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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  Dont Buy This Car - 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Never Again - December 2 - 12:43 pm

  Ill never buy a Volkswagen again. Door handles, glove box, knobs falling off/melting, even though handles have been replaced 3 times. Ditto for random indicator lights and windows that go up and down whenever. Worst though, are the tie rods. First replaced when car was 3ish. Four years later, were sitting in a hotel 4 hours from home waiting o/n for new TRs to be delivered tomorrow b/c car is un-drivable - at a total cost of $1K for hotel, rental car and repair. And well have to drive back in a week to pick up the car once its fixed. Car sits in garage 9 of 10 days and is used only for highway miles, so our driving not at fault. Our mechanics unanimously agree car is total crap.

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  So disappointed I traded it in within a month - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By greyhounds3 - November 27 - 6:29 am

  I am a 4-time VW owner (Fox, old Jetta, new Jetta, Touareg), so I was eager for a reasonably priced wagon that gets great fuel economy. The vehicle was not fully explained to me at the dealership and I never would have bought it if it had been. The transmission is so incredibly jerky and when the car shifts gears, you actually jerk along with it. The brakes are so tight that they are shockingly sudden. I never had this before in my VWs. The seats are so uncomfortable that I feel like I am sitting on rocks, which could have been less expensive. I have needed to see a massage therapist and chiropractor due to these seats. I am petite-maybe someone taller can tolerate these seats.

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  Ho-hum - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Buddy_NC - November 24 - 10:00 am

  So-so vehicle. Turbo lag aggravating. Engine maintenance lights been on 2 times in 7000 miles. Reason unknown. I would not recommend the optional sport suspension package. The Michelin 225x45/R17 Pilot HXMXM4 tires are impossible to obtain locally (had a flat - after 9 days of trying to obtain tire, I restorted to another tire type). Dealers sales mgr no help.

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  Nice advertising not so nice car... - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By karlb - November 18 - 10:00 am

  Good luck with this car... Before you buy, take a look at the service hours. Determine if you can afford to take 1/2 - 1 day off from work to have your car serviced. Note: they do have weekend hours but only for certain types of service. They will not provide a loaner car for certain types of service. You guessed it, if the service you need done during the week does not fall into the right category theyd be happy to rent you a car! Poor automatic transmission. It audibley clunks when it is required to downshift. I would not purchase a VW again... My prior car a Nissan Sentra was surrounded by excellent service, good hours and lasted me 160,000 miles.

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  Good transportation if it runs OK! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By mandys - November 15 - 9:56 pm

  I have owned this car for a while. It is an above average car to drive when it runs. All four doors have been repaired (windows, locks). All four brakes have been repaired/replaced, twice on rear. Brake light/cruise not working, etc. Too many problems to list.

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  2003 Volkswagen Jetta GL 1.8T - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By greg - November 11 - 1:03 pm

  Overall, I am completely dissatisfied with this car. It is sad to say that I will never purchase a VW again! I wouldnt drive this car off a cliff! During winter it would not start. I took to the dealer 3 times and they said nothing was wrong. I paid a lot of money for supposed German engineering and quality that arent there.

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  Oil, Oil, Oil... - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Julie - November 9 - 9:46 pm

  This was the first NEW car I have bought. At my first manufacturer suggested oil change, I was surprised to be a quart and a half low. I fought with the dealership for 8,000 miles about the oil consumption on this car - which they claimed was normal for a VW because "the engine runs hot". At 13,000 miles, they finally gave in and rehoned the cylinders and replaced the pistons. But that still did not solve the problem. Ive just about given up my fight since the car has now been out of waranty for 30,000 miles. I have to replace a quart every 1,000 miles now, and my current mechanic says soon it will be a quart every 300-400 miles. Its so unfortunate because I like the car otherwise. Dont bother with VW.

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  Over-priced, over-hyped - 2011 Volkswagen GTI
  By adr8 - November 7 - 7:02 pm

  BAD turbo lag, LONG delay on multiple downshifts with DSG, poor lateral support from standard seats, small gas tank, audio interface is full of bugs (my car has been in 4 times already; it ate my cds & the dealer couldnt extract them), iPod interface is horrible & slow. Passenger door alignment was poor. Lots of creaks from the body as you drive. If youre a halfway serious driver, avoid this car; at least get the stick-shift. The DSG will will leave you for dead in any "competitive" situation. It doesnt even get good mileage. I get 13.9mpg in combined city/highway driving with a somewhat leaden foot. I do really like the cars exterior and interior design and its good quality materials.

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  Horrible Reliability - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By upchuda - November 7 - 2:26 am

  I bought this car used from Osborne Automotive in Lakewood, CO. This is the worst car I have ever owned. The parts are all plastic, and I have pretty much replaced every part of the engine, including the water pumps. Once the car reached 120,000 miles, the transmission went out and I was quoted between $4,600 - $6,100 to replace it with a refurbished transmission. The car has just been sitting in my garage and I bought a Toyota Camry. Selling it for parts.

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  incredibly disappointing on reliability - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By klee - November 6 - 5:20 am

  When I first got the car, I loved it. Great sport suspension ride. Responsive. But then the problems started to happen withing a month of owning the car. Thus far, tire bearing replaced, camshaft replaced, fuel injector replaced, transmission value, spark plug replaced from carbon build up (always used premium fuel with cleaning addictives!), software reflashed multiple times, radio update for sound being muffled, oil burning and I can go on and on. This is on top of the multiple recall work. Where is the quality control?!!! Have yet another appointment to address more oil burning and car jerking from downshifting. Spent more time in service for this VW than all other cards I owned in past!