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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  Comfortable with quirks - 2007 Volvo V70
  By mercuryct - December 28 - 3:30 am

  Supremely comfortable as far as its seats go, 2.4 provides adequate power, feels very safe, understated looks. Its quirks can be very annoying, however. Chief among them are counterintuitive and slow-acting power door locks, needlessly complicated radio and climate controls, inadequate sun visors, unlit power-seat memory buttons. Not especially quiet in terms of engine noise. Fit and finish adequate but perhaps less than I expected. The dash trim is apparently real wood but finished to look cheaper than the plastic on my old Subaru. And might I add that tire-pressure sensors are a nightmare.

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  Happy Mom of 3 Boys! - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By Ray Clay - December 22 - 8:50 am

  Wonderful and easy handling. I purchased because I wanted a safe family vehicle. I received luxury and performance on top of safety.

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  Mixed Bag... Love the car but... - 2008 Volvo XC70
  By Antrow - December 18 - 6:33 am

  The 08 XC70 is very comfortable and has some nice features such as the keyless entry and go, Blind Spot Warning System and power tailgate. It is a nice looking wagon although I am not a fan of the black plastic cladding on the sides. The interior is very comfortable and clean looking. My car started off with rattles and a clunking and popping sound coming from the front end. Most of the rattles were toned down by the service department. The front end issues has caused the car to be in the shop four times and it is currently there today. It is our first winter storm and I had to drive out Prius to work :-(. Volvo has been no help with the front end issue. I have 1900 miles on the car.

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  Personal Experience - 1999 Volvo S80
  By ssutton200 - December 12 - 2:00 am

  The car is very comfortable, drives well. HAs had minor issues requiring dealer service on 12 occasions. This is a nusiance. Has also had recall work.

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  2012 Volvo S60 T-5 - 2012 Volvo S60
  By danf7 - December 10 - 7:57 pm

  The sign and drive offer coupled with covered maintenance made this car an exceptional lease value. I was also looking at A4, Acura TSX and the Hyundai Genesis Coupe but the horsepower, torque and features of the S60 far outweighed the competition. The car is fast especially in Sport mode. The Blind Spot Information System and City Safety are nice features and lowered my insurance! Ride is fairly quiet and comfortable. Steering with the Touring Chassis could be tighter. (The Dynamic Chassis may have addressed this issued but I didnt want to spend extra money.) Volvo Sensus is excellent and integrates well with my ipod and phone. A great entry level luxury sports car for the money.

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  120K still drives as new and looks great a great car - 2005 Volvo V70
  By rmo3 - December 1 - 4:22 pm

  I have my 2005 since purchased almost new as a loaner with a 2K on the odo. It is my daily driver kids to school and to work and road miles. I drive more than average abut 25K a year. There have been no major maintenance issues, I did replace a/c at 100k live in FL runs 24/7 here. I had a g tires, brakes, fluids changes and (timing belt at 105K). Dealer service can be expensive but you should follow the maintenance schedule and make sure the last owner did if you are buying high mileage. The vehicle still rock solid gets 25 MPG. Still has a top speed of 130 mph, so those SUVs might pass you with 400 hp but know this the V70 is faster than all of them they are ltd. to 110 :).

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  First Impressions - 2003 Volvo S60
  By SF Bay Area Randy - December 1 - 10:00 am

  I admit that I never thought I would buy a Volvo. The end of year incentives made me give it a look. Those incentives allowed me to get a 2.4T with sport, luxury, and touring package for under $30K. I kind of like the distinctive styling. Around San Fran Bay Area, 90% of the cars are Honda, Toyota or BMWs. I am glad I at least got something semi- unique. It is a nice car that has decent power. I am a little wary of how it will hold up, given some of the comments in here, but I tend to treat cars gently so I think it will last a long time. The gas mileage is OK. The fronts seats are very nice.

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  Not Too Happy - 2002 Volvo S60
  By Springer - December 1 - 10:00 am

  The first week we had the S60 it dumped antifreeze in our driveway and had to be towed away with a faulty radiator. The dealer told us no rental could be given because we didnt break down on the road somewhere. So much for their great roadside assistance. The power door locks are a perpetual problem. In for same repair 4 times. Dealer has ordered wrong parts and made us return yet again. Left turn signal works intermitantly. And by the way the pwer door locks dont work right again! I think its so safe because its always in the shop and not on the road.

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  A/C Problems - 1998 Volvo V70
  By GailSusan - November 23 - 9:06 pm

  This is my third Volvo. Like so many on here, I thought I would be a Volvo owner for life. This was my first new car. I saved up my money and paid almost $40,000 to buy it brand new. Volvo dealer "forgot" to send out the extended warranty, so I missed out on buying it. I wasnt too worried because I maintained my car perfectly. I planned for this car to last for at least the next ten years. Well, two years ago the air conditioning condenser broke and I was told it would cost $200 for the part, but $2,300 for the labor. It seems the entire dashboard has to be removed to reach the condenser. Im deeply disappointed in the poor quality of this vehicle and am about to unload it.

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  Great so far! - 2010 Volvo XC70
  By trailguy - November 23 - 8:40 pm

  This is a solid, well built car. The fit and finish is excellent. Considered a new 2010 Outback, but the Volvo won the day. Better financing, better trade in offer and more features and interior space. More comfortable interior, nicer design. True, its not as sporty a ride as the Subaru, but it still feels pretty solid. Engine is a little underpowered for the size of the car but seems to run better with higher octane fuel.