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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  Best car of the world - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By frederick - March 10 - 2:00 am

  I just cant say more then now, its a beautiful car, seriously!!!

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  Fun to drive and affordable - 2009 Volvo S80
  By Mike M - March 9 - 3:13 pm

  I have convenience and comfort packages with bixenon swivel headlights. The car drives much better than I thought over windy roads, especially using the flawless Geartronic transmission aggressively. DTSC keeps the car tight to the road and comfort level is awesome. I had compared the S80 to Audi A4 Prestige model and it was less expensive. Audi A6 is actually the comparable car but way more expensive! Control panel with buttons is more intuitive than the I- drive on German sedans. MPG is as advertized--23 MPG pure highway and 17- 19 mixed depending on driving conditions.

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  Love it! - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Michael S. - March 7 - 9:16 pm

  OK, so I dont drive much. I work from home, so I do mostly short trips with an occasional 30 mile highway drive. That said, I love my S40. Great pickup on the highway when I need it (80 without even trying), OK gas mileage around town. I have the premium sound and moonroof. Loved the moonroof before we hit rainy season here in Miami, and the sound system is like being in a concert hall. Not many S40s on the road here, so its nice having a somehwat unique car. Extremely pleased so far (even though I havent even broken 1,000 miles yet).

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  Its always something - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By 7milehi - March 7 - 5:53 am

  Built like a tank, fun to drive, solid feel and loaded with safety features. A great vehicle as long as it is in warranty and your dealer offers a loaner car. This is one vehicle that an extended warranty would probably pay for itself.

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  Transmission Failed - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By P.B. - March 5 - 5:13 pm

  I currently have 84,000 (all highway) on my XC 90 and the transmission has to be replaced. I will never buy another Volvo again for lack of customer service and reliability.

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  Part Luxury, Part Touring, Part Sleeper - 1996 Volvo 850
  By AutoX47 - March 4 - 10:00 am

  I have previously had a mazda rx7 and a performance-oriented moddified blazer and this "brick" (nickname for volvos) is turning out to be my favorite out of the three on the street. Its sporty yet street suspension is fun while still comfortable and its turbocharged strait5 has a lot of potential and Ive found it to be quite reliable. Im currently running 300 horsepower w/ just a chip and ported cylinder heads and havent had any problems with the stock transmission not to mention the rest of the wonderfully engineered swedish touring car. The heated leather and premium sound are also very nice and so is the wood trim.

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  Volvo XC 90 T6 Sucks ! - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By Volvo XC 90 sucks - March 4 - 10:00 am

  XC 90 is the greatest disappointment in 35 years of buying and driving new cars. The engine lags at odd times, feeling like engine is stalling out on acceleration,cutting vehicle speed. Dealer checked OBD computer. No faults,therefore,no problem. Premium Dolby II Surround Sound system cuts out intermittantly in both radio and CD modes.Display disappears and sound stops. Dealer checked with Volvo. There may be "software" fixes for both problems, so I have to wait until May 2 for the Volvo Tech Rep to examine the car.After a week and a half of owning this vehicle, Im ready to sell it, or JUNK IT!

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  rattle, rattle, rattle - 2003 Volvo S60
  By do not buy this car - March 4 - 10:00 am

  Nothing quite loke a car that audibly lets you know that it hates bumps in the road. Back to the dealership several times - they have no idea. Rattles and jars - even though the suspension is so loose it could be taken by a Ford Escort - oh yeah, who makes this car now? Should not be marketed as a sports sedan it does not even compare to the others in its class - A4, 3 series, etc.

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  Huge Transmission Problems - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By dancingbear3 - March 2 - 11:13 pm

  We loved our 2004 T6 until yesterday when we had to be towed from Lake Tahoe to a Sacramento Volvo Dealer ( 109 miles ). Two different dealers told me this model has a huge transmission problem. There is talk of a law suit on the discussion board as so many owners have had problems. To be fair, some of the owners got full replacement including trnsmission, lines and radiator (around $7000 n). Well see how it goes ...

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  Sounding Off! - 2012 Volvo S60
  By Robert Pagano - March 2 - 10:16 am

  Bought this S60 AWD new. Absolutely love the handling and ride..good gas mileage and safety features. Cannot stand the center console sound system. Have had it replaced once and it still doesnt work. AM reception - lousy at best. The entire system, including the phone, just shuts down at random. Push FM button and get AM or nothing. Push phone button and get radio. Have complained and been told as recently as two weeks ago that they had to replace the system for the newer models because the 12s thru 14s were so bad. Leather seats also wore out after 20K miles