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:

• 

  Very Pleased - 2008 Volvo XC70
  By paw - January 26 - 9:43 am

  I bought the XC70 after extentsive research. Having other Volvos I appreciate the new design: smaller exterior size but larger interior space. Rear leg room is fine as long as the 6-plus footers can compromise a little. Mileage has improved to 23 hywy at 73mph. Performance is great in the high rpm range: paddle shifting works great when passing. We drive to ski county each weekend and frequently encounter snow and slop which the XC handles effortlessly, but I see it could be easy to become overconfident. There is some jerky-ness when initially stepping on the accellerator. For what this car is intended to do, it does very, very well.

• 

  A reliable car that I want to like more than I do - 2011 Volvo XC60
  By mihali129 - January 25 - 10:12 pm

  I leased this car beginning in 2011 and it seemed like a perfect match for me. I wanted an SUV as I need to get to work in even the worst weather conditions. This is my first Swedish car after years of driving German and Japanese makes. The ride itself is firm. The acceleration is excellent with the T6. The XC60s only driving quirk that bothers me is that it has a very peculiar tight turn radius. Thats fine if you want to make a U-turn in tight space but it actually takes care not to over-steer when parking. The seats are remarkably comfortable in front and back and that cargo space is good. The electronics and build quality of interior materials leave something to be desired.

• 

  A Premium Crossover that wont break the bank - 2016 Volvo XC60
  By Blaupunkt - January 23 - 2:10 am

  THE GOOD: Competitive pricing, ample cargo space, reliability no issues, nice design, fast shifting 8-Speed Aisin automatic transmission, fit and finish, real leather seats, adaptive display easy to read speed and tachometer, relative quietness, panoramic sunroof, low maintenance cost, regular (87 Octane) fuel, satisfactory handling, little to no turbo lag, quick throttle response in sport mode. THE BAD: Fuel economy not on par with EPA (c/h/m 22/29/24 vs reality 20/24.5/21.3), no ventilated seats available, no sync button for dual zone climate control, short-life wipers, cumbersome and un-intuitive infotainment system, intrusive start/stop system, torque steer and frequent tire spinning with FWD (AWD offers much better handling especially at full throttle from standstill), two stage door opening when locked, some door panel and city safety device rattle. THE UGLY: Raspy and unrefined 4 cylinder engine (especially at higher RPMs where the engine sounds like a turbo-diesel), engine clatter at idle, ordinary ride quality not on par with a premium crossover, clunky transmission, odd lurches from a standstill and sometimes at parking lot speeds. THE VEREDICT: A good value proposition, well planned with the need of some fine tunning in a competitive market segment. Albeit, if you are looking for more refined vehicle manners in terms of engine note (6 cyl Acura RDX) and ride quality (Lexus NX, Mercedes GLC) or engaging driving experience (Porsche Macan, BMW X3, Jaguar F-Pace, Audi Q5) you will probably have to disburse thousands of dollars extra.

• 

  unreliable - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By John James - January 22 - 7:53 pm

  We purchased this vehicle new and it has been towed twice, once because the powersteering went out and the other due to severe violent vibration. The vehicle has 28,000 miles on it and has had sporadic vibration problems since 8 months after purchase(has been evaluated 6 times and vibration returns).The electrical system has caused the doors and rear hatch to lock up.The engine was repaired because of a malfunction.The luggage rack vibrated loudly when driven on highways until 3 repairs alleviated the problem.

• 

  Do Not Purchase This Car - 2007 Volvo S60
  By Tom - January 22 - 7:16 pm

  I am shocked that this vehicle is allowed to be sold after so many service related issues. My transmission has gone out, the shocks have gone out, the wheel bearings have gone out, the engine needs oil every 800 miles. I have driven a loaner more than this car. Volvo is very unresponsive probably because they are owned by FORD.

• 

  Tire problems - 2004 Volvo S60
  By steveng - January 22 - 2:00 am

  I have two major complaints. First of all I have had to replace two tires already. My theory is that since the tires are made to run flat in order to give the car a sleek look, this puts added pressure on the sidewall and this was where the holes were in my tires. Second, there are an excessive number of blind spots because of the stabilization bars.

• 

  s40 - 2004 Volvo S40
  By N8theGr8 - January 22 - 2:00 am

  Love the design, volvo is slowly but surely changing themselves around. Excellent bang for you buck with this car.

• 

  New V70R - 2004 Volvo V70
  By Dans_V70 - January 22 - 2:00 am

  First Volvo was an abandoned 1958 PV544. Towed to my college apartment, started the PV544 and it ran with absolutely no problems for three years. However, the 70’s and 80’s weren’t to kind on Volvo quality and I soon discovered Japanese auto value. So why the V70R? For one thing Japanese cars are a commodity. High quality commodity for sure, but not very unique character. Also, I missed having the versatility of a wagon. I just picked up the V70R. Its exactly what I was looking for. Unique combination of luxury, safety, practicality, and pure adrenaline rush with 300 HP and super low-end torque. This car is a joy to drive.

• 

  Wheeeee! Fun and luxury. - 2008 Volvo C30
  By lola - January 21 - 11:16 pm

  I havent had this much fun with a car since I traded in my 72 Volvo 144 for a 1982 Rabbit. Acceleration in 3rd gear pushes me back in the seat and Im practically giggling when I have the excuse to lean on the gas to merge onto the highway. Once there, its incredibly quiet, 6th gear keeps the revs down, and handling is reliable and predictable. I got the non-sports (1.0) model and the ride is very comfy. This car is great. Its got the original tires which arent great in snow, but theyre not bad either. Mileage depends on how you drive (duh). I can push it some and still get the 20 mpg the EPA promises. Ive only had it for 1000 miles; Im infatuated.

• 

  Great car... highly underated - 2002 Volvo S40
  By volvofan - January 21 - 10:00 am

  Great car... just bought it a week ago and its amazing. The engine seems it can handle a lot more than just 160 hp. It accelerates like a dream.