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Volvo 850 Owner Ratings & Reviews

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4.7
Overall
12 Reviews

1986 Volvo 850 - Solid, Reliable

Nathan W
Austin, Texas
Overall
5.0
Value
4.0
Performance
5.0
Style
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Fuel Economy
3.0
Reliability
5.0
The 1996 Volvo 850 GLT is part of a solid line of vehicles that was manufactured from 91-96. It was a fantastic platform that was extremely reliable. It was among the best vehicles I've ever owned.
Story
There was plenty of trunk space for all of my camping supplies! I took this thing out to many lakes and rivers for trips.
Pros
The best part about this car was how reliable it was. I didn't have a single mechanical failure the entire time I owned the car. The powertrain was rock solid. Maintaining the vehicle was easy. The oil pan was easily accessible, as were all spark plugs. Even installing new brake pads was easy. It had a solid construction as well. The body was made out of steel as opposed to fiberglass, so most dents and dings were easily fixed. The interior had a classic design, with options for leather seats, power windows/locks, keyless entry, and a wood grain dash. It was all around a sharp looking car.
Cons
While the powertrain was completely solid, there were issues with the coolant system. The radiator had a weak point where it would frequently crack, requiring replacement. As an import car, parts weren't always immediately available, and it required metric tools and numerous torx bits to work on it.

1997 Volvo 850 - Well-built and reliable.

Walter
Sparta, Tennessee
Overall
5.0
Value
5.0
Performance
4.0
Style
4.0
Comfort
3.0
Fuel Economy
4.0
Reliability
5.0
Overall, a well-built vehicle with a very reliable engine and transmission combination. This vehicle is approaching 300K miles and is a daily driver. The car is still a low-maintenance vehicle and very reliable. The exterior is original factory paint and is still in excellent shape. The engine and the transmission are also original.
Story
I give my kids a hard time. All of them have bought late model Altimas, and this car has outlasted all of them in terms of maintenance and cost of up-keep. Of the Altimas had transmission failure, and the cost to fix it is twice the cost of one of these cars used.
Pros
The engine is easy to maintain. The complete electrical system was replaced in a matter of a few hours, not due to failure but routine maintenance. Fluids are easily checked and maintained, and oil is easy to drain/fill. Even at the high mileage, there are no squeaks, and the car drives extremely well. Finally, maintenance that would take a day on other vehicles can be done in a few hours on this car. And switches and buttons work reliably. I was able to haul a ten-foot plastic water pipe in the car by using the trunk access through the back seat.
Cons
It is a little low to the ground for my liking, making it a little difficult to get in/out. There are some things that can be problematic with this particular car. The flame trap in particular must be maintained properly to prevent engine damage.

1997 Volvo 850 - Reliable and tough car. Smooth ride.

ML
Riverbend, Montana
Overall
5.0
Value
5.0
Performance
5.0
Style
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Fuel Economy
3.0
Reliability
5.0
I like the way that my car rides so smoothly. It gets great gas mileage. The heated seats are great. We have taken many vacations, and it has never let us down. The cons that bug me are that the window and mirror controls are on the center console. I am so used to them being on doors, it is very frustrating at times. But all in all, everything works great. When I kick it into sport mode, my car outpaces all of the others up the mountain passes. Our car has about 300,000 miles on it, and it still purrs like a kitten. The room in the trunk is awesome. I can get a lot of groceries in there. I am not a car person, that is, I don't know specifics about engines, etc.
Story
This car is tough enough to take up into the mountains without a problem.
Pros
Sport mode, heated seats, the smooth suspension. This car is kind of like that commercial advertising hair color for men. It looks mature enough to trust, but young enough that it can still do it.
Cons
As I said before, irks me that the window and mirror controls are in the center console. Highly inconvenient.

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