Driving 70 Years of Volvo History: Anniversary Event Experience

70 years of safety, speed, and Swedish soul: Driving old and new Volvos in SoCal

Recently, Volvo gathered a group of journalists to experience a curated slice of its past, present, and electric future. These are the types of events that enthusiasts and writers, the ones who genuinely care about cars, look forward to. It’s one thing to drive a new product on a press loop; it’s another to hop between decades of engineering philosophy and feel how a brand evolves. When that brand is Volvo, a company celebrating 70 years of U.S. sales, the story deepens.

Volvo’s reputation is built on safety. Decades of passenger-protection innovation, structural advances, and life-saving design choices came from Gothenburg well before they became industry standards. But there’s a second part of Volvo’s identity many people forget: performance. Over the years, Volvo has been quietly building cars that are not only safe and sensible, but genuinely fun. From track-ready wagons to turbocharged sleepers and modern high-output EVs, the Swedish automaker has shaped a niche all its own.

During the event, I drove Volvo’s latest Cross Country offerings, the EX30 and XC60, along the Pacific Coast Highway. This is one of the best stretches of asphalt on the planet to understand a car, but the magic really came from the heritage cars Volvo let us sample inland. Some were icons, some were oddballs, and some were the kind of machines that make you briefly consider whether you could rationalize a completely unnecessary vintage purchase to your significant other.

Below is a rundown of what I drove (and what I didn’t), with impressions from both the modern lineup and Volvo’s unforgettable classics. The EX30 Cross Country and XC60 Cross Country will each receive separate full Autoblog reviews, so consider this a first drive and a historical celebration rolled into one.

2026 Volvo EX30 Cross Country

ND Adlen

Driving the EX30 Cross Country feels like piloting a compact bolt of electricity. AWD, 422 horsepower, and 400 pound-feet of torque stuffed into something roughly Corolla-sized makes for a comically potent package. Add true all-terrain tires, a lifted stance, and a surprisingly tough exterior, and this thing becomes an EV rally sprite.

The UX still demands patience, menus hide menus, and “learning where to look” is a real part of the driving experience, but once you’re acclimated, the EX30 is a rewarding, efficient, and flat-out fun runabout. Base single-motor versions start around $38,000, making this one of Volvo’s most interesting values in years.

2026 Volvo XC60 Cross Country

Cole Attisha

The XC60 Cross Country delivers a more traditional Volvo flavor, powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder paired with a 48-volt mild hybrid system. Combined output lands around 250 hp and 265 lb-ft, routed through an 8-speed automatic and standard AWD.

The result: a comfortable, confident, quietly luxurious crossover with enough punch to keep up with traffic, even if the lifted ride height softens its cornering reflexes. It’s not trying to be sporty, and that’s part of its charm. This is Volvo’s sweet spot: safety, serenity, and just enough muscle.

1995 Volvo 850 T5R Wagon

Car and Driver

There it was: a Cream Yellow 850 T-5R wagon, looking like it drove straight out of one of those iconic BTCC-era Volvo ads, the ones that seared the image of a racing station wagon into the collective automotive memory.

The wagon never won a championship, but it absolutely won hearts. With 243 turbocharged horsepower, torque steer strong enough to make you reconsider your relationship with your higher power of choice, and suspension tuning that still holds up, the T-5R feels like a wonderfully deranged engineering experiment that somehow made it to production. The one downside? The manual never came to the U.S. The 4-speed auto did better than expected, but it’s impossible not to fantasize about rowing your own in this thing.

Volvo V70 T5 Inscription

Autoweek

This particular model sits adjacent to the Volvo C70 family — sleek, stylish, and an intentional break from Volvo’s earlier boxier era. With a turbocharged 5-cylinder making 227 hp and 236 lb-ft, the T5 Inscription has enough power to move the luxury coupe or convertible briskly. Its interior is plush, its design charming, and its UX is perhaps among the worst ever created. Beautiful car, questionable interface.

1981 Volvo 245 GLT Turbo

The 245 GLT Turbo was Volvo’s declaration that practicality and performance could coexist long before luxury automakers caught onto the wagon-as-hot-hatch formula. As Volvo’s first turbocharged passenger vehicle, and briefly one of the fastest wagons in the world, the GLT Turbo packed 155 horsepower, sport seats, a boost gauge, and the attitude of a car that knew exactly how cool it was. Four decades later, it still feels special. It’s the kind of wagon that makes enthusiasts unconsciously smile.

Volvo V70 XC (First generation)

The V70 XC, or Cross Country, launched in 1997 and planted the seeds for Volvo’s current rugged-lux soft-roader identity. With a 2.4-liter turbo (197 hp, 210 lb-ft), all-wheel drive, and a 5-speed auto with manual mode, it wasn’t fast, but it was incredibly competent.

I have a personal connection to this one. It was among the earliest cars I reviewed professionally, and it still delivers a supple ride, real-world utility, and a thoroughly agreeable personality. It’s a reminder that “just right” sometimes beats “over the top.”

Final thoughts

Volvo’s event wasn’t just a showcase; it was a time machine. Yes, I was there to evaluate the new Cross Country models, but the classics reminded me why Volvo’s heritage hits so deeply. Safety might be the headline, but performance, design bravery, and Swedish quirkiness are equally critical chapters of the story.

Not every car was available, and I regret missing seat time in the Volvo S60-R, the V60 Polestar, and a pristine 1972 Volvo 1800E, but that’s part of the charm. Volvo doesn’t bring these cars out often, and when they do, you savor every minute. After this event, I was reminded that Volvo isn’t merely an automaker. It’s a philosophy on wheels.