Did Volvo Just MISS A Major Opportunity With Its 2014 Model Year Lineup?

This week Volvo went ahead and showed off its revamped models for the 2014 model year. Essentially everything has been changed. Slightly.

And therein lies the problem.

Volvo may have just missed a major opportunity to do something a bit more wild and risk taking. You see, as we've been seeing here on AutoSpies.com, a lot of the more risky designs in the automotive world have become class-leading sellers.

Take, for example, the Hyundai Sonata. By no means was it the best looking vehicle; however, it still made an impact for the automaker's sales.

While I am sure many will argue that the typical Volvo buyer is looking for something subdued and bland, I just don't find that to be an acceptable argument anymore for any company. There's a battle for marketshare right now and there's only two ways a company can go:

1) You can either be risk taking and steal consumers from other marques, or
2) "Play it safe" and either trend sideways or lose sales.

That said, did Volvo just "jump the shark?"

You would think the brand got just a taste of the possible after touting its S60 Polestar Concept around...


2014 Volvo Lineup Photo Gallery

jeffgall - 2/23/2013 7:02:06 PM

+4 Boost

Yes. Very boring. Surprised there is not more S60 flavor in the design

Agent00R - 2/23/2013 7:58:42 PM

+3 Boost

Exactly!

They were finally starting to move away from bland/boring designs and now it does a lineup revamp where everything has lost its "verve."

cidflekken - 2/23/2013 11:45:40 PM

+1 Boost

And I didn't think that cars could get any more anonymous than the last iterations of the Passat and Jetta. I picture middle-class ladies with floral designs on the wallpaper in the living room, the sofas, and the curtains, that have puffy valences.

jeffy210 - 2/24/2013 6:12:09 PM

+1 Boost

I had such high hopes for them with the C70, S60 and XC60, and then suddenly it looks like the took a step backwards and went bland. Too bad I won't be getting another C70, I had absolutely loved that car.

CarCrazedinCali - 2/25/2013 1:19:14 PM

+1 Boost

yep, they went backwards on design and made them worse, ouch