Very comfortable riding car, and has the power available when needed. Exceptional highway driving car.

The inside door panels had to be replaced due to separation. It seems I'm forever changing bulbs on the car (headlight, signal). The brakes seem to wear out fast.

Based on the other reviews, I find that people don't do their homework when buying a vehicle. Make sure you know what you want, and ask others who own the product your looking for. They say the average Volvo owner keeps his/her car for an average of 13 years, which beats many other car makers like in Detroit not to name names. I'm happy to own this car and I've enjoyed ever minute driving it.

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Audi A6, Passat (same car different name), Alero (gag), Tarus (hello)

The quality, safety and economical performance are great. Was very suprised at the high mileage in city driving. Atlanta traffic is worse than LA (know from experience) and that means a lot of sitting in traffic. This car has the best seats (heated in winter) that I have had the pleasure to sit in. I grew up in snow country and have never gotten used to the humid summers in the south, which means I rely on a very good air conditioning system. My S70 has an electronically controlled system that blows extremely cold air when needed and also allows for dual climate zones. The stereo is also the best of any vehicle I have owned, including a brand new Acura Legend back in the early 90's.

When the sunroof is open, it can get a little noisy.

I know that older Volvo's have quite a reputation, some good, some bad but I can only speak from the newer product line perspective. I would highly recommend a 2000 Volvo or newer for anyone. Friends that have riden in my Volvo can't believe it is a Volvo. I have a neighbor that owned an older 240 and he was very impressed following a ride in my S70. I know that Volvo has redesigned the V70, S80 and are introducing a new S60 for 2001. My wife is so impressed with our S70 that she is considering trading her minivan in for a 2001 V70. I think Volvo cars will be in our family for a long time to come.

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Acura, Toyota, Honda. The Volvo doesn't have the fit and finish of a Japanese vehicle however, the Volvo's safety features more than make up for that. I personally don't like the egg shape that just about every car manufacturer is now implementing and I find Volvo's new styling much more appealing, keeping more of a classical taste.

Power, power, power, cool turbocharged engine
Decent handling
Would make a great sleeper if ECU + exhaust upgraded
Great stereo
Great seats + comfort

Fit and finish not on par with 30K+ vehicles
Not too smooth of a ride

This is a good car IMO but not a GREAT car. Build quality is disappointing for a car this price, dashboard and door panels rattle. Unlike other Volvo owners here, my 850 Turbo had little problems under 80K kms. Handles fairly, stable at high speeds, would be great if you had a sway bar upgrade. Brakes decent, grip decent, but turbocharged power is addictive! If you have one, get the ECU + exhaust!! Then you will start blowing away anything slower then an M3 all day! Get the 850R and you well be the envy of the neighborhood.
Anyway, this is a fun car and also can carry your mother in law with ease.

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BMW 3 series, C class, A4

Good cruiser, quick, good handling, great stereo, still a bit angular in design (brick dreams)

Front rotors scored at 30,000 mi.; various rattles; automatic transmission is weak and "clunks" when shifting; seats were more comfortable on my '82 240GL. I have the feeling that all those sophisticated controls and relays are timed to fail, just after warranty is up in a few months.

Dealer refused to pay for the trashed front rotors. I replaced with Bremcos - noisier, but work as well or better. I might have thought it was a freak flaw, except my wife's '97 850 sedan's rotors did the same thing, 10,000 miles sooner . . . .

It's fun to drive and great for trips. The back seat folds down flat with the rear platform in a jiffy. But the sidewalls on the Michelins are pretty thin - one brush against a curb and the tire is history. And the paint has chipped off from day one, and is impossible to touch up so it doesn't show, dramatically.

It seemed like a bargain at the time, and may turn out to be in the end. If the transmission doesn't fail, and I can get over 140k without any major repairs (as with the 240), I'll be satisfied. But I would NOT recommend any Volvo newer than the 850. Reliability has gone very South, as other posts attest. I would recommend a '95 - '97 850 that had been very carefully checked out, before looking at anything newer.

I should admit, my favorite car was my '63 120 sedan . . . underpowered, lumpy-looking, prone to rust front fenders and a real kick to drive (and 40+ mpg on the highway).

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Actually, I liked my "82 240GL sedan better. Less pretensions, simpler, more solid (but it had some electrical issues of its own).

