Overview & Reviews

Volkswagen is an automaker based in Germany. Its products typically command a higher price than those of competing models, but the return is a more upscale driving and ownership experience.

In 1934, Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned to build a small, inexpensive car at the request of Adolph Hitler. His answer -- a beetle-shaped sedan that was called a Volkswagen (German for "people's car") -- debuted two years later. Hitler had a town built near the plant for factory workers; he named it Kraft durch Freude Stadt (derived from the Nazi party's motto, "Joy through Strength"), and soon decided that Porsche's creation should be named the KdF-wagen (short for the "Joy through Strength" car). This upset Porsche, who was not political.

World War II delayed production of the vehicle; the factory suffered extensive damage during combat, and was ultimately taken over by the British Army. The company was renamed Volkswagen, and the town at the factory was renamed Wolfsburg (after Werner von Schulenberg of Wolfsburg, who had been forced to surrender his land for the construction of the town and factory). By the end of the 1940s, mass production of the Volkswagen Beetle had begun. The model made its first appearance on U.S. shores in 1949.

The 1950s saw Volkswagen broadening its product range, adding the Bus (Type 2) to its lineup. The Bus, especially, proved quite popular due to its versatility. And the Beetle, which went on to become the best-selling car of all time, quickly showed signs of being an enduring favorite, with more than 1 million models produced at the Wolfsburg factory by 1955. This decade also saw the debut of the Karmann Ghia sports car, which featured a sleek, Italian-designed two-seater body atop a Beetle platform.

Volkswagen's star rose during the 1960s, its success fueled largely by the breakout success of the Beetle. The car benefited from an effective advertising campaign and from an appearance in a popular Disney movie. By the close of the decade, Volkswagen's yearly output of Beetles topped the 1 million mark.

In 1972, with more than 15 million units assembled, the Beetle topped the world production record set by Ford's Model T. Mid-decade saw the launch of a new era of Volkswagens that had front-mounted, water-cooled engines driving the front wheels. The Passat (Dasher in the U.S.) was the first of the new breed and was built using standardized components that could be used interchangeably among other models in the manufacturer's lineup. The Passat was soon joined by the Golf (Rabbit in the U.S.), which met with immediate success. By the end of the decade, the manufacturer's lineup had grown to include the Scirocco sport coupe and the performance-oriented Golf/Rabbit GTI. The Beetle, however, was discontinued for the U.S. market.

The Golf grew in popularity during the '80s, becoming Volkswagen's most popular model. When a second generation of the car was built in 1983, it was crafted in a mostly automated process using robots -- marking the first time robots had been used in vehicle manufacture. By the mid-'80s, the U.S. version traded the Rabbit name for "Golf." The higher-performance Golf GTI helped the manufacturer make waves on the rally circuit. In 1986, Volkswagen Motorsport nabbed the title of Group A World Rally Champions.

Volkswagen saw its sales in the North American market tumble during the early '90s, but by the end of the decade, refocused marketing efforts and an increased emphasis on new products had brought about a turnaround in the company's fortunes. The popular New Beetle helped put the company back on the radar in the United States (though it fared less successfully in European markets). The body style was based on the classic Beetle, and it struck a chord with consumers who still had a place in their hearts for the iconic, cheerful-looking "love bug."

The new millennium saw Volkswagen moving into the luxury segment with the launch of the pricey Phaeton sedan and Touareg SUV. Though well-designed and executed, the Phaeton was a disappointment sales-wise, perhaps signaling unwillingness on the part of consumers to shell out premium dollars for a brand that lacks the cachet of established upscale names like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Luckily, Volkswagen has seen success with other vehicles in its lineup, which currently includes everything from family-oriented sedans to roomy SUVs. Today, the automaker enjoys a reputation for crafting vehicles that offer refined handling and upscale accommodations.

User Reviews:

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  Lemon - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By Rourke - November 28 - 11:36 am

  From the moment I bought the car it was in the shop 6 time. This last repair is going to cost me at least $1500 for the TIPM. This is crazy. Why is this allowed to happen?

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  Do not waste your time on Beetles PLEASE - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By lylarose13 - November 17 - 8:03 pm

  I beg you. I have spent over 3000 and now need a new transmission (everybody seems to need these with these cars.) The car only has 70 Ks and when I bought it only had 39,000. NOTHING BUT A MONEY PIT of problems and every time I turn around I see more and more people with the EXACT same issues as me to a, "t." Like others have said, it should be illegal to make a car this unsafe, and unreliable. Even though my car is older there are similar problems with newer models of this car. I cant think of a worse car to own then this one. Seriously.

