working and I had to buy new ones and those still didnt fix the problem, the rear window caved in for a second time, every single light on the dash has indicated something wrong with the car, the transmission is giving out and now the check engine light is on and there is a rocking motion that wont go away. VERY hard to turn, almost like I am driving a bus, and the rocking motion is just like that of a yellow bus starting to move. When I go for a short distance on city streets it starts smoking. This car is so scary to drive and very frustrating. Never again will I ever buy a volvo.

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  Terrible can for snow weather - 2005 Volvo S60
  By newyorkgal - November 12 - 8:03 pm

  I bought the car with the sports package, what a mistake!!! I live in New York city. With all the potholes and the snow, I have already had two flat tires and two rims replaced, all in the 4 months I own the car!!! I dont recommend the sports package for anyone living in the northeast and drive on roads with a million potholes.

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  RELIABILITY? - 1996 Volvo 850
  By IAN L - November 12 - 2:00 am

  EXPENSIVE REPAIR BILLS, A/C EVAP,BRAKE PROBLEMS, NOISES, RATTLES,20MPH R/F CRASH AND DASH NEVER ALIGNED THE SAME. SOME CHRG AND ELECT PROBLEMS

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  worst investment Ive ever made - 2000 Volvo S40
  By never_again5 - November 7 - 1:15 pm

  I have had this car for 3 and 1/2 years and I have spent at least 5k on repairs. I bought it for about $3,800. I have nothing but problems from day one. Ive had the engine rebuilt (blown head gasket), which was the most expensive. Had a massive oil leak, which took my mechanic boyfriend countless hours and dollars trying to fix. That was fixed... then on to the rest of the problems. Now, my favorite issue is that it revs when in drive, park, or neutral. It accelerates and decelerates all by it self if my foot isnt on the gas pedal. How fun! I dont have enough room to go over all of the problems Ive had but Ive been so sad about it. The car is so cute and I love the turbo but just awful.

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  05 s40 is a money pit - 2005 Volvo S40
  By CB - October 30 - 11:09 pm

  Ive had a slew of issues and high cost repairs on this car. From struts, to transmission issues, gear module, etc. Every car needs service, what makes Volvo "special" is it takes a Volvo specialist to make necessary repairs and usually at high cost. A 2 yr lease is probably the way to go if you desire a Volvo, purchasing one will be a forever quest in high cost maintenance.

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  Do not buy this car - 1999 Volvo S80
  By sonorandesertlover - September 20 - 10:00 am

  I had a 93 850 and loved it. Very few problems. Bought this car as a "Volvo Certified" used car, have had nothing but problems. Has been in the shop regularly, i.e., almost monthly. Have had bushings replaced, engine mounts, electronic throttle module (not covered by the extended warranty), warning lights going off all of the time, it makes an annoying squeek when you release the brakes, but dealer can not find anything wrong. I am not waiting for extended warranty to run out. Am getting rid of ASAP. Highly disappointed in this flagship car.

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  Bad reliabitlity had to get rid ,very disappointed - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By klosterfrau1 - August 19 - 2:25 pm

  I was lucky to get this car to 125k almost every month I had it in the shop for all kinds of problems from shocks to spark plug and coils replaced. brakes squeaking and replaced that didn’t fix the problem and the rotors were replaced and still didn’t fix the problem. The transmission gave out and had to be replaced, a piston gave out it was replaced, dashboard lights out , brake lights were out and the mechanic could not find the short so the wiring was replaced but the dash warning came on every time you step on the brakes. It leaks! The gas tank was leaking, then coolant started leaking and then wiper washer fluid started to leak as well. Tsc gave out, electric system warning came on.

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  Ticking Time Bomb!! - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By dnll360 - August 10 - 8:11 pm

  I bought my xc90 used and the problems didnt start til about 85k miles. Then I started having to replace wheel bearings, control arms, and ball joints. Then my car hit 100k miles and literally as soon as the odometer rolled over, my driver side headlight went out due to an electrical issue, then the alternator went, battery needed replaced, serpintine belt, timing belt, tempeture gauge housing, crank shaft assembly, and now at 101k miles on my way to look for a new car, my car starts smoking and my turbo blew which on the t6 is a twin turbo. I have been towed 3x in 3 weeks and everytime I go to get rid of it something else goes. I am having it junked and taking a loss on what I still owe.

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  What a Mistake - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By BrianL - August 9 - 8:36 am

  If I had to do it all over again I wouldnt. This vehicle has been nothing but problems. Brakes wear too fast, the first brake job was at 6,000 miles, I have 23,000 and need new rotors and pads. The steering makes noise and has always, I was told it was normal. Then after the warranty was up I had to have the front steering fixed, ball joints and the rack. now the steering only makes fluid noise but still a pain. The radio is the worst ever. The best part is the safety, but with the poor fuel economy, the multiple problems, the very poor resale value I should have went with the BMW. For some reason my wife wants to keep it. I can only expect more problems as time goes on.

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  Dont Buy this Car - 2006 Volvo V50
  By L. Taylor - August 7 - 4:03 pm

  I sold a car with 165,000 miles on it because I was tired of taking it into the shop each month. Since buying my V50, I have had to take it into the shop almost every month. It has had repeated electrical problems that dont end. The same problems keeps coming back.