Very good acceleration,brakes and traction.
Smooth ride and handling on most roads, and a pleasure on highway
Comfortable ,great seats,roomy interior for a mid-size car.
Very dependable,reliable and safe;I never felt this safe in a car before.
Very satisfying relations with dealership as you find say with Toyota.

On rough roads you really feel the bumps :sometimes it's quite harsh but
fortunately the car stays nicely under control.
Some warranty repairs( a door lock,battery,some rattles and numerous burnt bulbs which is annoying)

I paid around $42,000 Canadian for it.
I would surely recommend this car for those who seek a safe,reliable,
comfortable and quick vehicle.It handles well,almost like a sports car
but can be used as a family car too.
I feel this car is most appreciated during winter.Canadian winters are
rough and this baby really shines and performs almost as well as 4x4s
do on ice and snow.
I will never drive a rear wheel drive car again.
I am also really surprised when I read some of the reviews of this car
and found out that alot of people have had alot of repairs done.
This car is quite reliable and dependable so far for me.

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None

Good performance, low maintanence, few problems

Purchase price. Heavy feeling, conservative, family image.

I have had an 855 Turbo wagon for 4 years, and 40,000 miles. I have had no significant problems or dealer complaints. Routine maintanence has cost no more than my old Honda. Car is very solid but still fun to drive. I can't believe the very negative reviews I see here are for the same car!

Comfortable seats, feels solid on highway, good dash layout and sound system to muffle those noises, haven't had all the problems these other people have had!

Too much road noise at cruising speeds; noisy transmission and engine in lower gears. Requires 93 octane gas and synthetic oil so it's more expensive to run.

Interior noise levels from transmission, engine, and windows are entirely too high compared to other cars in this price category. Maybe this improves with the bigger engines. But it feels solid and inspires confidence on the road. I enjoy driving it. There are other safe cars out there, choose wisely, this may not be the best. Glad I am leasing.

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'97 Camry 4 cyl. - Wow!! I could have had a quiet V-6!!

comfortable seats; roomy; reliable engine; good for long-distance highway driving; retro looks; good A/C; competitive lease.

unreliable; numerous warranty repairs, mostly electronic problems; lots of squeaks and rattles; harsh and jarring ride on most roads; less than optimal rear visibility; interior finish is a bit on the cheap side for a car that starts at almost $28K.

I would not recommend this car. This was my first experience with Volvo (my lease is up in a couple of months). Within a few weeks of taking delivery, the windshield wiper motor(s) conked out while I was on the interstate in a driving rain. The same thing happened on a couple of occasions about a year later. There were other electrical problems as well (including disabled door locks, both headlights burning out around the same time, and erratic service lights). The dealer was good about tending to the problems, but I was there too often. In addition, after about a year, a number of minor (but annoying) squeaks and rattles started to develop. And in ordinary traffic (i.e., off the interstate), the ride has become very rough, with jarring vibrations being produced through the steering column from even small bumps. Other than in perfect driving conditions (in which the car seems to do fine), this is not a vehicle that instills a feeling of confidence. It is probably an average car (3 stars for value and overall); but given that Volvo markets reliability and the feeling of safety, and given my disappointment as to those matters, I have to give it a 2 overall.

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Honda Accord; BMW 325.

None

Rattles, Air Conditioning, Brakes, Power, too much to list.

This is the worst piece of crap I have ever owned. I can't belive that Volvo has the nerve to put out a car like this. Ford made a big mistake buying this turkey. On just one occasion, the dealer had the car for 5 weeks, they finally sent the parts from Sweden to fix it. The A/C system has been replaced 3 times. I think a Yugo would have been more reliable. I will never ever buy another Volvo, I would rather walk!

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Mercedes, Lexus, Audi

The best seats in any car! Good performance, feels rock solid and hauls for a sedan.

too many repairs after 70,000 miles, squeaks and rattles (I have fixed this by turning up the stereo!)

This is still the best car I have ever owned, it is extemely reliable (that is it has never left me stranded) and it performance and handling is incredible(the turbo lag is just a little anoying). If you had asked me to write a review about this car before it reached 70K miles I would have given it 5 stars, but shortly after that I started to have problems, and have been forking over at least $500 every time I take it in for service. Perhaps my biggest complaint is the that the front end is too low and I keep sraping it in parking lots on those concrete wheel stops.

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Volkswagen GTI, Ford Thunderbird (Volvo is better!)