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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  Find a good mechanic - 2002 Volvo S60
  By Mike - November 20 - 3:53 pm

  A fun car to drive, but with 85,000 miles Ive had my list of problems. With extreme heat (like in Las Vegas) expect the "wood" interior paneling to peel off. Fuel cap door, like many other posts have said, will break. Dont bother fixing it....it will break again. Headlights, buy them in bulk because you will replace them every couple months. Dropped a pretty penny on struts, tires and brakes, but that is my fault for buying a used car without getting it checked out by a mechanic first. New battery, fuel pump, and fuel filter, and it still wont start until you try it a couple times. 20 mpg isnt quite what I had expected from a sedan.

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  Love Hate Relationship - 2001 Volvo S60
  By Dennis - November 20 - 8:03 am

  If only the car was out of the shop long enough to enjoy driving it. I have owned this car for 5 years. Very high maintenance costs and major repair bills. Volvo seems now just like daddy Ford - hide the design flaws and fix only when the lawsuits and/or government finally steps in and forces the issue. I would love this car were it not for problems with the very heart of its performance-the electronic throttle module. Almost guaranteed to break - so much so that they have now agreed to warrant the darn thing up to 200,000 miles - and theyll replace it only after making you spend thousands in diagnostics and pre-repairs. Then, they replace with the same defective designed part! Unbelievable

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  V40 vs. Passat - 2003 Volvo V40
  By jseattle - November 20 - 2:00 am

  We purcahsed the V40 over the Passat for three reasons: 1) no turbo lag in the V40 compared with noticable lag and kick in the Passat; 2) better exterior styling in the wagon configuration; and 3) better interior trim finishes-dash and leather feel. The engine feels like a V6 and is w/o noticible turbo lag and accleration wheel pull on the front wheel drive. Both we felt could have been better on the Passat we test drove.

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  The Perfect Car for Me, Recommend It !! - 2005 Volvo S40
  By mattkorey - November 19 - 8:46 pm

  This was exactly what I wanted and after having it for 10 months I just love it. And the European delivery program is unbeatable. A free trip to Europe basically and a discount on the car. You keep looking for the catch and there isnt one. Im now a member of the cult of Volvo it appears. The car has a lot of get up and go and the body style is great looking. Love the black/black leather that I selected, looks so sharp. The interior is really cool as well, the console is very unique, as is the car overall. Its nice not seeing your car everywhere you look. Couldnt recommend it highly enough.

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  IKEA on wheels - 2009 Volvo S60
  By PeterJax - November 19 - 11:16 am

  My first Volvo. It looks nice in an IKEA sort of way...some like it, others dont. Seats are very comfortable. Silver metallic paint finish is amazing. Body feels sturdy. Interior controls at first seem strange but you later realize that they are well thought out. Good fuel economy for a car that weighs this much, yet the turbo gives it kick when you need it. Good overall drive, nice mix of sport and luxury.

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  Happy Days - 2001 Volvo V70
  By Southern Car Owner - November 19 - 6:13 am

  Today is the happiest day of our lives with our Volvo - its trade-in day. This car has been in the shop so many times - bulbs, seat motors, transmissions, electronics, power window lifts, rear hatch, batteries, alternators, voltage regulors, and most recently 1,100 climate control module. Our favorite was at 70 mph the engine fault sensor shut down the car completely - real hazard! Only good thing on this entire car is the engine which has given us the least amount of problems.

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  First and Definitely Last Volvo - 2015 Volvo XC60
  By chas16066 - November 16 - 12:47 am

  Safety features are outstanding, but after driving car for 2 months, each day is as frustrating as the last in how poorly designed the interior is. Virtually no place to store things. In order to reach something easily (while driving), it has to be in one of the two cup holders. Bluetooth and iPod functionality is unintuitive. I have had to memorize exactly what will work when, which has relieved some of that frustration. Lots of reviewers praise the comfort; it has been more comfortable than Toyota Highlander, but not by much. Most frustrating : the poor service of ONLY Volvo dealer in my area. Not having a choice for service has been a major mistake.

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  2006 XC70 - 2006 Volvo XC70
  By William A. Shue, Jr. - November 16 - 12:03 am

  The 2006 XC70 is a solidly built SUV. Just getting inside and closing the door seems to quiet the outside world immediately. Its quiet on the highways and handles quickly in turns -- better than I expected for a wagon and an SUV. Its exceptionally comfortable for long rides and the HU850 radio with DolbyII truly make an audible difference. Im getting 15 MPG about town and 25 MPG on the highway according to the built-in computer. Im happy to have purchase it.

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  Cool and Reliable Car - 2002 Volvo S60
  By shop74 - November 14 - 4:33 pm

  I purchased mine 5 years ago used at a Volvo dealership with 55k miles on it. No major problems with it whats so ever. I replaced the alternator 3 years ago and that was only out of pocket expense at about $600. It has 125,000 miles on it now. I just went back to dealership to have fuel pump replaced and they did free of charge because of an extended warranty still on that part!!! Love my car and glad I did not sell it last year. I am keeping until it wont run anymore. Love foreign cars, Volvo for life. Worth every penny. The red paint looks still brand new. I have had a Lexus, BMW and Mercedes but love the Volvo reliability.

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  V40 - the most safety family car - 2001 Volvo V40
  By mtkadlec - November 14 - 2:00 am

  2001 facelifting is good for driving performance and behavior on the road (only 2wheel drive!) with automatic gearbox - not lazy, but not speedy as well - the best wagon for family or seniors