In the 21st century, a man is known for his clothes and his cars, so always invest in these two areas, but never at the expense of your comfort! Looking for a car that says “luxury” without compromising comfort and practicality, huh?
Well, put an end to your hunt because the Volvo car series is a perfect definition of the elite ride for your everyday hustle. Be it rushing towards the office or picking up kids from school, take this champ with you on the go every time.
But the question is, are Volvo good cars? As in “worth-every-penny” good. Head below and read our guide to find out.
The Complete Guide
Volvo is not a new name in the automobile world. It has built its reputation and standard throughout the years. However, for someone who has never owned a Volvo, things might get suspicious based on the hidden factors.
But that’s where we step in with all valid information from credible sources to clear our minds. Below we have mentioned some factors to be considered before buying a Volvo.
Safety
Whether you like them or not, you can’t deny that Volvos are the safest cars in the world to date. For decades, Volvo has stood up with well-developed, and innovative safety features like no other car company ever have, and successfully it has.
Even if you don’t like its build or performance, Volvo will not disappoint you with its unique safety technology. Be it the 3-point seatbelt launched in 1959 or the first-ever rearfacing child car seat launched in 1964. Volvo has been a trendsetter and a sample for posh car brands.
If you had to choose anyone, which would be your safety or some random strangers? Hard question, right? But why choose one when you have the option to prevent both. Yep! Volvo cares for everyone, and that’s why it emphasizes accident prevention through its latest technology.
Blindspot protection, pedestrian detectors, and pilot assistance are accident prevention technologies, to name a few. But that’s not it! Volvo has great plans regarding vehicle safety globally, like its project “Vision 2020”, which involves Al in the motor game to minimize and gradually wipe out the risk of accidents. In fact, Volvo received a “Top Safety Pick” award from the IIHS in 2021. You go. Volvo!
Reliability
In 1927, a Swedish manufacturer company came up with Volvo with the idea to build reliable cars that could withstand the harsh weather and infrastructure conditions of Sweden. Fast forward to today, Volvo stands as one of the most reliable car brands in the world, with each model having an average to medium-high reliability rating.
Although it is not on the top list, this car can compete against Swedish roads and storms; imagine how it will fly on well-built roads with normal weather.
So, how do we calculate the reliability report of a car? Simply by comparing each car brand’s annual Consumer Reports Auto Reliability study. These Consumer Reports are created by stating first-hand experiences of users for the first three years, and the fewer the problems, the better the score. In 2020, Volvo stood as the 16th most reliable car, beating big names like Ford and Volkswagen.
According to sources, a brand new Volvo can function reliably for up to 20 years if well-maintained; however, there are some unreliable aspects to the Volvo series. First of all, Volvo is jam-packed with technology and is literally a box full of software.
With that much going on, there are high chances of repairs that would cost a hefty amount. Secondly, the latest technology introduced by Volvo is their innovation, which is not always a winner during the first go, so buy at your own risk.
Performance
No matter how pretty or safe the car is, we all want something that runs as smooth as butter and fast as a roadrunner since that’s the aim behind spending on luxury cars. In fact, the performance of a luxury car matters the most while differentiating it from a normal go-to car, as looks can’t always win it.
But in this case, Volvo cant help you either way. As you know, Volvos are luxury cars made for everyday practical use, including rides on rough surfaces like the Swedish highways. Keeping this view, the company manufactures tires and engine systems likewise, which doesn’t give the usual smooth ride Americans are fond of.
On the contrary, Volvo’s ride quality is on the negative scale, with complaints of the plush and harsh ride included in the annual Consumer Reports. Although the interior and exterior deliver luxurious vibes as best as any posh car, the ride quality fails due to its poor performance.
Now coming to the speed factor. One can compromise on the ride quality (which you shouldn’t), but not the speed limit. Sadly, Volvo keeps disappointing its fans with its average speed limit. For a car as famous as Volvo, you could easily expect a max speed limit of 250 or 300km/hour, but not to forget the Vision 2020 by Volvo.
