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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  Incredible machine! - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jinxo - October 7 - 1:23 am

  The 2010 Jetta TDI is far and away the finest car I have ever owned. It is tightly constructed and a joy to drive. Best of all is the mileage: in a mix of highway and suburban driving, I consistently get in the mid-to-high 40s, sometimes over 50 mpg. I like the styling (last year for this style) and the interior quality is excellent. While not a screamer, performance is beyond adequate. In 20 months, I have put over 47,000 miles on this car with very few issues. My wife has a Honda Accord, and she is very jealous of my Jetta. Im very pleased!

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  Fun to own - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Gabriel Lopez - October 7 - 12:26 am

  Car handles like it costs in the 30,000 mark, offers standard equipmant when others put it at extra cost, interior finally better laid out after all these years!

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  ready to get rid of the lemon ! - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By alincke - October 6 - 10:00 am

  I bought my VW as a certified used vehicle with 28K.My fun with the car lasted 18 months. Multiple trips to a dealer due to check engine light. Recently with 56K the timing belt fell of while I was driving around town. I was 4K too many to have extensive repairs to the engine covered by limited warranty. To top it of the timing belt failure happened bearly 2 weeks after car was serviced at the dealership. Call s to dealership and VW left me very disappointed not only with the car but also customer service.

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  I wouldnt buy it if I could do it over - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By VWinNOVA - October 6 - 10:00 am

  This is a really fun car, but the problems Ive experienced are definitely not worth its fun. Numerous problems with the electrical system-- dash lights come on for no reason, I have to restart the car to get the ac to come on, and it doesnt always like to start on the first try. It has terrible acceleration, and can be uncomfortable on long trips, but it is a fun beach car.

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  Not that bad - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dino424 - October 6 - 10:00 am

  Ive had various minor problems...The check engine light (which they discovered a faulty emmissions sensor). However its the minor things that plague my car. The front panels located below the headlights have disappeared, the cup holder, the arm rest and glove compartment broke. I did purchase the extended warrinty with Auto guard and everything was paid for. The only thing I had to pay for was new brakes.

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  Read the Fine Print! - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Guil_4D - October 6 - 10:00 am

  Pay close attention to VWs warranty and document all of your service visits (maitain complete records of all scheduled and non- scheduled maintenance). My failure to do so taught me an expensive lesson. At 39,000 miles my wagons cam shaft siezed. VW voided the powertrain warranty because I was unable to provide documentation of 30K and 35K service. Factory rebuilt engines cost $6,100 installed. OUCH!

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  The best SUV for the money - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Siggi - October 6 - 10:00 am

  One of the best SUVs on the market for the money at the present time.

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  Sweet ride, excellent value - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By swede - October 6 - 10:00 am

  We compared the Honda Accord and the Nissan Altima before deciding on the Passat. In almost every aspect, the Passat beat out the other two. Comfort and safety ranked high on our list of priorities, but when you can get that AND the pleasure of driving a VW (which Honda and Nissan simply cannot copy), it was a simple choice. With 1.9% financing AND $1000 in loyalty bonus, PLUS a dealer incentive of $1500, the 2003 Passat is a fantastic value for the money. With all the standard features of the GLS, we feel like we just stole a luxury car... Put all those features in an Altima, and watch that low base price shoot through the roof.

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  2003 VW PASSAT GLX SEDANS KICK ASS AT 150mph too - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By H. Woodruff - October 6 - 6:20 am

  If youre looking for a car that has lots of acceleration, great braking, awesome handling, and loaded with 6 or more air bags, with a large trunk and seats that also fold down, this is the car for you. It loves rain storms, not sure about snow, i live in California. It gets great gas mileage 18 city and about 22 to 26mpg hwy depending if you drive the speed limit or not, i always obey the law. hahahaa. If you like driving to Las Vegas and end up with $18 to get home with, at 260 miles away from home, this is the car for you. It has a 5 speed automatic transmission that shifts so smooth you dont even feel it shift gears. It also has a manual shift that lets you shift it incase that corvette next to you (thinks) hes going to embarrass you in a race that he loses. The car is awesome, great looking, and knows how to handle business, my car has 122k miles and still runs and drives like its brand new. Buy the car...you wont be dissappointed, i have had many great offers over $5000 for it, no way im selling it though. VW kicked ass when they built this machine .

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  Dream Car is a Nightmare - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By Corey - October 5 - 10:20 pm

  Worst car ever! Owned for 5 years, bought new, baby this car. Replaced 4 batteries, 2 alternators, 3 shocks, and last week had to rebuild the engine. $24,000 cost of car, $8,000 in unusual repairs in 5 years. VW will not honor warranty on same 1.8 liter engine used in the Passat that is known for having oil sludge problem and been recalled. Engine light came on and within 2 minutes the engine locked due to oil sludge,result was a destroyed engine. $3700 to fix, VW wanted $5000. I am filing case in small claims court. I loved this car but it has been the worst car I have ever owned, the second to worst was my 1984 VW GTI. STAY AWAY FROM VW! My car has been towed six times, thank God for AAA.