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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  Fun times in the sun - 2004 Volvo C70
  By MOnty - June 11 - 10:00 am

  The C70 convertible is a dream to drive. Acceleration is smooth and steady from a dead stop. Acceleration from a moving start has a bit of turbo lag. Handling is above average. My only regret is not being able to acquire a manual transmission with the high pressure turbo to see how this coupe really stacks up.

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  Good Fun Car - 2002 Volvo S40
  By nate91 - June 6 - 5:57 pm

  I really wanted a used BMW or Mercedes primarily because they were great handling rear-wheel drive cars. Hence I was hesitant to get another front-drive Volvo, but this car was in the price range. However, this car has exceeded my expectations. The turbo makes for great power and great fun. Hit the gas hard and it peels out through first gear. You can easily get to any open spot in traffic even on the highway. Firm suspension makes for good handling but a bit of a bumpy ride. Like others said, it stops on a dime. The cons. Cheap interior, I hate the cloth seats and door panels are loose. The car idles a bit rough, the steering wheel always shakes at lights.

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  Not the car for me - 2002 Volvo S60
  By Mr. B - June 3 - 1:46 am

  I have had this car for 3 and a half years now and have more gripes about it as it gets older. There are bright some bright spots but it accelerates slowly (i run the car on premium and use synthetic oil btw) really gets slow after about 80, and has so-so handling. The car has left me stranded twice, things that have broken on it: the key would not remove from the ignition (dealer said theyve never seen this before), its AC turns on by itself when the car is sitting for over 40 minutes with no keys in it (dealer replaced the whole fan and it did nothing), the right side blows hot air and left side blows cold air and the dealer cant seem to fix it, the gas panel door has fallen off etc...

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  Try the diesel - 2008 Volvo C30
  By Dejuan - June 2 - 6:43 pm

  You Americans always make me laugh when mumbling and complaining about fuel economy and car prices. I have one of the first C30s diesel available (July 2007) 1.6 summum, 110 Hp, 0-100 (km) 10s, top speed 195km/h List price 30.000,- Euro, is like 45.000 US dollars. Diesel per liter euro 1,50, is like US dollar 2,25 The comfort and handling are great. For the US market I would suggest the 2.0 diesel (136 Hp) or the D5, (165- 180 Hp) Why not try diesel instead of petrol. In Europe a petrol car is almost a sin.

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  Great car! Lousy ride - without air shocks - 2017 Volvo S90
  By MOHAN DAVID - June 2 - 7:38 am

  Great car in many respects but the ride is terrible [especially in the back seat] unless you spend an extra $1500 on air shocks. As a Volvo owner, who was shopping for a Volvo, I was disappointed in the S 90. The styling is superb and so are all the conveniences. I have decided to go with a car that gives me a comfortable ride.

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  Upgrade - 2008 Volvo XC70
  By tevis - May 31 - 6:56 pm

  Ive only had this car for a few weeks but I love it. Selected it, narrowly, over a Subaru Outback Limited because of the extra rear seat room and trunk space. This car has a beautiful fit and finish, both inside and out. The controls are well laid out and ergonomic. It lacks good acceleration but the engine has real power on the highway. Its no sports car, but drives nicely, is quiet, and luxurious. After suffering through five years with an Audi Allroad that was a mechanical nightmare (just say no!) I am expecting a much better experience with this car. So far, so good.

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  No Warranty - Run Away - 2001 Volvo S80
  By mwein - May 30 - 5:16 pm

  Purchased this used, low mileage, previous owner kept it in great shape. Around 40k miles it started falling apart. Leaking coolant, bulbs burning out, electrical issues (sunroof/electronic locks would go out/come back for no reason), alternator blew, interval maintenance is expensive. Its been in the shop the last 2 weeks because it doesnt want to start, no error codes and no one can identify the issue. Huge turn radius, it handles like a pig when navigating drive thru windows. Thankfully we extended our warranty otherwise we would be broke!

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  V70 T5 Volvo Wagon - 2001 Volvo V70
  By Angelia - May 29 - 2:00 am

  The ultimate mom mobile with style. In trying to avoid the world of minivans I happened upon my V70 T5 and just love it. The seats are exteremly comfortable and there is no loss of power or comfort extras on this Volvo. So far I have not had any major issues with the car and the small things I have had the warranty covered without the slightest problems.

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  Saddened by Volvo - 2000 Volvo S80
  By JDavis - May 28 - 5:33 pm

  This has been a disappointment since the day we bought it. We have currently spent more on repairs than we did on the car and are planning another trip back this weekend. I am looking at trading it in, but trying to find out if there is a dealer who would take this mess. My advice would be to investigate any Volvo you plan to purchase and avoid the 2000 S80 like the plague it is.

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  Nice desi -shame about the annoying bits - 2002 Volvo C70
  By paul lane - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Not all together happy with it. See below! Great looking car, but badly designed the cup holders are a joke - easy to knock a cup out ofthem and in the drivers way.