Volvo’s Vision 2020 is a drawback for speed limitations, as it sets the max speed limit of all models at a rate of 180km/hour. That slow! But who are you to complain when it is a positive initiative towards reducing road accidents. However, this limitation has caused Volvo to lose a major chunk of customers because who would want to pay for a luxury car that can’t perform like a flash.
Features
If the car performance has disappointed you and the Volvo disheartens you, the car features will surely make up for it. Elite cars are created keeping your comfort as the priority, which means you will have to do less functioning; instead, the car will function for you.
Just because Volvo has a bad performance doesn’t mean it is a bad luxury car. It has a list of unique and super cool features that will make you go nuts. Have a look at these features mentioned below:
1. Off-Road Capability
You can easily tell off by the size and build of all Volvos that are off-road vehicles. Nothing can beat this deadly combo when luxury is combined with off-road capability. Smooth from the inside and sturdy from the outside.
Volvo has an excellent off-road capability with an advanced all-wheel-drive system that provides high traction when driving on snow-covered surfaces or harsh rain. This baby is trained to fly on the bumpy roads of Swedish highways so that it will be a joy during adventures, that’s for sure!
2. Turbocharged Power
If you are investing in a sturdy luxury vehicle like Volvo, make sure it has a turbocharger. Turbocharger engines have superb power density and are extra-efficient than your usual car engines. The turbocharger allows a small-sized engine to generate more horsepower and torque and works for way longer than a non-turbo engine.
The Volvo series of cars has embraced turbo-engine technology to boost the engines’ power and performance. Secondly, you can go with this baby engine packed with power and electricity for a long time.
3. Fuel Economy
Looks-wise, Volvo seems like a vehicle that drinks up fuel like crazy, but you will be surprised that it saves up fuel a great amount compared to other off-road cars. Since sturdy cars require more power to function they need more fuel which means you must always have a backup while traveling or going up the mountains.
Not with Volvo! Volvo’s turbo-engine allows fuel economy by producing more power in less time. And unlike other turbo-engines that save fuel but emit pollution, this one gives you fuel economy and environmental friendliness.
4. Practical Functioning
The main reason for buying a luxury car like Volvo is to experience ultimate practicality with style and standard. When you buy a Volvo, be sure that you are in no way compromising on comfort and practicality because Volvo is by far the most practical luxury car brand worldwide.
Be it the comfortable seats, car space, or the 8-seater capacity, Volvos never fail to impress us. Leave all that; the cargo space alone is enough to switch your mind from a sports car to this family car. You can even use this as your night van when going out with friends, or even if you have a family of 6. Volvo is the perfect fit for your everyday use.
5. Sleek Swedish Interior
Coming to the grand interior of the Volvo series. While the exterior may disappoint a few, the interior of this car series is always on-point. The sleek and slim features offer elegance combined with luxury, with hints of Swedish style. The visuals, sounds, and scents inside a brand new Volvo combine to deliver a summer day enchanting aura and experience within the car.
And don’t get us started on the comfy seats made of premium quality leather that feels like heaven. Volvo is a hub of technology combined with automobiles, and you can witness that just as you step inside the car, the panoramic roof or the animated lights could make you feel like a time traveler in the future. Yes! It’s just gorgeous.
6. Bold Exterior
When Volvo cars are not considered luxury cars, it is usually due to the exterior. While most luxury cars have an elegant exterior with slim features, this one breaks the norms with its bold accents, fulfilling the concept of practicality. The Volvo cars generally have a variable ride height with low front ends and long rear windows.
The muscular shoulders portray the sturdy build of all Volvos, and the liquid quality headlights are to die for. Volvo usually delivers its idea of a safe, sturdy, and stylish ride through its cars, which is applaudable. In our opinion, this car builds suits with everyone, be it a rich party-freak bachelor or a busy mom with tons of chores.
Amenities
Although you know Volvo’s basic features and safety technology by reading the above paragraphs, what you don’t know might push you a bit to get one of the Volvos. We all know Volvo’s tech game is the best, but some of these technicalities are way beyond amazing.
