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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  Tired of problems - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By wantagti - April 23 - 10:00 am

  In the 13 months since we bought the car, its been in the shop 6 times, had to be towed there 3 times. Multiple recall parts, multiple times overheated, etc. etc. We are sick and tired of the unreliability, though we love its looks and how it drives.

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  Love my Wolfsberg but ... - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ally - April 23 - 10:00 am

  All in all I love this car. It is fun to drive, responsive, get gas mileage, but it has had its problems. drivers seat frame replaced twice, lumbar support repaired, passenger seat frame replaced once, cupholders are useless, doors squeak but wiping weather stripping with Armor-All helps. speakers rattle, coating on the inside trim is peeling, driver side window clips and rotor have been replaced, ignition coil replaced, and the a/c quit at 32,000 - dealer said it is an electrical problem and they are researching. My biggest complaint is with the dealer - they are VERY rude, do not return calls, and argue with me when I bring my car in for repair.

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  Dont Buy - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VWSUX - April 23 - 10:00 am

  Within the first 1 & 1/2 I had brought my Jetta in 5 xs!. Window falling into the door, 2 xs for the ignition coils, 1 x for carbon build up (which the dealership said that this shouldnt be happening so soon) once for the check engine light staying on. I still haveproblem with my keys getting stuck in the ignition for hours. I have 4 other people at work that all bought VWs within a year or two that I did... ALL OF THEM WANT TO GET RID OF THEIR VEHICLES NOW!. VW was looking into replacing or repurchasing my vehicle and after 2 MONTHS of trying to get an answer from them, they finally told me that they werent going to do anything.

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  pretty good car - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By john101 - April 23 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive. Have had several recalls over the year Ive owned it. I dont like the turbo "lag" in hard acceleration but gas mileage is good as is performance.

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  Volkswagen GLS TDI - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Bobjohnsunjr - April 23 - 10:00 am

  I love it very much

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  Love my Jetta - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Customer - April 23 - 8:23 am

  Ive owned 2 prior VWs (2002 Passat and 2005 Jetta), all have been reliable. So far, after 6 months, this Jetta is proving the same. I picked the VW over competitors for the options and the drive.

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  Best all-around car Ive ever owned - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By Thomas - April 23 - 6:03 am

  The perfect size car for city driving, FUN to drive, beautiful high quality interior, very comfortable sport seats, great customer service from my dealer & absolutely no reliability or repair issues. The hatchback & fold- down seats are very convenient. I have driven this car since new for almost 4 years now. It is the longest I have ever kept a car & its one of my favorites. I have owned German, American, English & Japanese brands. In more affluent times, I have owned 2 Mercedes SLs & 5 BMWs. The Japanese are known for reliability, but the Germans win hands down for superior engineering & driving fun. I am shocked how much I continue to enjoy this GTI

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  Very Delicate - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Steve - April 22 - 9:56 pm

  Our Jetta had many mechanical problems after the 100,000 mile mark. The first was a major auto trans rebuild. Then, the starter, drive axles, power steering hose, all four power window operators (at various times), cruise control and more. Volkswagens parts are expensive. It is a nice driving car when running, but it is very delicate.

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  Great value, Fun to drive CUV - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By MAD63 - April 22 - 9:40 pm

  Build quality and performance are on the top of my list. Reliablity, well see as time goes on but at this point everything is spot on with the Tiguan. Surprisingly nimble, although the Michilein tires on the S model are not up to the handling capabilities of the chassis. At 64" comfort is not a problem in this CUV, good leg and head room, cargo capacity is as expected but much more than my sports sedan I traded in. Interior materials, seats dash and carpets are very good quality as are fit and finish of the exterior. Color match on the rear fascia is slightly off color for the White Gold but not enough to complain over.

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  Best Car Ive owned - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By Dan - April 22 - 2:26 pm

  I give this car 2 thumbs up for being the most fun and comfortable car Ive owned..Ive owned 2 dozen or more. Even with reliability issues, it is still worth having if under warranty. Ive owned it a month now...bought it used with 16k miles. It has FSI engine which i learned is the older version, but still very good, though. Great handling, comfortable ride even with 18" wheels. Gas mileage is awesome 26- 30mpg mixed mostly highway commuting. Premium gas is a must if you want good gas mileage. First tank from dealer got 26mpg with regular then after that I got close to 30mpg with premium. VW combines fun and practicality all in one package. Back seat is rather large, too.