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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  Great value car - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dook - September 24 - 2:00 am

  This is my first VW and I have been very impressed. Earlier years (1999 & 2000) had problems with build quality (window regulators, coilpacks), but I have had no problems. I think VW did a good job of working the bugs out. Love the monsoon stereo and sunroof. Really fun to drive. Great power and smooth ride. Good looking car that maneuvers easily. It is a pleasure to drive.

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  Great Wagon - Fun to Drive - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By mibo888 - September 24 - 2:00 am

  The GLX has probably more features than we really needed, but boy what fun it is to drive this car. Great engine, all the safety features you would ask for, and the 4WD was really nice in the winter. Appealing style from the outside with the 17" wheels, and IMO much better looking than the Audi solution on the same basis. Now if only the mileage would be better - so far only getting ~16MPG in mixed city/highway driving.

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  Buy Something Else - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By marlok - September 23 - 4:00 am

  This is by far the best looking SUV on the road and it stops there. VW went wrong or someone did not follow how an SUV is supposed to last. The brakes are a big problem. You will replace them every 5,000 miles and it will cost you $600 or more to have them repaired. An oil change can cost you upwards of a $150 due to the design of getting to the oil pan. Everything goes wrong with this SUV. Stay away from the Touareg.

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  Great Car, Terrible Service! - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By dave - September 22 - 11:56 pm

  I test drove the car and fell in love with it. I really have no complaints over the car itself, the only complaint i do have is the dealership. I have to agree with everyone else that says this, VW has the worst costumer service ever. They dont want to deal with you after they get your money.

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  Great Economy car - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By firedwg1 - September 22 - 11:16 pm

  My Volkswagen Jetta GL TDI is very low maintenace and cheap to own. It gets great fuel milage. It is one of the best alternatives to Hybred Engine power! It has penty of power for long high speed driving. It can do 80 - 90 mph up hills. Plus, I can make a round trip to LA - Vegas on one tank of fuel!

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  Looking for something reliable? AVOID AT ALL COST - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By cliney - September 22 - 5:21 pm

  We bought our 2003 Passat GLS 1.8T wagon with a little over 70k miles on it, which I guess is high mileage for a VW. If youre a real enthusiast or VERY handy with a wrench, then by all means get one of these. Otherwise, be advised to stay the hell away from these pieces of cr*p. Every year is thousands of $$$ to keep it on the road. The car has a complicated and involved service procedure, so anything under the hood will be expensive to replace. Two shops quoted me $500 just for the valve cover gasket, and most of that was labor. German engineering = myth.

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  Best Car I have ever owned - 2005 Volkswagen Golf
  By mikjh - September 22 - 1:00 pm

  The Golf TDI is the car of my dreams, since I first saw the Rabbit diesel in 1976. It is very comfortable, handles excellently, and gives great fuel economy (48 mpg average). I drive 152 miles a day to work on a variety of roads and it never fails to satisfy. VW quality is evident in every part of the car. I wish I would have purchased one earlier. I have driven this car 22,000 miles in nine months.

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  Great car! - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By VWgirl - September 22 - 10:00 am

  We bought this car in March and we love it. We have had no problems at all with it. It does tend to burn a lot of fuel for the power you get, but that is the only complaint I can come up with.

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  Great car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By VWGuy - September 22 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my 2002 GLS Passat about a month and a half ago. It is a very solid capable automobile. I love the body style. I love the solid feel of the car. It is terrific on the highway. Around town the 1.8T is terribly anemic with the automatic transmission.

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  confused? - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By GENIVGOLF - September 22 - 10:00 am

  i cant believe the problems i have had with this car. ive had my o2 sensor changed twice in the past 6 months. my mass air flow sensor took a dump on me at 30000 miles. my instrument panel for my a/c, heat jammed up and had to get that replaced. my coolant sensor went bad at 28000. i cant believe a car that carries the vw badge could preform so poorly. i should of bought a honda!!!