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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  This is my second Volvo - 1999 Volvo S70
  By red car - July 4 - 10:00 am

  Ive had electrical problems with tail lights going out since I got the car - I had the same issue with my 92 Volvo 240. I have just accepted it as part of the package! The dealership always fixes the lights for free, so its no big deal. I needed a car that can pull out onto the highway quickly, and the S70 does the job. There is plenty of room for five people. Lots of storage room, too. I like the fold down opening for skis, items! All four tires were worn and needed to be replaced at around 40,000 miles. I expected to get more miles out of the tires.

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  Great Car/Terrible Mileage - 2008 Volvo XC90
  By Chris - July 3 - 2:20 am

  My wife has always wanted the XC90, so we took the plunge when the lease on our Pathfinder was up. Its a beautiful car, and weve owned Volvos all along growing up. From a comfort standpoint, the car is top notch. More interior room than the Pathfinder. Powerful stereo system. It was good to get the familiar Volvo safety Ive been used to over the years. Only problem, the gas mileage is horrible. Were aveaging 14.8. But hey, what do you expect for a car that is "dripping" in safety features, thats more important Also, had to drop some paperwork at the dealership one day and something punctured my tire as I was driving out, they reimbursed me for the new tire!

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  swede is in - 2004 Volvo S60
  By rpaecm - June 30 - 10:00 am

  volvo - best value, who needs german performance? are we driving on a track. comfort, economy, value at 65% of the price

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  Carl Moore Houston #2 Review - 2007 Volvo V70
  By Carl Moore Houston - June 29 - 5:53 pm

  My first review was Oct 2007. Since then the V70 has 19,000 miles on it - low mileage. The door locks have gone crazy opening and closing at random and that was fixed. The main problem I have had is with rust buildup on the brake rotors and pads which cause wheel shimmy when braking. At first Volvo refused to cover under warranty citing normal wear and tear. Cost- almost $1000. After complaining to main office NJ, they agreed to cover the rotors but not the pads (all 4 wheels). Ridiculous. Thats still $450. I have never had this problem in 47 years. I would never recommend to anyone to buy a new Volvo - they used to be really great cars when they were 4 cylinder cars. I still have 2 940s.

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  Mixed bag - 2002 Volvo S60
  By Mugsy1499 - June 25 - 10:00 am

  Was willing to pay extra, but shouldve paid attention. Features made way more sense in my S70, which was totaled. Loud road noise, no pre-set radio station buttons, clock and odometer off when key is off, big blind spots, transmission slips, door locks are slow & no choice of lock or unlock on door control - dumb! Has been in the shop over 10 times for transmission & a/c. Seatbelt chokes driver - cannot adjust. Even new wipers skip and squeal. Zippo rear leg room.

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  hissing noise/brake concern - 1999 Volvo S80
  By jackson99 - June 25 - 3:23 am

  Been hearing a hissing noise now for several months..understand may be a booster problem? Whats this going to cost and will it get worse and brakes eventually fail? Thanks for any help!

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  Its Been Fun - 2004 Volvo V70
  By RHS - June 22 - 5:40 am

  Sometimes there is a bright and fun momemt when I remember what this car will do. Mostly it is used in normal service where it functions admirably. But when it has the opportunity it is a brilliant and extremely well balanced road car. I love it. My only complaint is that Volvo-Ford copped out on the interior stuff--too much plastic especially.

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  Best used car Ive owned! - 2001 Volvo V70
  By Wagon of Wagons! - June 16 - 10:53 am

  Ive owned 2 other Volvo wagons prior to this one. A 94 850 T-5, 99 XC and my current 01 V70 T-5. I live in Anchorage, Alaska and decided on the 2 wheel drive model due to my previous XC was a nightmare with repairs. Drive handling with my 2001 V70 during winter has been pleasant on slippery roads with the normal all weather tires. The winter tires rubbed against the wheel wells while turning and elected to ditch them. The lower ground clearance helps with stability with little body roll in turns Ive noticed. Transmission takes a little getting use to for effective use. Ive found when accelerating from a stop it was best to ease on the gas which allowed gears to catch up.

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  great all around convertible! - 2003 Volvo C70
  By alex millman - June 11 - 10:00 am

  2004 hpt auto. very comfortable front seats for tall and big poeple. great engine and transmission. love all the safety features. sound system rocks. last but far from least, classic timeless lines and appearance. stunning looks!!

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  Good design but poor execution - 2001 Volvo V70
  By Tarheel - June 11 - 10:00 am

  The V70 T5 has reasonable performance, but it did not live up to its potential. I understand from my friends in Sweden that Volvo actually provided reprogrammed chips to V70 T5 owners because the 2.4T outperformed the T5. From the very beginning, we have had a number of problems related to poor quality control. Interior trim on the A-post fell off the first month we had it. Over 10 bulbs have burned out. The dealer has replaced them without charge up until now, but it still means we have to take the car in frequently. The biggest problem was complete transmission failure at 60,000 miles. Totally unacceptable in a car in this price range.