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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  Still brings a smile to my face - 2009 Volvo C30
  By kevin - April 16 - 10:36 am

  After researching all small hatchbacks in the US market and test driving the Subaru Impreza WRX and the Mazda 3, I test drove the C30 and knew it was the one. (I also wanted to test the Audi A3 but the dealer did not have any in stock.) I use this car daily (23,000 miles in year one) both in heavy traffic and on the open road. It is very responsive and comfortable in all driving conditions. I chose the Geartronic transmission (auto+manual) due to heavy traffic and enjoy driving in both modes. This car has been great, and it gets lots of positive attention. Check out Volvos website - you can fully custom order your C30. Im so glad to have done so - havent seen a twin yet in 22000 mi!

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  bad engineering - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By Jin - April 14 - 5:20 am

  The xc90 is not comfortable for a family. The kids complain nonstop on rides longer than 30 min. No place to put anything in the cramped cockpit. I found out my AWD was not working when I needed it the most, so my sons had to help push me out of a ditch. I have had to get new tires with only 10,000 mi! I have had problems with radio, shocks, ball bearings and transmission linkage. There have been lots of small things that are annoying like little parts falling off here and there.

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  Nothing like an Electrical Fire to Ruin your Day - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By Kris - April 14 - 3:30 am

  The dealer while very nice has no clue on how to fix these cars nor for that matter Volvo. We had been having issues where the onboard screens would blank out when nav in use vehicle would do it twice and then reload while vehicle was in use. This was an issue as your speedometer goes out and we were planning on taking it when it happened on a short trip but this time we smelled an odor then smoke came bellowing out of the center console. We turned off the unit and contacted the nearest dealership. The car has been there two weeks, contacted Volvo North America only to be told they could not find anything but they thought it was due to software needing to be updated. Updates were made and when dealer went to move car, battery was dead. We were told they checked it out with meters and again felt it was a software issue. Car was checked out and I was told the car was repaired. I drove 100 miles to pick the car up only to get in and there was an error indicating the Battery Charge was low after being assured that despite my concerns that it had to be more than a software issue. The car is still at the dealership as I was not willing to have them jump it and attempt to drive it home until they could get with Volvo North America. I would hold off purchasing as no one seems to know how to fix it. Very disappointed

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  good luxary car - 2003 Volvo S80
  By ali kayani - April 14 - 2:00 am

  It is very comfortable and roomy has good features for its price. The base 194 horsepower engine could benefit from more power and torque. It has pretty decent gas mileage which is wondrfull. The car at this price should have standard leather and sunroof which should not be optional. Also the wheels and tire should standard be 17 inch not 16 inch. The suspension is good for comfort which is great but could use more sportiness accuracy of bmw 5 series. Also the car should have standard xenon lights and the interior could use more wood and instrument panel is too plain could use tips from lexus, bmw or audi

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  Love this car - for 4yrs - 2006 Volvo S40
  By SD - April 14 - 1:26 am

  Bought this car in January 2006. Love it and still do, plan to hold onto if for a few more years. Other than a few recalls, which the dealership was great about, only standard maintenance required. Fun to drive and comfortable.

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  A Great Car - 2006 Volvo S40
  By richard berstein - April 10 - 10:10 pm

  Got a terrific deal-$28,400 list for $23,200! Handles great, and all the "bells and whistles". A really solid feel, and great acceleration for a 5 cylinder. I couldnt believe I could get a Volvo for a price comparable to a Kia or Hyundai, both of which, in my view, are very much inferior.

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  Good performance- poor design-interior - 2005 Volvo S60
  By David Draaisma - April 10 - 4:23 am

  It has great acceleration & handling. Nice sporty look. My wife loves the car, I would look else where mainly because of the interior design and options. I am 6’ 1”, on long trips the arm rests are not comfortable. It does not feel like they are positioned correctly. Power seat on driver side works with the key out. Passenger power seat does NOT work with the key off. Big pain when cleaning car. Nice stereo system. 2 levels of FM settings. Two step process to change FM levels where most stereos systems you can do it in one. Very distracting when you are driving. Do not plan on having 4 people in the car unless they are children. Two adults will not be able to fit in the back. No leg room.

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  Safety and Technology is amazing! - 2017 Volvo XC90
  By Kevin H - April 9 - 12:40 pm

  We leased this car because is has more leg room in the rear seat than compared to most large suvs in this price range. The technology is amazing! The autopilot system actually drives the car for you...gas, brake and steering!

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  Is it the dealer or is it the car??? - 2001 Volvo S80
  By Hokie in NC - April 9 - 10:00 am

  I bought my S80 in 2001. The stereo leaves something to be desired. It drove great for the first 20K miles, but then the problems started. I have it in the shop AT LEAST once a month for repairs (mainly light bulbs). The scheduled maintenance is ridiculously expensive – almost $300 for an oil change!!! I have had a ton of problems with the Dealer in New Bern, North Carolina – ranging from rude treatment to incompetent repairs. To make matters worse, the car is starting to “loosen up.” At 45K miles, the car feels as old as my 200K mile Toyota I traded in for it! Don’t even think about this car unless you have extra money to burn!

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  Fuel efficiency and good quality. - 2002 Volvo S60
  By Chris - April 9 - 6:43 am

  I highly recommend the Volvo S60. Its an affordable, reliable and fuel-efficient car that looks and handles like a much more expensive vehicle. The 5 cylinder NA engine wont set any records at the racetrack but it will still get you where you want to go. The quality of manufacture is excellent, nothing feels or looks cheap, except the faux wood paneling in the interior. The key access port for unlocking the truck is badly placed and difficult to get to, but youll probably use the remote entry anyway. The anti-theft alarm is hit or miss. It tends to go off at the strangest times, even if the car is unlocked. The fuel economy is excellent, I average 28 mpg highway.