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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  Interior - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Linda Petty - October 5 - 6:23 pm

  The material on the doors are lifting & coming unglued. Paint inside on door is bubbling. I am not real happy with this. I take very good care of my bug. I keep her in the garage & as I said I only have about 35000 miles on it.I plan on keeping my bug for as long as I can, but the inside is falling apart. Coastal VW will not do anything about it. Said it was wear & tear. In 5 years your car should NOT be falling apart on the inside.

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  Mini Van - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By Niki_baby - October 5 - 1:23 pm

  This van is great for the family its wonderful for the kids and it has plenty of room. My kids love this van they are always saying that it is the most roomy and they are super comfortable in this van. I use this for my kids when they have sports it has all the room i need to carry all the chairs and all the other equipment thats fio sure any big family would love this car. i know we do this is the best van ever. Pricing is good to. its very fair and i love that it was cheep enough for a woman with 7 kids :)

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  AWFUL - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Jason - October 5 - 12:35 pm

  In the time I have had my CC, two new intake manifolds, new engine. YES I SAID A NEW ENGINE AFTER 80K MILES. VW did nothing. I asked if they could help discount or anything they said no since it was out of warranty even though the car was only 3 years old at the time. Needs new tires every year, cannot keep them aligned. Have replaced every taillight and headlight at least a couple of times. To top it off this week, the headliner just fell down in it. Yeah you know like when you see a 82 caprice and the headliner is sagging driving down the road...thats my car now. Called VW est. $1000-$1200 to replace it. I curse the day I bought this car.

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  Reviews helped me choose - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Chattanooga - October 4 - 11:50 pm

  I have had my CC since 11-17-09 and have waited a bit to comment. Reviews helped me decide to choose this car so I will return the favor. Exterior styling is dazzling and leaves people looking. Interior is comfortable and feels natural once I get in the car. I am 6 220 so getting in and out can be tricky but once I am in, very nice. Handling is far better than I had thought possible for the money and the turbo 4 has plenty of spunk, in sport mode the car will get you on the interstate and into flow without any worries. Fuel economy is about 23 in town and freeway looks like about 32-34. Great standard stereo, lots of extras. This car will make you want to drive it so go test drive one!

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  awesome 2012 tiguan - 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By happytig1 - October 4 - 11:20 pm

  the 2012 tiguan (mine an se with sunroof and nav) puts a smile on my face each time i drive it. with over 1,000 miles put on, it has already achieved the 27 mpg rating on the sticker. yes, it is recommended to use 91 premium unleaded. between wanting an audi A3 and the european passat wagon, somehow, the tiguan offered me a blend of the best of both worlds. refinement and creature comforts of both, newly freshened look which is quite handsome, and 3 yr/36K miles carefree maintenance. for some reason, my tiguan does not shake, rattle, or lug. the adaptive transmission quickly learns how to drive the way you want to drive. definitely quieter than the 2012 and 2011 honda crv. love this car.

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  2005 TDI Owner - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By rw - October 4 - 10:00 am

  Up to 2009 car was great. Volkswagon decided to recall att TDI models for a R8 recall for the glow plugs. Being on top of recalls brought car in for recall and had it done in the spring time period. Well summer went by and winter was setting in (getting colder) my wife started complaining that the car was hard to start sometimes. I of course egnored it till I drove it. Well the problems with the dealership and Volkswagon began. Called Volkswagon direct and knotified them of a possible problem with thier recall. Brought it in and more than 6 months later. I got my car back with original plugs and waiting for volkswagon to find a glow plug that will replace problem plugs. Good luck to tdi owne

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  Dont Buy One - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By mugsy - October 4 - 10:00 am

  Too many problems---prone to engine failure& electrical problems--I had to replace 2 front axels all 4 coil packs (got stranded twice after the warrenty expired). Complained to VW. They sent me a recall on coil Packs 2 years later. I had thrown out receipts & already gotten rid of car because I didnt know what was going to go bad next. Repair bills are very costly at the dealership. VW is a car I will never buy again. I now own a Nissan Rogue.

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  Looking of something fun? - 2011 Volkswagen GTI
  By DR007 - October 4 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my 4dr GTI Autobahn about 2 weeks ago. In this time, it has continued to surprise me in every way possible. I traded my Infiniti G37s coupe on this, looking for something that was sporty, fun and bigger. It is a blast to drive and has all the features most of us could ever need.

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  Great Car - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Bellyman - October 4 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this car for 4 years and it blew a turbo at 80 000 km and the dc bus to the glow plugs at 90 km but it was all covered by vws excellent warranty and i havent had any problems since and i have 225 000 km on it now, would definately buy another.Great in the snow and of course mileage is unbeatable.

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  VW FunWagen - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Brian - October 3 - 11:43 pm

  This is the BEST car I have ever owned. Where do I start? The seats are so comfortable. I can drive 500 miles and be as fresh as a daisy when I arrive. The mpg is amazing. I drive 75 most of the way and still get 34 miles per gallon. My old car would get 28 at that speed. I can fit a ton of stuff inside. I am tall (6ft 2in) so my seat is back a bit. When the rear seat is folded, I am still comfortable. I am not jammed against the wheel trying to drive. Then, the space back there. With the seats up, I can fit three loaded golf bags back there. With the seats down, I was able to fit furniture inside (kitchen table and chairs) when I was moving. Awesome car, highly recommended.