Families in the market for a used car in New Jersey may want to take a look at the 2005 Volvo XC90, one of the safest, most reliable SUVs in its class.

The hallmark for almost every Volvo model is its safety features. The XC90 has a gyroscopic sensor that that can detect an imminent rollover and correct the imbalance by applying brakes and modulating engine power, according to Automotive.com. It also comes standard with electronic stability control and curtain-style head protection airbags that cover all seven passengers.

The XC90 also has a high-strength steel roof and a low-front cross beam that are specifically designed for passenger safety. The automobile information website Edmunds.com says that the SUV is “safe as a bank vault.”

Volvo’s first sports utility vehicle has third row seating that accommodates up to seven passengers. The 2005 model is available with a V8 engine in addition to the five and six-cylinder models. The standard 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine produces 208 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque at 4500 rpm.

The 2005 XC90 is surprisingly fuel efficient and has the smooth ride of a compact sedan.

Officials at Ford Motor Company have recently announced that they expect to sell the Volvo car brand to China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group by the first quarter of 2010, which may attract attention to used Volvo models in New Jersey.

The value of the deal is expected to be estimated at $1.8 billion, which pales in comparison to the $6.45 billion that Ford paid to purchase Volvo in 1999, according to Reuters.

In a statement, authorities at Ford said that the sale “would ensure Volvo has the resources, including the capital investment, necessary to further strengthen the business and build its global franchise, while enabling Ford to continue to focus on and implement its core ONE Ford strategy,” according to AutoWeek.com.

Ford, the only U.S. automaker to avoid bankruptcy and a government bailout, may use the money to accelerate debt repayment in an effort to return to profitability by 2011.

Meanwhile, Li Shufu, the founder of the Zhejiang Holding Group, has announced that the Swedish auto brand will be left intact if the sale is finalized.

“If the deal succeeds, nothing will change for Volvo, except the boss turns to Li Shufu,” Li told the official Xinhua news agency, quoted by Reuters. “Volvo and Geely will be two independently-managed brands.”

Ford has said that there is still a significant amount of work to be done before the sale is finalized, including Geely securing financing and having the Chinese government sign off on the deal. Ford does not plan on retaining a shareholding in Volvo after the deal is finalized.

The possibility of the Swedish automaker changing hands may increase the appeal of used Volvo models in New Jersey.

Li Shufu, chairman of Geely Holding Group, says the company’s deal with Volvo hasn’t hit any hiccups so far, which could mean consumer confidence in used S60Rs in New Jersey could be on the uptick.

Geely doesn’t want to talk too much about the Volvo deal right now. The Chinese company says there are too many rumors circulating around the acquisition, so discussing it probably wouldn’t help. The possibility of a merger was first announced by Ford, currently Volvo’s parent, in October.

In early December, indications of progress began to appear, as Ford and Geely reached an agreement regarding an intellectual rights issue that concerned Volvo, which some industry analysts believed was the deal’s biggest obstacle.

Lately, Geely has been shopping around for transmissions for its vehicles with larger engines – motors with a displacement of bigger than 1.5 liters. The Chinese automaker seems to have taken an interest in DSI, an Australian manufacturer, meaning some Volvos might become more international than ever before.

The S60 could be one of the Volvos to receive an Australian transmission, as the all-new second generation model – whose production will begin in Ghent, Belgium, during the summer of 2010 – won’t come with an engine that’s smaller than 1.6 liters big.

“The all-new Volvo S60 is sculpted to move you,” says Stephen Odell, CEO of Volvo. “It looks and drives like no other Volvo before and the car’s technology will help you to be safer and more confident behind the wheel.”

Odell’s claims are ambitious. Not because they seem exaggerated, but because the first generation S60R was quite an automobile. In 2003, Car and Driver tracked a 2004 S60R and it did nothing but produce results.

Hans Nilsson, R-car line manager, told the publication that Volvo spent 10 times more on the S60R than it had on any past R model, the most recent having been the 1995 T-5R wagon at the time. All that extra money got the Swedish manufacturer a 300-horsepower, all-wheel drive, Brembo brake-equipped powerhouse with a hefty price tag of roughly $37,500. As pricey as that may have sounded back then, the Mercedes C32 AMG of the same year was over $14,500 more expensive, making the Volvo a pretty good deal.

Though the second generation Swedish S60 will be built in Belgium, contain an Australian transmission and will likely be sold by a Chinese company, news of the Geely deal could boost the popularity of used Volvo S60Rs in New Jersey.

On November 20, the latest installment in the Twilight Saga will debut in theaters, which could spur sales of used C30s in New Jersey and elsewhere.

TopSpeed.com says that two Volvos are featured in New Moon: the C30 and the XC60. The C30 went on sale in the U.S. in late 2007, and came equipped with an in-line five-cylinder turbocharged engine that produced over 215 horsepower. The six-speed manual transmission was one of this car’s most attractive features, as cruising on the highway in the highest gear possible is often a good way to increase fuel economy and most cars only have five speeds.

