[krishnakumar]

Voted No.

Was almost going to vote Yes and will explain why I flipped.

The question is cryptically worded and therefore, bit vague. “On par with the Germans” in terms of what? Maybe the connected thread would give more context and I’ll confess, I did not go through that. But then I felt the vagueness, is the moot point of the question.

To me the Germans stand for luxury, performance, striking as the emotional value to the brand. And on that respect, the Volvo is never in the consideration list itself.

[GeeTee TSI]

For me, Volvo is a veritable equivalent to the 3 Germans if I am (ever) in the market to acquire one in that segment. Mindful that Volvos do not have very exciting drivetrains (the electric ones are probably changing those stereotypes), the middle aged me will more than trade off some attributes for their characterful design and build.
While I grew up admiring Volvo's contribution to automotive safety, now Euro NCAP 5 stars is more or less the norm in those segments which are not unique to Volvo. But their indefatigable approach to pushing the boundaries of safety (a vision of never having a fatality in a Volvo occupant IIRC) still makes them stand out.

[Cresterk]

Volvo is equivalent to Audi as far as I’m concerned. Both have FWD biased drivetrains and no diesel engines.

In India atleast, Volvo has always given us “fully loaded” cars in the inscription trim no matter the segment. Meanwhile, the German marques often omit features that even a 10L hatchback has unless you go up to their flagship models.

I like Volvo but currently their lineup feels outdated. The cars still look good mind you, but it’s the same design language we have been seeing from 2015.

If you bought an XC90 in 2015, you won’t even think of upgrading to the 2024 XC90, because it’s the exact same car.

[sh3lby]

Voted No.
I think GTO's luxury ranking is apt, albeit with a slight bias against putting Audi below BMW & Merc - though the fact that they provide discounts to a good extent is true. However only for India.

Level 0 (rarified air): Blueblood marques like Rolls Royce, Bentley etc.

Level 1: Range Rover, Maybach

Level 1.5: Porsche

Level 2: Mercedes, BMW, Land Rover

Level 3: Audi (discount brand). Lexus (boring). Jaguar (outdated cars)

Level 4: Volvo. Genesis. Acura. Infiniti.

Volvo lacks the character, network, recognition, and support system of the big 3 Germans in my opinion.

Safety is no longer a selling point in its market with almost everyone boasting a 5-star Euro NCAP rating so that's no longer distinctive.

Its powertrains are underwhelming (perhaps the EVs will change that), and it's not like they have some revolutionary tech.

Their after-sales support system and pan-India network is minuscule compared to the Germans, they simply lack the scale.

As for design, I will admit the S90, XC60 and XC90 are brilliant looking vehicles - can't say the same about the XC40 or the C40 Recharge, the price-point I'm experienced in.
Atleast for the C40 Recharge, It doesn't feel as premium or well-built as my Q3.

Moreover, their Indian lineup is getting outdated, for instance the interior of the C40 recharge looks like something from 2015.

Among us petrolheads, we are still aware of Volvo and its good products, but ask a non-car enthusiast what they think of Volvo and they will refer to Volvo buses, as pointed out by many other BHPians as well. Their recognition is not on par with say Merc/BMW/Audi/Jaguar&Land Rover.

I wish Volvo had tried harder in the Indian market.

[veedub89]

Voted Yes, because I own a Volvo and I am very biased.

Fact is that, Volvo is comparable to Audi, BMW and Mercedes for some models/segments but not all.

For example, BMW has M and Mercedes has AMG but Volvo has nothing now. Polestar is dead.

Is a C40 Recharge better than a iX1? Yea, I think so.
Is a S60 better than the 3 series? No way.
Is a XC90 better than the GLE? Nope.

So the answer to the poll is a bit nuanced than a straightforward yes or no.
But on the whole, I would say that Volvo is comparable to the Germans.

[DRPSREDDY]

Voted Yes.

Volvo always has been a heritage and popular brand and has been a trendsetter for safety. Most of the safety standards were created by them.

Though it is disheartening to know that both the divisions, Passenger and Commercial, today are owned by Geely of China, but they did maintain both the brands as distinct Swedish akin to TATAs maintaining JLR as true British brands. They have succeed in keeping the brands true to their heritage. They have their distinct brand value and they are as equal and the German twins. I still like to keep VW/Audi a notch below Volvo.

[CArspeed]

No
Simply because, my consideration for such an aspirational brands has to be in resonance with how my friends and peer groups perceive.

My first choice would either be the Mercedes or BMW. Mercedes is No.1 luxury brand but the driver in me says go for the BMW.

Audi/Jaguar is in the next line followed by Volvo.

[ka51resident]

Voted Yes.

