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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  Volvo XC90 - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By Maria - January 2 - 12:23 pm

  Great Driving performance. Does not swerve on slippery roads, snowy roads. Car has great shock absorbers . Smoother ride on country roads

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  09 T6 AWD - 2009 Volvo S80
  By NJdiver - January 1 - 7:43 am

  Let go of our 06-S60 for the new S80. After driving the T6AWD then the 3.2 without AWD decided the ride was much better with the AWD and turbo 6. Its also nice to have the AWD in the Northeast when needed

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  Outstanding SUV - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By Trey Young - January 1 - 2:00 am

  This car has everything you could ask for in a SUV. Space,performance, SAFETY. The engine has all the power you will ever need and negotiating multiple children around the interior is easy.

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  Volvo xc90 - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By cphammer - January 1 - 2:00 am

  Nice vehicle, turns heads on the street. Perhaps the safest SUV on the road. Superb interior amenities. Downside. Large pillar members increase lateral blind spots when driving.

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  Finallly - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By TinCup - January 1 - 2:00 am

  After months of waiting with a deposit on a car I had never seen my XC90 finally arrived. The 2.5T AWD drives great. It has a high fun factor for an SUV of this size. Very verstile, very nice. The car gets a lot of attention on the road.

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  Pretty but full of problems - 2013 Volvo XC60
  By weseaunhappy - December 31 - 2:15 pm

  Second XC-60 (should have learned lesson on the first one). Less than 2 months old and been to shop 5 times already. Last car should have been officially labeled lemon. This one, not quite as serious, but nonetheless time consuming for me. No compensation from Volvo for all my time and gas spent going to shop over and over and over. Even complaints to corporate Volvo get nowhere - they just repeat the misinformation the service dept spreads. How many times do you have to take a car in for the same problem? Anyway, I will never buy another Volvo. Too bad, it was pretty and fun to drive. Just wish the problems didnt persist.

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  Still the best wagon - 2006 Volvo V70
  By rickc - December 31 - 2:30 am

  In 30 years this is my fourth Volvo and my first brand new one.. I always go out intending to buy a Toyota or a Subaru but always come home with a Volvo. Volvo may not often be the most reliable,the most economical and maybe not even the safest car in tests, but the comfort and ergonomics of the cabin is still unsurpassed. The 2006 in comparison to previous years (I also own a 1999) has a much smoother drive train and is certainly quieter under acceleration.

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  Volvo For Life-What a Joke - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By rmapro - December 30 - 4:03 pm

  The XC90 is my 7th Volvo & will be my last.At 60,000 mile service the check engine light came on & the dealer replaced the mass airflow sensor for $600.00. The next day after the repair, the check engine light came on again, the dealer told me the oil trap needed to be replaced, a $1200.00 repair. I found out from a Volvo mechanic that if the mass airflow sensor was bad, the XC90 would barely run, It was running fine when I brought it in. After finding out that Suburban Volvo charged me $60.00 higher then list price for the sensor. I contacted Volvo customer service & they told me that the dealer was independent & could charge what they wanted. She said Volvo would not help.

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  Best vehicle Ive ever owned - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By leftatdunkirk - December 29 - 9:03 pm

  Up to 95,000 miles and going strong. Cost more to maintain than my Toyota 4Runner did, but well worth it. The Toyota always felt like work, while the Volvo feels like home. You sit on most seats, but sit in these. Will it easily do 120mph? Without admitting to anything, Id have to say yes. The 5cyl turbo is the way to go, as this engine/trans combo seem to be bullet-proof. I test drove this and the Honda Pilot, and am glad our family of six is moving in the Volvo.

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  This car should be called XC90 T8 BETA - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By XC90isBeta - December 29 - 11:31 am

  This car has issues which require it to go back to the dealer within my first 3 days of ownership. And there is a list of intermittant problems which I know will be difficult to reproduce and therefore will continue to plague me throughout my ownership of this car. Not to mention I have been getting terrible fuel economy and it is the bumpiest ride of any car I have ever owned!