1992 Volvo 240 Review

Name: 1992 Volvo 240 Review
Brand: Volvo
Price: 3783 USD
Rating: 4.5 (35 reviews)

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Volvo 240 model years

Volvo 240 types

Sedan
Wagon

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Edmunds' Expert Review

by the Edmunds Experts

What’s new

ABS is newly standard. GL model returns as top-of-the-line, and adds a sunroof and heated mirrors, among other items, over the base car. GL grille is chrome rather than matte black.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 1992 Volvo 240 4dr Wagon and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$198/mo

$181/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

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Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 1992 Volvo 240.

5 (57%)

4 (37%)

3 (2%)

2 (4%)

1 (0%)

4.5

35 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

The reputation as a tank or brick is accurate.

Karl Hungus, 10/04/2015

1991 Volvo 240 4dr Wagon

Above all, it should be noted: in a 1991 Volvo has been well maintained, it will run forever. If maintenance has been shoddy, all bets are off. That said: I love this car. This thought runs through my head all too often while driving - whether because of surprising uphill pulling power, filling the back of the wagon with an astonishing amount of stuff, or the general comfort of the ride. … That's saying a lot, the 240 is not really anyone's idea of a comfortable, powerful car, but from the correct perspective it is nothing short of a treat - nothing about the car should inspire confidence or excitement, but the 240 is full of surprises. Right off the line, the 240 is a bit of a lazy beast. 1st gear gets the car moving, and you have to wonder if the 4 cylinder is up to the task. The 5 speed hits its stride around 35 though, with plenty of big, lazy power. This car will never spin its tires, but it keeps up with traffic perfectly well. A 25 year old wagon has no business going 100mph on the interstate, and it only adds to the confusion that the 240 is so stable and assured at that speed. Fast highway cruising benefits, no doubt, from the 3000 lb curb weight. It feels heavy and european, like a poor man's Mercedes. This heavy comfort applies all around - cruising the main strip, a weekend jaunt on curvy 2 lane highways, you are reminded that this car is definitely NOT a sport coupe and yet...and yet...it feels so *good*. Heavy, smooth, surefooted. Strangely like a very low pickup truck, but somehow different. Better. The rear wheel drive is great, absolutely amazing in snow. This is where half of the TANK comes from. The other half is pure build quality. The car is solid, overbuilt to hell, full of big clunky metal parts. It isn't unfair to say the car is full of simple 1970s engineering, but here it is a compliment. In our modern era of puffy plastic lozenges, a spare, hard, pure steel box stands out both for its unusual, utilitarian appearance and brilliant security. This car will take a thrashing, and come out running like a champ. Volvos have saved countless lives - yes, safety technology has come leaps and bounds since 1991, but these are the cars that safety standards were once measured by. You know someone (or at least someone who knows someone) who not only lived through a horrific wreck in a Volvo, but walked away. Repairs are easy for even the most rudimentary shade tree mechanic - with a Bently manual and a metric tool set in hand, almost nothing is off limits. I replaced my own timing belt in an hour and a half in a parking lot - thanks to more smart, simple Swedish engineering, a broken timing belt does not ruin the engine. It's nothing more than a nuisance, a protracted inconvenience. On the downside, these inconveniences increase with age. The legendary engine may run for upwards of a million miles (and beyond, again, with good maintenance), but in that time plastics become brittle, electronics corrode. The fuses are idiotic in placement and execution, the tail light contacts require almost monthly upkeep to avoid a ticket, some relays will burn out and introduce a cascade of electrical gremlins. As a tall person, I take some issue with the size of the cockpit. I fit, I've become used to it, but there isn't a ton of room. The 3rd row seat, while novel, is in the rear crumple zone - a significant rear-ending may not limit the Volvo's ability to limp home, but it may easily kill anyone seated in the way back. But the bottom line is that if you are patient, your expectations are realistic and you have a AAA card on hand, a Volvo will be your friend for a long, long time. We have a hyundai for quick jaunts to the store. Its fast & easy, but has been in the shop far more than the old beast.

The Swedish Washer/Dryer

Mary, 05/15/2006

1992 Volvo 240 GL 4dr Sedan

As mentioned earlier, find a good local mechanic to fix this car and stay away from the dealer or prepare to be taken to the cleaners! You may run into oil leak troubles with this model. Mine's been leaking slowly for five years and five different mechanics have been unable to fix it except for very short stretches. I paid $4K for this car when it had 70K original miles. Not a bad deal …

Most Reliable Car

Volvo Convert, 05/22/2009

1992 Volvo 240 4dr Wagon

My wife and I inherited this car from her parents two years ago. Her family drove it for almost 10 years before giving it to us and this thing will not die. I had never driven a Volvo before this one and her family mostly owned them for safety reasons but the odometer has stopped at 202,000 miles and the car just keeps trucking along. I have really fallen in love with this car and will …

Swedes' tank

yeliwmots, 02/26/2007

1991 Volvo 240 4dr Wagon

I love my wagon. Easiest car to work on. Plain and simple. I've driven it 300K miles and its still going strong. Yes, its not the fastest car on the road, but how many Ferraris have enough miles to encircle the earth over 15 times? None. How many Porsche's have 375K mile and are roomy enough to go camping in? none. For some one who wants a reliable car that has utilitarian attitude, the …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 1992 Volvo 240, so we've included reviews for other years of the 240 since its last redesign.

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1992 240 Highlights

Type:

Sedan

Trim:

Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	21 MPG
Cost to Drive	$198/month
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	14.0 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive

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Safety

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Not Tested
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
0
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Not Tested
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Not Tested

1992 Volvo 240 Review

Edmunds' Expert Review

What’s new

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 1992 Volvo 240 4dr Wagon and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 1992 Volvo 240.

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Most helpful consumer reviews

The reputation as a tank or brick is accurate.

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1992 240 Highlights

Safety

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1992 Volvo 240 Review

Edmunds' Expert Review

What’s new

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 1992 Volvo 240 4dr Wagon and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.

Most helpful consumer reviews

The reputation as a tank or brick is accurate.

The Swedish Washer/Dryer

Most Reliable Car

Swedes' tank

1992 240 Highlights

Safety

Related Used 1992 Volvo 240 info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Volvo

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 1992 Volvo 240 4dr Wagon and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}