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:

• 

  Love the S80-T6 - 2000 Volvo S80
  By turboman - September 21 - 10:00 am

  Best car Ive owned, and the first import. Only done the scheduled maintenance. During one service visit, replaced rattling non critical (therefore no recall) front suspension components that broke, covered by warranty.

• 

  Manual is much better ! - 2002 Volvo S60
  By Lance - September 21 - 10:00 am

  This is my second Volvo - as well as my second with the manual transmission. The changes that Volvo has made to the transmission are amazing. I knew that going with the non-turbo engine would sacrifice some performance but the return in fuel economy and the fun-to- drive factor of the manual definitely outweighs the slight lack of power. I have gone on many long trips with my Volvos and the comfort level of the seats and interior is unmatched by any other vehicle I have driven in this price range. Volvo has another happy customer "For Life"

• 

  2006 - 2004 Volvo C70
  By Herb Feinzig - September 21 - 7:00 am

  Car handles well, is excellent on highways and at speed. Not as good in towns. Turning radius too wide. Wonderful acceleration due to turbo. Great at passing as well. Convertible noisy with top up. Too much air noise. Great with top down. Speed control excellent. Does not have GPS system, major loss. Radio and CD player good to excellent. Overall, very good to excedllent in most respects.

• 

  Great - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By Farrell - September 20 - 4:03 pm

  No problems so far. Very comfortable to drive. Very smooth handling on my daily work commutes. Only complaint would be the gas mileage, currently around 18mpg, but still feels as if I am constantly refilling tank.

• 

  Nearing Perfection - 2001 Volvo V70
  By Volvo Dave - September 20 - 2:00 am

  I would argue that no car is perfect... yet the new Volvo wagon is nearing the unattainable. I have been driving my T5 for twenty-one months, and simply adore it. My recommendations to anyone considering the V70 wagon would be as follows: 1) Get the turbo. I see people in my rear view mirror with their jaw in their lap as I pull away from a red light. This car is fast. 2) Get the 17" Pirelli tires. Im not one for tricked out cars, but these make the car look HOT and keep you on the road. Thats about it. I cant wait to upgrade to the new wagon, due out in a year or so with an even bigger engine. Someone at Volvo needs a nice pat on the back!!!

• 

  Loved this car, but it was a lemon - 2005 Volvo V50
  By jtroop - September 19 - 2:00 am

  got this car as a Certified Pre-Owned, so I had a bumper-to-bumper warranty, which I used extensively. First to go was the ignition, which went out again later. Next went the radio, which went out again later. Next went the entire electrical system....the entire electrical system!!!! Next was some strange issue with the lug-nuts???? Then the headliner detached from the roof. Then the right side door lock messed up and required a new locking mechanism. Then the alarm started to go off intermittently for no reason. Finally some sensors started to fail and I got rid of it. None of this cost anything to me, but I had to take it into the dealership over and over. Great car but poor quality.

• 

  at 68K need to get new car - 2001 Volvo S60
  By Kathy, Mtn View - September 19 - 2:00 am

  I have had the S60 for 10 years now, it has never left me stranded but I never get more than 20 MPG, even for a long trip. Had to replace the sunroof, now it seems the radiator is leaking, the transmission seems quirky, it has trouble shifting into higher gear so that may be sign of trouble, at 68K would not expect any of those items to be an issue. So at this point I am in process of looking for a good used car, will trade this in.

• 

  Nice Car, but Unreliable - 2005 Volvo S40
  By chanachi - September 17 - 9:03 am

  Purchased this vehicle in May of 2004 - the new body style. Nice styling, interior, and ride. In my opinion, reliability has been poor. The car has less than 23K miles and has had problems with brakes (bad rotors) and engine (all intake valves replaced). Thankfully the vehicle was covered under the warranty. I would not recommend this car.

• 

  Test Drive the Comp - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By Florida - September 17 - 2:10 am

  I have owned Ford and Chevy SUVs and numerous other cars. Clearly this car is vastly superior in all respects. In my experience, many of these critical points presented are not true. The Turbo makes almost no noise. The air conditioning fans have multiple modes of operation and is very quiet. The stereo is totally simple....Just read the owners maunal please. wo piece back which gives comfortable seating at tailgaters and such and it is very easy to load large objects into back. The third seat is a wonder verses the competition and I regularly use thrid seat for kids/kids friends

• 

  Not as good as I thought - 2006 Volvo S60
  By LS - September 16 - 10:56 am

  I owned a 98 Mercedes C230 and was thinking about getting a new one. Instead I bought this car. I was in for a surprise. Here are the major issues I have found with this car: poor turning radius, loud engine noise, very rough ride and between 50 - 60 mph the car struggles with what the right shift should be so the steering wheel vibrates ever so slightly. Then there are the little things: headrest doesnt move, you have a button to open your gas tank but not one for your trunk, your driver door does not lock when the car takes off, the key is extremely bulky and heavy (I am a woman so I put it in my purse, feel bad for the guys that have to carry it around in their pockets).