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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  HORRIBLE CAR - 2006 Volvo V50
  By chrishel - January 25 - 2:38 pm

  bought in 2006 for its safety and reliability. beautiful interior but looks can be deceiving. has just over 100k miles. always regularly maintained. Anything and everything has gone wrong.. A/c doesnt work. CD player broke 3 years ago. oxygen censors broke. transmission needed to be replaced($5000 cause volvo doesnt sell parts for transmission) now its the alternator. of course this all happens after warrenty has expired. its been a total nightmare and I will never purchase another volvo

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  2008 XC 90 is Great - 2008 Volvo XC90
  By Chief1 - January 25 - 11:36 am

  Great car. Enjoy the comfort of the ride. The Sirius radio is a great addition. The SUV lacks armrests for rear passengers. Lack of the armrest is huge disappointment. Lack of armrest made our rear seat passengers uncomfortable. I cannot understand why developers did not include rear seat arm rest for passenger. The styling is great. The car is eye catching. The performance of the front wheel drive is great. Numerous safety features are available.

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  Its the small things - 2001 Volvo S80
  By merlin - January 24 - 6:46 pm

  Bought it knowing it was a dealer loaner...that was the first mistake but the price was right. Replaced 6 bulbs of some type in the past two years. It currently has a headlight out to make #7. Replaced front suspension parts at 33K(under warranty. Sunroof has been fixed three times.Now a suspected broken motor mount as there is a thump in the steering at low speeds. Dealership replaced the air mass meter at 45K under warranty. This is all on a $40K automobile. I cannot blame the dealership as they have been great but what is it that the Japanese know how to do that the Europeans do not? After 20 years of driving Volvos this may be my last!

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  My Last Volvo! - 1999 Volvo V70
  By fsails - January 21 - 10:00 am

  Bought car at dealer with 23K miles. Started having electrical problems right away.(wipers,turn signals,headlight switch,signals,power windows,etc.)Most of these failures occured after warranty expired. Last friday the ETS light came on. (electronic throttle system)Dealer charged me $120 just to download the codes.They ended up replacing the throttle body.($1144) This type of failure is not acceptable with a car as expensive a Volvo. Failure occured at 71K miles. Volvo should be embarrased! Car is now for sale and we are for a new Subaru Forester XS.

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  The Ultimate car - 2007 Volvo XC90
  By MIchel - January 19 - 12:10 pm

  The car has a really good handling. It also takes 87 octane.The best car I ever had.

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  (Almost) Everything a Car Should Be - 2007 Volvo XC70
  By matt1122 - January 18 - 1:38 pm

  I have owned two of this generation of the Volvo XC70. I upgraded from a 2001 to a 2007 to gain electronic stability control, a more powerful and cleaner running engine, and the Haldex AWD. The only reliability problem I have had in the 11 years since my first XC70 was delivered was a bad transmission in the 01. It covered by warranty, and at no point was I unable to drive the vehicle - even once it became obvious the transmission was going (it simply became loud and clunky).

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  Volvo S60 2.5T 2004dc - 2004 Volvo S60
  By DCottrill - January 17 - 9:56 am

  I bought this car as it was being "pulled" off the truck. It has been an excellent vehicle these past 7 years with no maintenance issues. I have followed the mfg guidelines for service, every 7,500 miles, and it continues to run like a top as they say. A most recent 1,800 mile round trip to S.C. from Ohio averaged 32.3 mpg including some city driving. The only drawback would be the leg room in the rear seating area, but trunk space is huge for this size of vehicle. I plan on keeping this vehicle for another 130,000 miles. I hope the new owners of Volvo dont change a thing on quality!

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  This car is a sleeper - 2004 Volvo S60
  By Ryeman - January 16 - 10:00 am

  I am so glad we looked at the S60 when evaluating our car choices. I really did like the Infiniti G35, which has all the rave reviews, but after driving this car for a while, I dont think I gave up anything for the Volvo. With the huge factory incentives they were offering, it was too hard to pass up and Im glad I didnt. There will be plenty of G35s crusing around town, but I save a few grand and got a car that is a bit more distinctive. I think the car is a sleeper in the marketplace.

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  The Man & His Machine - 2001 Volvo C70
  By Jimmy Bowen - January 16 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my "RED" C70 HPT COUPE almost three years ago. It is my second Volvo. I have just over 70,000 miles on the odometer. All I can say is "WOW"! This car is a future classic. The shape, the color, the way the turbo kicks in. It really turns heads.

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  Love My Volvo - 1996 Volvo 850
  By Huling - January 16 - 10:00 am

  Bought my Volvo at one year with 20,000 on it. Pure comfort and safety. Great heater seats in winter. Currently have 115,000 on her and expect to go another few years. No big problems, usual maintenence and tire replacement. Worry free car.