It’s nothing that you can’t handle, but speaking in defense of a bulky luxury car, let us introduce you to these amazing amenities. Firstly, the expressive compact design of the new Volvos keeps it on the top list without deducting its interior space or muscular build. The Volvo car has done an amazing job transforming its gigantic body into a normal off-road car.
Apart from this feature, Volvo has various entertainment options to choose from, including Apple Carplay and Android AutoFunctionality (available in the latest models). You can enjoy loads of entertainment and communication options in the Volvo series with access to contacts, streams, and music.
And not to forget the most important amenity out of all; the Smart Driver Assistance that drops you at your destination safe and sound. The built-in sensors will keep your car in the lane and alert you when exposed to collisions.
Cost
When speaking of cost, you have to know one thing no matter what. Volvo is a high-end luxury brand. It comes with a ton of benefits for users and assists the driver in many ways, so it does not cost like an ordinary car.
The price range of Volvo may be unaffordable to some; however, it has an “affordable” price range compared to companies like Mercedes, Cadillac, and BMW. But then again, you can’t and shouldn’t underestimate the technology put into this vehicle with the number of features and comfort it offers.
To give you an idea, we have mentioned the cheapest and the most expensive Volvo price tags and their quality features. The Volvo XC90 costs around $100,000, which is a hefty amount for a luxury car, but remember, Volvo always gives its best, so there is no doubt about errors.
The XC90 is an SUV with room for seven comfortable Nappa leather seats, including the basic safety features. On the contrary, the least expensive Volvo-XC40 SUV has a standout design that features compact efficiency, smart storage space, and a panoramic roof. The XC40 is a five-seater with all necessities and advanced safety features.
Affordability
You must be thinking that if you have the money on hand right now, a Volvo is affordable for you; maybe you’re right, but only for now. Since you know the reliability rate of Volvos, you must keep in mind that it would require more repair rounds to the car workshop as compared to a normal luxury car.
Surprisingly that’s not the bigger issue; the main problem is that this brand is quite expensive to repair and fix. While Volvo is cheaper to maintain than cars like Mercedes and BMW, it can be more expensive than the average luxury cars of its standard.
One of the reasons Volvo is expensive to repair and fix is that the parts of Volvo are specially-made and have high fees associated with them, which is usually not available at local workshops. However, in 2015, Volvo introduced its “Lifetime Replacement Parts and Labor Warranty” which grants you the burden of repairing parts such as batteries, brake pads, rotors, wiper blades, tires, and clutch lining, among the rest.
Styling
Even though Volvo is an unmatched bold and muscular car that doesn’t need any add-ons, it is still customizable for people who want to. Like many full-body cars, the Volvo series also comes with a styling kit with additional components to install. These components serve to improve the overall look of your car and can even improve its performance to some extent. If you’re all in improving the aesthetics of your Volvo, then ears up! Because this part is for you.
Volvo’s exterior styling or body kit includes a skid plate-front bumper to give the already-muscular Volvo a much more robust look in the front This skid plate is brushed with stainless steel, making it durable and stylish, giving an overall powerful look to your Volvo.
Similarly, the skid plate of the rear bumper is also covered in stainless steel; however, it has double-end pipes. These pipes contribute to the rear visuals of the car and bring fully integrated exhaust-end pipes. These pipes combined give the impression of a powerful rear with four-end pipes.
Lastly, the vehicle comes with a 20-inch Matt Graphite alloy with a muscular, turbo look and technical finish. The styling kits for each Volvo model are different; however, the accessories mentioned above are examples of what to expect from a Volvo styling kit.
Conclusion
Summing up, Volvo is a champion car in terms of everyday rough usage with amazing key features and innovative technology. The safety protocol followed by Volvo is also one of its kind and contributes massively toward the future of vehicle safety.
But keeping all that aside, the performance and reliability can be a turn-off most of the time. So if you prioritize style and comfort by comprising on performance and ride quality, then go for it.
Lastly, for the question, “Are Volvos good cars?”, we would say yes and no. You can figure that out better for yourself while experiencing it. But overall, Volvo seems to lock the deal in the 21st-century smart vehicles.
So that was our version of the complete Volvo guide, do let us know your queries in the comment box if you have any.