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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  Improving on the best. - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By dsgfan - April 27 - 4:43 am

  Coming from the owner of a MkV GTI, this car has improved in almost every aspect. Ride feels better and handling much improved. The biggest improvement was in the interior. The 2010 model comes with one unmatched by anything this side of 30k. Far better than that of the Mazdaspeed3 or Civic Si, not in the same league as the WRX and American hot hatches.

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  STOP! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By STOP! - April 27 - 12:23 am

  Do not buy this car! My engine light is the only electronic item that works, its always on. Radio, door locks, windows headlights, only work when they want to. You almost have to bring it into the shop for everything because you need a special tool to do anything on the car. I will never buy another VW again! I wouldnt even feel comfortable giving this car to a friend.

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  expensive German lady - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rhoda sagun - April 26 - 2:14 am

  Good car when taken care of properly

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  This GTI rocks - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By HPinRI - April 25 - 8:43 pm

  Ive owned 2 GTIs, a Mark I and a Mark II, then went to BMWs until I got sick of the maintenance expense and bought a very reliable (and boring) Camry Hybrid. When I saw the new Mark VI, it just spoke to me. I was slightly anxious about quality after a bad experience with my wifes Touareg and her Jetta before that. But, Consumer Reports had good things to say, and Automobile magazine, and every other publication I read. Im happy to report that build quality is amazing - this car feels like a Mercedes... its solid, fit and finish is exceptional, and its quiet as a church. The power out of this 4 cylinder is amazing. The interior quality is very high. And its a blast to drive.

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  Graduation Present - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Graduation Present - April 25 - 8:06 am

  I bought my daughter a new 08 Jetta SE as her collge graduation present. I picked it up on Wednesday, delivered it to her in Philadelphia on Saturday, it was dead on Sunday and in the shop on Monday. The electronic engine fan would not shut off and it drained the battery. It was towed to dealer where they diagnosed a faulty fan controller module. Took 2 days to get the part. Hopefully this fixes it and it is the only thing that goes wrong with it. I have an 2007 New Beetle with the same engine in it and I love the car and I have had no problems. I also have a 2006 Passat and have had only minor problems like faulty gas cap. So you see I am a Volkswagen person.

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  98 VW TDI - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By punta - April 25 - 5:51 am

  240,000 miles of saving me fuel,,,bought new for 13,9999 saved more of the purchase price in fuel saving over the past 14 years...This vech. has been great,,average.. mpg 47...orig, fuel filter,,clutch...only replaced timing belt 3,,times changed the oil every 7500 miles,,...and tires....that is it...Liability insurance and just drive it...Why over do the maintance....Dont let the dealerships take your hard earn money....Good diesel fuel goes a long ways in these motors....No interior parts have broke yet...Note this car has never been garaged... Basic Jetta tdi,,roll up windows,,5 speed,,cruise,No AC,,I live in the Northwest...Get real,,this is all anyone needs...

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  Issues - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bucc - April 25 - 5:14 am

  Bought the car brand new in 2011 and the AC went out in 2012. Great service at the dealer. In 2014 I started to notice the transmission slipping but no error codes. Then the car shut off once at a stop light and the second time turning into a friends driveway. I started researching the issue and found many, many 2011 and 2012 cars have this problem and dealers seem unable to solve them because no error code goes to the computer

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  fast and smooth - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By NYC - April 24 - 9:50 pm

  Never had a VW before. Very happy so far. Unexpected power from this VR6. Very fast off the line, great cornering and smooth when cruising at highway speeds. Love the sport styled "old school" seats- extremely comfortable and roomy and Im 62". Excellent quality, fit & finish, great dash and overall cabin design. Lots of storage too.

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  Love this Car! - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By SweetPea - April 24 - 8:03 pm

  I am as tough on cars -- I have 4 dogs -- and I am not diligent about maintenance. I have put 170,000 abusive miles on my Passat in six years and have driven it to death. Except for oil issues in last two years -- I have not had much trouble. I replaced the oil pump twice and the water pump once -- thats been it, besides brakes and tires. VW dealer prices are stiff, so I use a reliable local guy for repairs. The Passats tyling and drivebility are great. All of its interior features continue to work perfectly. The trunk space is great and the back seat collapses for extra room. I think this is a great car and would buy another, even though oil issues prevail. I have learned that timely maintenance is key.

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  2012 CC - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By jt1973 - April 23 - 3:14 pm

  2012 CC is not bad but not all about the hype. The tubo is too small for the weight of the car, however the engine combo does produce good gas mileage. spacious and road compliant. stock tires are junk. The drivers seat is not somfortable to me at all. it lacks lower stability. Around an hour and I want out of it but I can race my bike for hours. Smooth road feel solid handling. Heres how bad it hurts. only 20K on a 2012 that had around 7K on it when I bought it. Id rather drive my 94 Civic Replaced junk Airfilter with full K&N intake increased MPG and power band.