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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  Still in the honeymoon - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By dlewis - April 16 - 11:43 pm

  Overall still in love. Like others really enjoy the zip and the handling. Would like more range of motion in seat adjustments, especially thigh support. Panoramic roof is very nice, but noisy in any position (compared to Acuras small SUV). Havent tested the 4motion much but on wet road has done very well, very stable. I would like to see more audio controls on steering wheel, such as change mode and channel.

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  Love Hate Relationship - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Co Car Girl - April 16 - 6:06 pm

  I bought mine used, 2 weeks after buying it I had to replace both front cv boots $1k a piece. in the last 18 months I have had it in the shop at least 12 times. In the last 4 weeks I have had the passenger side electrical, all 4 steering mech, wiper arms, thermostat replaced. Also have a sunroof that likes to open when not prompted. The park brake likes to set and unset itself after I turn the car off. What a joy it has been to drive every rental car known to man while waiting for parts. Thing is every time I get it back I am happy to be sitting in the comfortable ergo friendly car that drives like a dream.... when its running. Dont buy unless you have lots of time/$ to sit at the mech

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  Read This Review - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Easy - April 16 - 2:46 pm

  I have been researching numerous AWD cars from the A8 to the Benz 4Matic. With the price of the Passat 3.6 4Motion I couldnt beat it. The interior is awesome, it even has 14 way power seats for driver and passenger! This car has too many options for me to list. When I drove this car it surprised me! The sound of the dual exhaust sounded more like the R32s sport tuned exhaust! I loved it! The AWD works excellent. I had a chance to surprise a 2004 S4 the other day for a short distance. I think he was heading to the Audi dealer to trade his car in after what I did to him! Dont be fooled! This is no ordinary Passat! You really need to go and test drive this car. I have the Luxury Pack.

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  Great car, poor quality control - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By Mixed feelings - April 16 - 3:46 am

  Have had GTI for 2 weeks now. The air conditioning compressor "detonated" after two days requiring a complete system replacement and 5 days in the shop waiting for parts. Have had check engine light go on and off for no apparent reason twice since then. Other than that it has been great, good power and handling, great ride, nice, thoughtful features, though with room for improvement. The radio is great, as are the seats, front and rear. The power is nice, though there is a bit of torque steer. The DSG gearbox works best if you let it do it’s thing. Sport mode is best for hills when engine braking is needed. Incredible brakes. Lovely headlights.

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  My favorite car ever! - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jill in Portland, OR - April 15 - 10:00 am

  We love this car! I like the gas mileage (good for a station wagon). The heated seats are great on rainy days. I like manual while my husband likes automatic, so the tiptronic is the perfect feature for us. Leather makes cleaning up after messy kids easy. The car is very quiet and theres plenty of power.

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  good for small family, icy roads - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By acahalan - April 15 - 10:00 am

  Unlike the typical 4wd/awd vehicle, this is one that always smoothly applies power to all 4 wheels. It doesnt rely on a slow-responding multi-plate clutch ("computer" systems) or viscous fluid. The even power split prevents slipping from starting, and recovery is easy. Getting a 4-wheel alignment makes a huge difference with this car. The back is roomy. Visibility is great but for the rear head rests sticking up.

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  Great Buy Overall - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By Keith Miller - April 15 - 9:56 am

  This car has been great to me so far. I usually get about 44 mpg city and 48 mpg highway (I usually go about 80 with the AC blasting). My only complaints are a few interior pieces peeling (fixed by puting in oem aluminum trim) and a few interior rattles that I hear every once in awhile. The car overall feels like a quality vehicle and I love this car.

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  Dangerous car to drive or ride in - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dennisinwv - April 15 - 7:34 am

  Purchased my 2006 Jetta TDI in July, 2006. Timing belt broke at 42,000 miles. Camshaft had to be replaced under warranty. Camshaft failed again at 150,000 miles (timing belt was fine). Camshaft failed again at 270,000 miles. Without warning car was lost power while in cruise - almost run over by tractor-trailers more than once. Research reveals an enormous camshaft problems for TDI owners. VW put a bandaid on the original camshaft failure and allowed my family to drive and ride in an unsafe vehicle. VW mgt knew they had a problem and discontinued the 1.9 TDI engine. VW should have informed 2006 TDI owners that their car could lose power without warning.

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  I love it - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By numarinc - April 14 - 7:56 pm

  Luxery combined with dependability

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  Another Ignition Coil Victim - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Gregg - April 12 - 6:56 pm

  Just bought a 06 Passat from VW dealership in Freehold, NJ. Luckily were under warranty. After 3 days of ownership my wife broke down on the G.S.P. and the car needed 4 new ignition coils, mass air flow sensor, 2 additional wires, 20 Amp fuse, head cover, engine harness. Wow. Thank god were under warranty. This from a clean car-fax and apparently brand new looking/feeling vehicle. Now after receiving the car back from the dealer the malfunction light is on and back it goes! A few more days and this will meet the 20-day lemon law criterion.