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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  Love my XC90! - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By brangmas - January 7 - 2:00 am

  Ive driven this car since 9/03. My previous car was a Subaru Outback. This car is so comfortable. It has a distinctive external design, great head and tail lights for visibility.The seats are adjustable to a degree Ive never had before, and very cushy. I enjoy the heated seats...an extra, but worth it so far this winter. The dashboard controls are easy to read, and everything is easily accessible. The ride is very smooth and the car handles well on city streets, as well as the highway.

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  Best of Everything for a Solid Price - 2012 Volvo S60
  By roubaud - January 6 - 1:35 pm

  I never thought Id own a Volvo. Ever. My Acura and Mercedes were sweet rides. But here I have a sporty four door that is billed as the safest sedan out there, plenty of pep and road feel, and after 8,000 miles Im won over. Small squeaky belt issue, and mileage could be better (25 combined, 29 on highway) but the seats are SO comfy, and I like the sparse / not busy interior with smoother leather than youll find on similarly priced cars. I wish I had a 2013 AWD, but for this price its a lot of bang for your buck. I dont know why anyone would get an overpriced and dull Merc C instead of this (in regard to a previous S60 reviewer).

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  Couldnt get any better - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Cecilia - January 5 - 5:33 pm

  Never been more enamored by a vehicle.

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  Volvo - 2005 Volvo S40
  By auburneng1 - January 3 - 6:56 am

  This is an awesome vehicle complete with great pickup, excellent gas mileage and an overall fun car to drive. The only complaint is the small interior space, but that is quickly forgiven after you get behind the wheel. Given its agility and lightweight, it will get up and go when necessary. I give it a 9 all day long.

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  Great Car - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By nhdriver - January 2 - 1:53 pm

  Took overseas delivery option and drove the car 800 miles in 5 days all over Sweden. We averaged 22 miles per gal. driving on highways, backroads, and city. The ride was smooth and very comfortable. The BLIS feature and the distance sensoring cruise control were great for unfamiliar roads and drivers. Love the push button lock and folding side view mirrors. The navigation control takes some getting used to, but it worked great in taking us around road construction in real time. Cant wait for it to be delivered state side.

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  Wonderful car - 2004 Volvo C70
  By Todd - December 31 - 10:16 pm

  Ive had this car for almost 2 years now and love it. Its comfortable, fun to drive and gets looks everywhere I go.

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  High performance, style, and safety - 2002 Volvo S60
  By lxl - December 29 - 6:30 am

  Researched and drove everything for 6 months. Able to buy 2001 S60 T5 in late December 2001 at great price. Love it. Great power, performance, comfort and style. First non-japanese car, but now a big volvo fan. Only 3000 miles now, but no problems. Feel very safe in this car.

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  OUTSTANDING 2004 VOLVO S60 2.5T AWD - 2004 Volvo S60
  By CHIEF13 - December 28 - 10:00 am

  I HAVE RESEACHED THIS MODEL FOR TWO YEARS PLUS, AND WHEN THE 2004 VOLVO S60 2.5T AWD BECAME AVAILABLE I JUST HAD TO UPGRADE FROM MY THEN NEWLY PURCHASED 1997 VOLVO 850 SEDAN MODEL OF SEVEN YEARS. BOTH CARS WERE FULLY LOADED. STRONGLY SUPPORT THE VOLVO CARS. THINK SAFE AND BUY VOLVO CARS.

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  excellent - 2004 Volvo V70
  By elita28 - December 28 - 10:00 am

  Excellent vehicle.Best car purchase ever.

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  1st 3 days with the V50...Enjoyable! - 2005 Volvo V50
  By CarJunky - December 28 - 10:00 am

  Now that our kids are 5 and 7 years old, it is FINALLY time to move out of the mini van and get my wife into something a little more enjoyable to drive. We looked at several SUVs and "sport wagons" but hadnt found much that met our requirements of being safe & sporty, and that could fit 2 kids and the family dog comfortably (and that was in our price range!). After doing lots of research, we stumbled upon the V50 in the wagon section of Edmunds.com and decided to head to the local Volvo dealer.