Solely on the grounds of the car having snob value, and you get much more features than your standard German. We had a V90 (bought in March 2018; sold in March 2024). Brilliant car; packed with more features than the 530d my friend picked up a day before I picked up my car. I drool over the driving experience of the 530d where he drools over the comfortable ride and the massagers on the V90. It's a fun world

Buuut, the main issue we had with the V90 CC is that the resale value is nothing short of a joke. We sold the X5 a few years back with more distance clocked compared to the V90 and the value was relatively better compared to the V90.

[Kashi053]

What Volvo lacks is Big powered engines, RWD, driver focused cars. This is the main reason the Volvo is not that appealing to petrol heads. 5 series or even 3GL over S90. X3 over XC60.

Voted No for above reasons. In terms of Safety, Engineering they are at par currently.

Also they are rocking in Mid level EV segment. I'd any day pick C40 over iX1.

Usually aspiration is missing with Volvo. Many dream of buying BMW and when they reach there they dream of Porsche. Volvo usually do not come in the consideration even though they are pretty competent.

[AmGu]

Very much a YES! having owned Volvo, Merc, BMW, Audi and Jaguar over the years, i can easily say that the Volvo is on par (and better in some areas than the others).

Public perception is not my way of ranking the brands - i buy a car for myself, not the public.

[shyampsunder]

Personally I love everything that Volvo stands for and I would pick it over certain brands like Mercedes.

Reasons:

1. I am never going to buy an ICE vehicle in the future. The EV offerings in India by the Germans seem very overpriced for what they offer.

2. The typical luxury badges seem too obnoxious for me. I want something understated and something only the people in the know can appreciate.

3. Volvo's focus on safety is unparalleled and they have considerably moved the industry forward.

4. The test drive of the Volvo XC40 Recharge was a fantastic experience especially experiencing the brute acceleration which I have never felt in any car before. If I had the money, I would've purchased the car immediately.

Whenever I buy a Luxury car, Volvo will be the brand to beat for me.

[Hayek]

Volvo has its own brand appeal but is definitely a big notch below Mercedes, BMW and even Audi and Lexus. I would put it alongside Land Rover as a brand with niche appeal but somewhat superior to the mass brands, and may be a notch above Volkswagen.

[nmn.070]

Voted YES.

i have been fortunate to own each of the major luxury brands (Mercedes s500, BMW 328i, Jaguar xf, Range Rover Evoque, Audi q7, Mercedes E250, Lexus es) at different price points. Recently we purchased a Volvo xc60 and as far as the ownership is concerned, this is at par with all those products in terms of refinement (comparing 4 pots), build quality, comfort and features. The after sale experience is on par if not better than the likes of Audi and JLR. Bmw and Lexus are standouts in this regard.

As far as the brand perception is concerned, it does not matter to me personally what others think. The quality of the ownership experience is what matters. Volvo gives me peace of mind, comfort, refined traveling, and top notch safety at par with all the other vehicles in the family.

The fact that it's understated and others may perceive this to be less worthy of attention (although it is one of the best looking vehicles I have owned since the xf) is cherry on top. Nothing better than enjoying a great product without the unsolicited attention.

[Nilesh5417]

Voted No.

A friend of mine from Chennai, working for a large CV manufacturer, had been looking for his first luxury car. He ended up with Volvo only after the big 3 were struck off as options. But once he did get the XC60, he loved it.
While Volvo makes great cars with good features, super nice cabin, refined engines, the brand itself does lack recall value amongst Indians. Maybe it is cause they don't advertise enough.

[evolvo]

Voted Yes, because I own a Volvo and I am also very biased, like veedub89

That aside, I think currently Volvo does not have the snob value nor emotional value of say a Mercedes or BMW. It’s just…a Volvo.

That’s simply brand suicide, not standing for anything. A major reason for this is of its own doing, as it never promoted it as anything but a ‘safety’ car which is no longer a USP. Played too safe, and now no one aspires for it. Sure, it is the perfect luxury family car (with luxury swedish interiors) for 40+ sensible people, but that’s about it.

—-
However, the perception is slowly but surely changing:

- Super slick designs since 2015.
- Killer performance since the launch of Recharge series in 2019. The recent EX30 took it to another level with a mind boggling 0-100 in 3.6secs
- Ultra modern, elegant and understated interior design, seen in EX30
- Great infotainment, courtesy built in Android Auto
- Plush interiors and comfort, as can be seen in EX90
- Electric only by 2030, fully committed to where the puck is going to be.

As we can see, in recent years it is way ahead of Mercedes and BMW in most departments already.

All it needs is a NEW brand messaging…something that evokes passion!