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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  Adios! - 2001 Volvo S40
  By Anonymous - August 16 - 5:23 am

  I just traded this car in for a Toyota after 10+ years of loyal Volvo ownership. This is the worst car I have ever owned. Meticulously maintained and the turbo blew at 50k, then the ignition coils, then the thermostat, and on and on. Not on par with what a Volvo owner expects from a car. It was cheap and it shows in every aspect of the car from the interior to the mechanical reliability. I am so glad to be rid of this car.

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  Owned for 2 years, mixed bag - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By vmerch - August 5 - 1:27 pm

  I bought a 3.2 AWD new 2 years ago and drove it 26K miles. Towards the end it was a rattletrap. It was so bad that the dealership said that finding where it was coming from behind the dashboard could cause even worse rattles putting it back together. The loose rattles in the tailgate never were fixed from day one. The transmitter in the hatch was loose from the factory. The dealer broke 7 out of the 10 retaining clips "fixing" it. Popping noise in the drivers seat never fixed. Both Bliss cameras were replaced in 2 years. The power steering reservoir/lines were replaced after steering effort was erratic. Great to look at, but not that comfortable on the inside. Overall, quality was horrible.

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  Volvo 2000 S80T6 - 2002 Volvo S80
  By RGrabber - August 3 - 10:00 am

  Dissapointed . Rear stablizers replaced at 25000, front stablizers replaced at 49000. Electrical system bad. Light bulbs burned out often until they were replaced with heavy duty ones. I pull a small boat, because of the heavy duty light bulbs, the fuses blow as soon as the trailer is hooked up. The hitch and trailer connection were installed by the dealer. $1000 repair to the throttle assembly. Volvo replaced parts at no cost even though it was 52000 miles. I paid labor ($280). Volvo said no more free parts. It appears to need major repair every 20000 miles or less. The 2000 seems to have lost over half it values in less than two years.

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  Wouldnt buy first year model ever again - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By NY to LA Gal - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Too many kinks -- seatbelts not working and were recalled, turbo too noisy. The car hesitates/drags between first and second, which is especially dangerous when making a left turn from a light. Also, when closing hatch it smacked down on my head.

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  shop talk - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By klaypt - July 19 - 10:00 am

  This one is getting ready to become a "lemon law" mobile. Ive had the brakes worked on so many times volvo is ordering "specially manufactured larger" brake pads and rotars for this "unique problem". THESE DO NOT COME STANDARD ON THE XC 90. You too can get the special pads and rotars that actually fit the vehichle, you just have to have it in the shop most of the first two years.

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  Volvo for life.... never - 2000 Volvo S40
  By JLba - July 16 - 4:13 pm

  I had dreamed of owning a Volvo for years and when I finally got my Volvo the nightmare began. In only owning my car for one in a half years I have easily put over $3000 in repairs. The check engine light turned on every other week it seemed like. Even Volvo repaired it and only 500 miles later it was on again. Volvo uses the cheapest plastic and it breaks just by touching it. The only thing I really liked was how it handled and the trunk and glove box space. Besides that Volvo should think about starting from scratch because this car is a waste.

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  Disappointed With Car - 2006 Volvo S60
  By Lynne - July 16 - 6:06 am

  I purchased this care when I gave my Nissan Altima to my daughter due to her car being totaled. I am totally disappointed with the care and am trading it in after only having it for less than two years. The turning radius is bad and the main problem is the alignment. I have had to buy two complete new sets of tires during that period. Last time was because I had a blowout on the highway. The alignment has to be redesigned so it isnt so sensitive to any bumps. Car definitely didnt live up to my expectations.

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  Its a Mitsubishi and it shows! - 2000 Volvo S40
  By Dude - July 15 - 3:00 am

  Ive had a few Volvos and they were all better off than this one. Always has some kind of problem even though I maintain the car way better than whats called for. I only keep it because now I drive a crazy amount for work and the fuel mileage is good when its not blowing O2 sensors! It rattles like crazy and sometimes I want to set it on fire. I should have kept the S70 because real Volvos are great cars. How disappointing!

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  Perfect but serious software issues - 2017 Volvo XC90
  By KJ - July 14 - 12:59 pm

  This is our 4th XC90 in 12 years (we always lease 3yrs at a time). This is also our first model since the major redesign in 2015. Its currently driven around 8000 miles and we have had severe software issues including: Random battery drainage caused by software issue (locked out 3 times), constant "car is unlocked" notifications in iPhone app even though the car is locked (false alarm), GPS offset where the car thinks its 100miles from where it actually is causing random warnings when driving at 60mph where t thinks its in a 25mph school zone etc., very unreliable cellular connectivity making Spotify and Pandora features pretty much unusable, occasional connectivity loss in a well covered area and many over random weird issues. Volvo should rethink their software strategy seriously, stop patching a dead horse and change to a completaly new platform.

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  Dont buy 2004 Volvo S80 - 2004 Volvo S80
  By Howard - July 13 - 9:13 am

  Ford engineering has obviously ruined Volvo. My wife preferred the Volvo to a Lexus based on exterior style, but now regrets the decision. The car has major electronic failures about every 4- 6 months and required towing to the dealership twice. Also required the "company" to send someone out for figuring out the repair. We got this car for a reliable vehicle to drive on the road for trips, but I would use my 1986 Subaru GL10 or 1993 Toyota T100 4x4 rather than this Volvo. It was painted white, but should have been yellow to match its lemon qualities. Do not buy this junk or you will regret it!