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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  Built Like a Rock - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By p1b - October 28 - 2:00 am

  Best mid sized SUV for safety and comfort. Plenty of power in the 2.5 version and decent mileage. Vehicle is easy to maneuver and fun to drive. This vehicle safely and comfortably seats children as well as adults. If you no longer need the size and bulk of a minivan and dont want the truck like qualities of most SUVs, this is one of the best choices.

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  Good Value for the Money - 2010 Volvo XC90
  By cabotcourt - October 27 - 11:10 pm

  I was apathetic about buying the XC90...too many of them on the road, until I saw the styling of the R-design package...definitely sets itself apart from the pack. The 5 year maintenance/wear and tear program and safety record was what ultimately sold me. Overall, very happy with the vehicle. Just wish it had better gas mileage. A few other minor annoyances like the brake pedal being too close to the gas pedal and the seats seem a bit narrow, but once you get used to these "quirks" they take a back seat to the overall value I think the vehicle offers.

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  Great car! - 2007 Volvo S80
  By gdare - October 25 - 6:53 pm

  Was going to buy another BMW 5 series, but wanted something a little different. Drove a few cars, but came back to the S80 because of price and the fact that I havent seen any on the road. While nothing handles quite like a BMW, Ive been pleasantly surprised with this car. Its super comfortable, has all the bells and whistles (air conditioned seats, nav, keyless ignition), and is a joy to drive. Plus, the stereo system rocks! I plan to put on some 19" or 20" rims. Very cool car with some very cool features.

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  Amazing! - 2006 Volvo C70
  By ANNA - October 25 - 6:46 am

  I got this car about a week ago and i love it so much. It is the most amazing convertible i have seen and the best part, it will get you a lot of attention. It drives great with top up or top down and looks great both ways also. I had looked at other convertibles in its class, but i am so glad i picked this one. This has so much more to offer.

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  1999 S80 2.9 - 1999 Volvo S80
  By stealer18 - October 25 - 2:00 am

  Ive had few problems that were not covered by warranty. Transmission has had a rough shift and is sluggish. 2000 Download from Volvo fixes much of this.

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  cupholder - 2001 Volvo S40
  By buzilita - October 25 - 2:00 am

  I really enjoy driving the S40. Its very comfortable and sporty looking. It has a lot of trunk space and handles well.

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  Experience the new Volvo!!! - 2001 Volvo S60
  By mtdewpc - October 25 - 2:00 am

  This is the first Volvo Ive ever purchased. It sure has a sleek and eye-catchy exterior design which takes peoples breathe away. Compare to other non-turboed European cars, its turbo lag really affected its performance - acceleration. But overall, its a excellent driving machine.

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  absolute letdown - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By rayray - October 24 - 7:36 am

  Misery! Volvo forgot reliability is part of "safety." Where do I start with the 2005 V8 AWD "top of the line" for that year. First big problem: AC put out only HOT. Then the shifter/key start up had problems. Yearly, windows always need calibration as they would roll down by themselves. Then an ABS control failed and I could not start the car. After the pitiful 4yr/50k warranty ran out (car paid in full of course) the transmission failed after 70,000 miles, cost $6500 to fix, then there was the engine leak that after 4 months of diagnosing turned out to be a leaky engine BLOCK, so I needed a new engine after 80,000 miles. Dont get me started on the electrical system. Worse vehicle ever!

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  R is a Wolf in Sheeps Clothing - 2007 Volvo S60
  By Kent Lupino - October 21 - 5:11 pm

  Id been looking for a P2 Volvo S60R for many months, and finally found a 2007 1-owner, low mileage example locally that I just couldnt pass up. I purchased it a little over a month ago and so far havent regretted it at all. I should be clear that the R moniker for the 2004-2007 S60 series vehicles indicated a very different kind car than all of the non-R variants. So if you are looking for a review of any S60 model that doesnt have the R badge, you can stop reading and move on to the next review. A significantly re-worked 300HP 5-cylinder engine, sport exhaust, electronically-controlled suspension, Brembo performance disc brakes, and AWD give the S60R a completely different driving character than its siblings. Its quick, nimble, and produces an angry snarl--not too loud or thrashy-- when the tachometer goes over 2k RPM. In terms of styling, the P2 S60s are admittedly divisive. People seem to like it or hate it. I like it. Fortunately, Volvo didnt go overboard with plastic cladding and spoilers on the R models, adding a slightly different front and rear fascia, subtle R badge on the front black cube grille and rear trunk lid, and great-looking 17" 5-spoke alloy wheels. I love the fact that other than the wheels, the car looks a lot like any other S60. Its a classic factory hot rod that looks like a sleeper. The interior is also a step above other S60s, with premium leather sport seats that are amazingly comfortable, and classy real aluminum trim on the doors and center stack. The two things that I love most about the R interior are the subtle contrasting blue stitching on the black areas of the door panels, handbrake, shifter boot, steering wheel, and dashboard and the metallic blue instrument dials. Classy! However, lets just say up front that the downside of the R badge arrives with certain kinds of repair bills. Those 4-piston Brembo brakes are unique to the R, and definitely not cheap to replace. Neither is the big KKK turbocharger. Or the electronically-controlled struts. But if you take care of the car, those kinds of $$$ repairs dont come often. Now, I freely admit that the S60R is no BMW M3 in terms of overall performance, but I love it precisely because its NOT a BMW M3. Nobody expects a pre-Polestar era Volvo to have a sporty character, but this one does, along with the safety and build quality that Volvo is famous for. But instead of flaunting that extra performance for everyone to see, it only reveals its superpower when called upon. Awesome.

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  Below Average Car - 2004 Volvo C70
  By Ex Volvo Driver - October 21 - 2:00 am

  We have been extremely disappointed with our Volvo C70 and the Dealer. The car is very difficult to drive due to all of the blindspots with the top up or down. The front end is so low you cant go over the smallest bump w/o scraping it. To get into the back seat takes forever due to auto seat speed. Buy the less expensive Saab!