Do you view Volvo as a "luxury" brand?

"Voice of C. Montgomery Burns" (voiceofcmb)
06/06/2014 at 10:56 • Filed to: None

I'm not sure if this has been an oft-discussed topic but I was thinking yesterday about Volvo and what it means to me. One thing a Volvo has never meant to me was "luxury". Volvo comes across to me as a good value due to the large amounts of tech and safety they give for the price, they're practical, reliable (are they?), safe and in certain ways ahead of the curve. I don't view them as luxurious. Maybe it's something in me regarding how I view the Swedish? Maybe it's the boxy look they chose to go with so many years. I'm not sure.

What say you?

DISCUSSION (23)

505Turbeaux > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 10:58

<98 reliable

>98 not so much but not so bad

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 10:58

They weren't always. They started out as mainstream, then for a long time they were "premium", but now I would consider them entry-level luxury. Have you been in a brand-new Volvo?

Audi-os, Amigos! > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 10:59

I view Volvo as safe and buttoned down, as I think most people do.

I also view them as luxurious, because I know that they are, but I think most people would not consider them when shopping the Germans/Luxury Japanese.

zerobandwidth > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 11:01

To me, Volvo means diesel wagons carrying carpools of children, because my childhood was spent in great part being ferried around in carpools in Volvos. I miss the "wayback" seats in wagons for this reason. And, because it was the 1980s, Volvo also means the pinnacle of car-sized safety, as epitomized in the "Yes, we just drove a 240 wagon off the roof of our factory" TV spot, which I wish I could find on YouTube, but my search-fu is failing me today.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 11:02

to me, it goes

BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Telsa, Cadilac, Infiniti, Jaguar

then

Lexus, Volvo, Lincoln, Acura

then

Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Toyota, Honda, etc

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 11:02

I'd say semi-luxury - not "true luxury" or top tier like (in theory) Benz S, highest-priced Cadillacs, etc. More in keeping with the lodging formerly occupied by Saab, and occupied currently by the cheaper Jags, Benz A-B, BMW and others. In other words, a part-luxury car with which luxury is not the only focus. In the case of some, it's performance-luxury: Volvo just happens to be safety-luxury, which is a weird niche when you think about it.

Doug DeMuro > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 11:05

Near luxury.

Like Acura.

McMike > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 11:05

People ask me what I think of "The Volvo" sometimes.

I say it's a nice, safe Swedish car that slots in between what you drive (usually a Camry/Accord) and a BMW.

It's a little nicer, a little more expensive, and there aren't nearly many dealers to choose from for service that are close enough for you even consider getting one.

Grindintosecond > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 11:08

Parents had a 68 -144. At that time Volvo was equivalent to and handled as well ad the 2002 bmw. According to them, hrough the 70's and most of the 80's they were considered quite an upper level car but not necessarily luxury by themid 80's. The other day my mom asked "whatever happened to volvo?"...

Yeah. if the people who bought them from the 60's on.....dont know now what happened to them and just bought a bmw-435...somethings wrong with Volvo.

William Byrd > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 11:10

Definitely.

Were they always, probably not. But now they certainly are.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 11:11

considering that the cheapest volvo available in canada is the FWD S60 @ $37,750.00 I would say yes most definetly I would consider Volvo a Luxury brand. I can buy a new Mercedes for quite a bit less than that.

I really like volvos tho. I would love a loaded XC70 but a base XC70 AWD is $47,900 :(

Kinja'd!!!

offroadkarter > Doug DeMuro
06/06/2014 at 11:14

^this, its basically "entry level luxury" like acura, infiniti, lexus, hyundai (lol j/k j/k) and so on. Saab would have fit into this slot to.

anonsagainstanonymous > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 11:14

Not really. Upper tier common-people-cars. They're in the same league as Audi or Lexus, perhaps, and certainly as well put together as anything on the road, but I wouldn't put them on a Merc or Jag level.

Victorious Secret > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 11:20

They are closer to Lincoln than they are to BMW.

Volvo is near luxury.

They are #thatkindofthrill

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 11:28

They're like Buick, Acura, and Lincoln. Entry level luxury.

Voice of C. Montgomery Burns > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/06/2014 at 12:11

No, not a brand new one recently.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 12:15

Well, here's what they look like on the inside:

Kinja'd!!!

Voice of C. Montgomery Burns > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/06/2014 at 12:59

That doesn't look too bad. Looks very soft and comfy.

Absolution > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 16:51

I've always viewed them as a pricier, safe, reliable "normal level" car. They have also always kind of struck me as a snobby older persons car. They don't however remind me of BMW owners so.. they are just "The weird" crowd I guess.

Normal level meaning, Ford,Chevy,Dodge. Aka, not luxury.

GenericSpoon > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 17:24

When the new ones start to roll out(new interior and design language), or rather when the entire lineup has been updated, I'll see them as an actual luxury brand.

Vracktal > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/06/2014 at 18:01

When I think of Volvo, the first thing I think of is my Volvo

Unfortunately, this is my Volvo

Kinja'd!!!

So no.

Voice of C. Montgomery Burns > Vracktal
06/06/2014 at 18:07

At least it's a wagon. +JalopPoints

rogerdoger > Voice of C. Montgomery Burns
06/09/2014 at 16:13

its a chinese company. i mean dude.