[Daim]

Modern Volvo has a good build quality and a lot of good equipment from the factory in the base price (unlike Audi). It is hard to say, where they are situated precisely. Def. not in the budget class. Ford/VW/Vauxhall isn't the right group. Nor though is Mercedes/Audi/BMW. I'd put Volvo between both groups with the tendency facing towards Audi (not BMW or MB).

Volvo is trying to make themselves sporty and emotional (kind of like Alfa Romeo) but doesn't offer proper sporty vehicles.

It really is a little hard to decide on where to put Volvo. Yes, it IS a downgrade vom Mercedes but then again, Mercedes build quality has been dropping. The last C220 CDI (Facelift) I drove, drove well, but it rattled and shattered all the time. My 5 year old C30 doesn't do that.

Volvo is improving. I'd say they'll soon (maybe 2014!?) be up to Mercedes/Audi level.

Btw.: Volvo's nickname here in Germany is "Sweden Benz" - that is still from the time, as the old 760 was compared with the W124 260E and was called the better Mercedes...

When Volvo then went to FWD (400, 800, S80, ...) the quality rating went down. The quality was then being compared with Rover (a class of its own). That is how German press rated the build quality of the late 90ies. Now the cars are compared with VW, Audi, BMW and every so often Mercedes. So I'd say Volvo is slowly picking up again...