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  Maintenance! Total breakdown! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jimmy - November 5 - 1:01 am

  I have had many problems....como. problems with this cars, recalls and minor stupid issues that should not happen at this mileage. Something about the pic valve makes your car idle rough and you must keep replacing it. The ignition coils always go out. Also biggest issue with this car is the timing belt. And not the timing belt itself, its components. They all mess up so you must make preventive maintenance!?!? Your car can be running fine, then all of a sudden lock up your engine. This is a main problem. Sadly my friend warned me about it and then said "I told you so" to my $5000 sudden expense. [non-permissible content removed] Passat. Only few models are worth it for vw.

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  Vw 2014 jetta - 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rania mikhail - November 4 - 1:53 am

  I bought it brand new it has 12000 miles now start leaking after 2000 miles and has electronic problems not recommend to any person pooring car

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  Junk!!! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Watson - October 31 - 9:43 am

  I wish I could rate this thing lower than a 1 on reliability. Tire PSI warning system, updates etc... It drinks gas and it is ALWAYS in the shop. I didnt even make it home the 1st day before I had to take it back for the Tire Warning System, and it has not gotten any better. Should you be on a first name basis with ALL of the service writers BEFORE THE FIRST OIL CHANGE!! Shame on you VW, shame on you for selling me this junk car and not even making a concerned effort to fix the monster you created! This will be my last VW ever.

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  Piece of junk with great seats! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By cliffordsgal - October 25 - 6:19 am

  Leased the car brand new in the Fall of 2005. Yea, they used 2005 parts in this piece of junk 2006 VW Passat. The 2005 had more recalls though, FUNNY THING! Ive had nothing but problems since 31,000 miles. Parts breaking left and right. The hubs were toast at 60,000 miles. Really? I mean rusted through. The interior started to deteriorate at 20,000 miles and it was out of warranty by then because of the year. RUST began to show on the outside of the car at 40,000. The engine repeatedly seized in the winter time as early as 40,000 miles. In Europe they recalled this same vehicle for many many more issues than the US did and they were all built from the SAME PARTS! Yea, pretty sad.

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  Fun to drive, if and when if ever works! - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By grvlguy - October 20 - 7:53 am

  I love this car...hate VW, hate the dealer..Nothing but bugs, problems, cracking wood trim, every week this car has another problem. VW failed on this, but to think the sorry dealership network they have can actually take care of a customer with a $50,000 car is the joke of the century. Run away from this vehicle, VW or America, and the dealerships as fast as you can.

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  75K needs new timing belt - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lawrence - October 18 - 5:09 am

  Be careful when looking at this car or you will end up like me. I bought this car new for the very reason I was looking for a car that can hold up to high mileage. Well what a mistake I made. The car has 75K miles on it now and the dealer says the timing chain is stretched and needs to be replaced. The dealer could not give me a reason why this happened. They did say that some screen came loose and jammed into the tension pulley of the timing chain and deprived it of oil. They told me that they have had others in with the same problem. The extended warranty people are fighting paying for the repair. The dealer could not give me a reason why this happened The repair is $2900. Not at all what I expected from a VW. It is sad that they do not back their cars. No reason for this to have happen

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  Ill never buy another VW. - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By DavidPA - September 4 - 11:33 am

  I dont have time to list all of the problems Ive had with this car. The worst was the "transmission blew up from the inside". I enjoy driving it when it isnt in the shop, but the hassle of constant problems greatly reduces the experience. I know others who have had similar experiences, and it is clear that VW has written off a generation of Jetta owners. Their national and local customer service has been awful. After a major breakdown I limped to a local dealer who refused to even look at the car for 3 weeks. I called another dealer, but he hung up on me. The VW America customer service was horrible.

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  Um, no. Just no. - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ZH - August 24 - 12:34 pm

  I wanted to own a European car. Well that was a huge mistake and I only had the car for a little over a year. The car was too cramped and it was just a boring car all around. Too many electrical problems. I had to constantly change the headlights and rewire fuses. The car was crappy in the snow and rain. I was under the impression that the car was suppose to get decent gas mileage, but it was crap compared to my Supra. If people want a reliable car, do NOT get European cars. Stick to the Japanese cars for reliability, comfort, technology, and safety.