Last week Volvo quietly switched over to an all-new logo, though it's yet to be pasted to the front of a car yet. For now, the logo is only available on Volvo's social media profiles.

Volvo didn't supply a press release to go along with the new logo, which has to be the ultimate minimalist move. In recent years, Renault, Peugeot, Mini, GM, and Kia unveiled new logos and press releases explaining the thinking behind it. Volvo simply slaps it up there, offering no explanation at all. That's how you do minimalism, folks.

The new logo is essentially a copy of the old one but streamlined slightly.

The circle around the Volvo name has lost some weight, and the arrow is no longer connected to it. The blue background behind the Volvo lettering is gone and said letters are now black instead of white. We haven't seen it on the front of a car yet, and we'll reserve comment until we do. We like that the Swedish manufacturer keeps following the minimalist design it adopted after it got hold of that sweet Geely money. The XC90's interior set a new standard for exterior and interior design when it was launched, and every model that made its debut after has followed in its footsteps.

Following the launch of the new logo, there has been some minor pushback. The symbol Volvo settled on when it started doing business 97 years ago represents iron. As in, Volvos are as strong as iron. It's a bit on the nose, but it was created before marketing was invented.

The symbol also represents mars and the male gender. Some social justice warriors worldwide pointed this out to Volvo, but they were shut down quickly. It's worth mentioning that this is not the first time Volvo has been called out on this particular issue, and most car folks are aware that the symbol references Swedish steel as opposed to the male gender.

It's far more critical to ask why? Since Volvo hasn't provided a press release, we can only speculate at this point. The Swedish firm recently entered the EV segment with the XC40 Recharge, and it's making a pretty big deal about not using leather in its cars anymore. 2021 seems to be a turning point for the brand, so why not have an all-new logo to go with the new ethos?

Though it hasn't been confirmed, Volvo will likely keep the traditional Volvo lettering on the rear of its cars.