A Volvo is considered something special. If you ask people what they love about their “Swede”, they sometimes come up with different answers. After a certain amount of questions and answers, however, some things crystallise out. We have summarised the most common answers and would like to complement them with our own assessments and experiences. Let’s get started!
A Volvo is robust
Hand on heart: no one wants to drive a car that falls to pieces when it collides with a rabbit. Even if this choice of words is somewhat exaggerated, it is justified. And when we have loved ones in the car with us, we place even more value on the car being able to withstand more. A big plus!
A Volvo is durable
In fact, it does not take collisions with other objects to destroy a car. The ravages of time already take care of that. This is only logical: as soon as you start a car, numerous mechanical processes take place inside that lead to a certain amount of wear and tear. The same applies to driving in ice and snow and many other things. In short: at some point, every car will go the way of all things earthly. In the case of Volvo, however, it is striking that it takes a very long time before “death by old age” occurs. In Sweden, the home country of these cars, it is nothing unusual for a Volvo to reliably drive 800,000 kilometres (or more!) until it finally “passes into car heaven”. This has also been noticed outside the “land of the moose”.
In addition to private individuals, entrepreneurs also like to use this brand. Fleet managers also appreciate Swedish cars for their longevity. And for the fact that they cause comparatively little grief until the “day of parting”.
A Volvo combines the tried and tested with the future
Hand on heart: some things are just so good that you don’t need to change them. This is true for apple compote, old Elvis albums and also many things from the world of cars. Others are great, but not so great that you can’t improve them. And then they are perfect until suddenly a possibility to make them even better appears.
When you look at the Swedish car manufacturer’s history and present, you realise that they have a fantastic sense. This when it comes to what should be “left alone” and what needs a change. The result is cars that score with everything we humans love about cars and at the same time are always one step ahead.
Driving experience and comfort
There is a reason why car testers regularly speak of “Swedish luxury” as soon as this brand is mentioned. The term stands for maximum comfort when driving. A fact that is extremely noticeable, especially on longer journeys. Commercial travellers are therefore extremely fond of their “Swedes”. But also families who go on holiday (or even just to school) with their children and siblings appreciate this. Apart from the very high level of comfort, it is simply fun to drive a “Swedish runabout”. We see this regularly in the faces of our customers when they return from a test drive. And yes, we are also happy every time we get to drive our cars. Anyone who says that cars are only there to get from A to B doesn’t know how much fun you can have between A and B!
The thing with market research
Almost every small and large company does some form of market research. To keep it simple, it’s about finding out what customers want. There is an almost legendary story about a US car manufacturer. There, the market researchers had found out that the cars of this brand were almost only driven by men. The company management could not understand this. So they put a woman in charge of the development department. She asked the engineers to put on high heels, skirts and artificial fingernails. After that, the gentlemen had to open the selected car and get in and out. After they had realised that the car was anything but “suitable for women”, they thoroughly reworked it. In the end, the manufacturer was able to enjoy a large number of female customers.
Why do we tell this? One reason is certainly that we don’t want to permanently put our own achievements in the foreground. On the other hand, it also shows what market research can achieve when the findings lead to the right actions. In Volvo‘s case, for example, this meant not sneering at or even fighting the idea of an electric car, but instead considering how to make the most of it. As a result, the Swedish manufacturer is now at the forefront of electric cars. Those who ignore the future will be ignored by the future. A principle that history has confirmed countless times.
A Volvo is good value
It is worth the price, in every respect. We are aware that a premium brand will never win an award for the “cheapest car in the world”. But that doesn’t have to be the case either. In the case of the Swedish manufacturer, the question is rather: how can we give the best in all respects and do so at a price for which one would expect less? In the end, the realisation is that you can save money in many places. But not on quality and not on the well-being of the people who invent and build these cars. And yet (or precisely because of this) we can send cars into the world that are amazingly good value for money (more than worth the price).
What do you love about your Sweden?
Your Hüsser & Palkoska AG
