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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  Priceless - 2007 Volvo S60
  By juniorCBR - December 7 - 6:46 pm

  Amazing car! Incredibly quick, amazing exterior and interior looks, amazing sound system, gages are beautiful, powerful brakes, sharp rims, soft and easy clutch, AWD system definitely keeps the car grounded. An huge bargain for its price compared to its counterparts. Definitely go overseas delivery if you have the chance, nothing beats zipping by BMWs on the autobahn.

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  Nickle and dime, dollar and credit card - 1998 Volvo V70
  By stickboy - December 6 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car in 02 as an off lease certified pre owned. So far in the year in a half that we have owned (regular maintenance performed)it, we have had the turn signals fail (hazard button module replaced), thermostat failure(replaced part and radiator flushed and filled), power window module in the driver side door failure ($125 to replace the entire module), dripping oil periodically from the turbo area (dealer says they cant do anything about it-weep hole for the unit?), motor failure for the climate control system($300 repair and no hvac usage until its fixed.), hard starting (leaking fuel injector $142ea. and must replace all 5 says the dealer).

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  I want an Accord - 1998 Volvo S70
  By ownerofevilcar - December 6 - 10:00 am

  I bought the car and had equity @ purchase, after 2 1/2 years the cars value has tanked now Im seriously upside-down and stuck. Major electrical problems. Constantly replacing light-bulbs (the stereo is a pain to replace). It kills tires and breaks, theres a break-shake at 60 they cant fix, nor can they fix the alignment. A/C has been fixed 3 times and is broke again. Gas mileage is ok, around 26 hwy. Im on my second antenna motor. Glue seeping out of all of the doors, panels are "puckered". Leather seats are wearing poorly. Buttons have finger nail marks, coating just comes off in chunks. Nit- picky things are expensive and annoying.

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  Trans failure - 1999 Volvo S70
  By Burnt - December 6 - 10:00 am

  Love older rear drive volvos but not new front drive. Volvo is cheaper to buy than BMW and Mercedes (who they claim to be in same company) but the lower price comes with cost----early failure of major parts. Auto trans failed at 79,000 miles. If that is not enought, other cons include: Poor dealer performance and high cost for parts. Harsh ride over poor pavement and bumps, weak brakes.

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  A Smart Persons Car - 2002 Volvo S60
  By Jakebird - December 6 - 10:00 am

  Though I havent racked up a lot of miles, this is a reliable, sporty, true luxury sedan without the Lexus or BMW sticker shock. It could use a little tweaking of the interior (wood trim, for example), to put it into the true "luxury" class, but it is safe, fast, and a very reliable player for the money in the competitive mid-range luxury class. I do wish the mileage was a little better in the city, but my car it actually exceeds the EPA estimates on the highway. Finally, my last Volvo was traded running strong with 183K miles and expect the same here.

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  small but cool - 2008 Volvo S40
  By URSUS - December 6 - 8:50 am

  I bought the S40 couple months ago and i like it ..European car always the best ..

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  Great car - 2006 Volvo S40
  By s40 blue - December 5 - 7:16 am

  I bought this car in February and it is a wonderful car. I have nothing but great experiences with this car, tons of compliments and the dealership I bought it from was awesome

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  Hands down fantastic auto - 2008 Volvo C30
  By Yoquiero Unapatada - December 4 - 11:00 am

  The C30 handles beautifully. Fast. Super zippy! I live in Los Angeles, where quick acceleration is part of the traffic landscape. The design of the C30 is purely amazing! Also, many people are under the impression that this vehicle costs more than 40k. These things matter to a 40 yr old like me..

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  Best vehicle purchase ever! - 2000 Volvo V70
  By The Oakleys - December 4 - 10:00 am

  We are very happy with our choice to purchase a Volvo. We LOVE our V70 SE. We were fortunate to get the ultimate treatment when we purchased our Volvo directly from Volvo Intl., and picked it up in Sweden! A one of a kind experience The V70 handles well and has been extremely reliable. Its wonderful to know about all the research that has gone into all the safety features in any Volvo.

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  Awesome car! - 2005 Volvo S60
  By mojo - December 3 - 7:23 pm

  A blast to drive--can handle sharp turns at high speeds, great acceleration at all speeds and very comfortable seats. Turns heads as well, people comment on it to me all the time and are shocked that its a Volvo. (got the Sports package with the wheels, rims and spoilers) Test drove the Audi S4, new Lexus GS300 and BMW 5 series before deciding on the S60R. Others were great cars, but the S60Rs combo of performance, looks, price and uniqueness won me over. Great car!