The C30 was also featured in the first Twilight, which was released in November of 2008. This vehicle is considered a compact, according to Car and Driver, but that doesn’t mean it’s an econobox. The 2007 model sold for about $24,000 and came with a sound system that included Alpine audio components.

The Twilight Saga will continue giving Volvo exposure in its upcoming installment New Moon, which could boost sales of used C30s in New Jersey.

Geely Automobile is a Chinese company that will likely buy Volvo from Ford and has already developed a turnaround plan for the Swedish manufacturer that could attract buyers to used S80s in New York.

Volvo has been losing money lately, according to an article recently published by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). But Geely wants to buy the Swedish company and start building 1 million Volvos a year, though some industry experts wonder if this can be done.

“Time and again Geely has accomplished what others said was not possible,” Michael Dunne, an auto analyst, said to the news source. “But to boost sales in North America and Europe to 600,000, Geely is going to have to find a way to take a company that is losing money and market share in mature markets and turn it completely around. That would require a stroke of genius.”

With 60 percent of its Volvos selling in the West, Geely would attempt to move the remaining 400,000 elsewhere, according to the news provider. The company would keep 200,000 for its home market.

The S80 is one of the Volvos that was produced under Ford. Although Volvo’s financial performance hasn’t been impressive recently, the S80 offers a lot attractive options such as a six-speed manual gearbox and a 2.5-liter engine that gets up to 22 MPG. A 2005 S80 will generally sell for under $14,000, according to Edmunds.com – a good price for an executive sedan that’s only been on the road for four years.

While Ford and Geely haven’t yet signed a deal, it’s possible that the Chinese bidder’s presence could generate interest in used Volvos in New York.

Buyers looking for used Volvos in New Jersey might be interested to know that Ford is in talks with Geely Automobile of China.

Last year, Ford said that it wanted to sell Volvo so that it can focus on its core brands: Ford, Lincoln and Mercury. Ford acquired Volvo in 1999 from Volvo AB for $6.45 billion. One of the company’s spokeswomen, Maria Bohlin, says the manufacturer is happy to hear the news that Geely is Ford’s preferred bidder.

“It’s positive that it has been confirmed that there’s a preferred bidder,” said Bohlin. “Ford’s objective in our discussions with Geely is to secure an agreement that is in the best interests of all the parties,” said Lewis Booth, Ford’s executive vice president.

Sales of used Volvos in New Jersey could be impacted by Ford’s announcement because the popularity of certain cars is partially dependent on how financially healthy that automobile’s manufacturer is. Many people would choose not to buy a car if they believed the company that produced it were going under, as this could make it difficult to find parts should the car ever need maintenance.

The rear end of the Volvo C30 has remained unchanged in photos released by the Swedish automaker to advance the 2010 model, and those who appreciate the distinctive styling of the exterior but not the new front fascia may want to consider used Volvo C30s in New Jersey.

New models are expected to more closely resemble Mazda front ends, with air intakes underneath the headlights based on similar designs from the Japanese automaker that has a stake in Volvo. Other changes include the angles of the headlines, a specially-designed bumper and an updated interior.

However, buyers who like traditional appearances may enjoy the 2008 model and other used Volvo C30s that offer the distinctive rectangular grille in a more compact package than other offerings from the Swedish carmaker.

The hatchback seats four adults, and includes safety features like standard side-impact and side curtain airbags, as well as a system that prevents the car from chiming or making unnecessary alerts based on the driving conditions, noted a Cars.com review.

Those features are mated with a 227-horsepower engine and “running gear [that] should help establish the C30 as a hot hatch” similar to the Mini Cooper S or Volkswagen GTI, the website editors added.

As just-graduated high school seniors prepare for their first year of college they may have put a mini-fridge, twin extra-long sheets and maybe even a desk lamp on their packing list. But what about a mode of transportation for campus cruising like a used car in New York?

Especially on suburban campuses, students who have their own transportation may find that they can have access to more off-campus activities, and convince Mom and Dad that the purchase will also allow for more family visits if they have their own car to use for travel home, say AutoWeek editors.

They recently released a list of the best cars for rising freshman to have when they head off to college, and while there are some new cars on the list, the editors also included used cars that are more affordable, especially Volvos which can be reliable even after being driven for thousands of miles.

A used Volvo S40 in New York may offer reliability in a package that Cars.com reviewer Jim Flammang says is marketed to younger buyers.

Unlike some of the cars picked by AutoWeek editors, the 2004 model is a four-door sedan that can fit more people than some compact hatchbacks, he notes, and it still has the safety features found in all Volvos that can ease parents’ concerns as they send their sons and daughters away to school.