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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  Best of the best - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Tigran - September 5 - 7:33 pm

  I have had this car for 2 weeks now and cant tell you how deeply satisfied i feel, this is a car of my dream, i have been researching for 4 months before leasing one, CC is a true head turner,i have a friend who bought an 09 Mazda6 i Grand Touring about 6 months ago for 28G +3.5G for the reems, and i could not enjoy his envious stare more when he first saw my CC, and whoever sees our cars pays no attention to his vehicle, its so mush classier for only 28G, grate job Vw

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  The Right Choice - 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Bob - September 5 - 5:43 pm

  I believe the Rabbit is the best buy for the buck. My wife has an A-4 3.2 and this is like a cousin. The German feel. Great acceleration and just simply fun to drive. The Corolla and Civic appear very refined but are just mini town cars. Compare and you have the most features for your dollar. ESP standard in 09.

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  jetta review - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jayhawk Jetta - September 4 - 10:00 am

  Love this car! it is fun to drive and has many little features that make your driving experience enjoyable and comfortable.

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  Touareg - Love IT! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Hughenden - September 4 - 10:00 am

  Very comfortable ride. Had a 2000 Jetta before and thought that was nice - this is so much better! The stylish exterior and the luxurious interior made waiting 3 months for it to come in (from overseas) worthwhile. It handles well for its size, and is safe (several airbags on board).

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  Excellent Car! - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By guitarzan1 - September 2 - 6:06 pm

  Sporty, fun to drive, economical, great looking, and useful! This car has a huge trunk/hatch area that will haul lots of stuff, the rear doors make getting in and out of the back seats easy - easier than the Jetta. The drivers seat is comfortable and supportive. Driving position is great. Visibility is good but the pillar between the front and back seats sometimes blocks your vision. Monsoon Stereo sounds fabulous and I love the sunroof, also. Believe it or not, I love driving to work every day in this car! The sporty little TDI engine is very peppy and strong, and will definitely surprise you. I average 43MPG all city driving. Car feels like a quality product. No cheap plastic here.

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  Good but not Great - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Justin - September 2 - 1:30 pm

  This is my dads car. I drive it all the time, but i also drive my moms 2007 rabbit which I prefer to drive. The Jetta just doesnt stop like the rabbit at all. And it doesnt accelerate. The steering is almost the same but not quite as good as the rabbit. Overall I think that it is a good car but not great.

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  JUST TRY AND TAKE THIS CAR AWAY FROM ME! - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By rexmasters - September 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought my 2000 VW Passat Turbo 5spd. in July of that same year--Satin Silver wth custom red (yes, RED) leather interior and upgraded GLX wheels. My other car was a BMW Z3, and others have included other BMWs, Hondas, Toyotas, etc. After one year of ownership, I decided that I liked the car so much that I installed Koni fully adjustable sport suspension, and wider, Toyo sport Proxes S-1 tires. My car is now comfortable, yet very tight, and handles like a dream. So much so that I replaced the Z3 with a Jeep, since I prefer the sport car feel of the Passat. I am getting 40 mpg on the highway, and about 26 mpg combined.

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  Windows - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By MC2 - September 2 - 10:00 am

  I love my Jetta i spent two years building them online, and when i finished up my senior year of high school i told my mom and dad that we were going New Car Shopping b/c i was not going to drive my POS anymore. We got my Jetta the day i graduated and a month later my drivers window broke so they fixed it. A month after that the passenger window broke we took it back but we had to drive in the pooring rain with the window down and they fixed it. That time they gave us a loaner b/c we were pissed. What we found out is that there is a plastic clip and it brakes but the replace it was a metal one. But your window has to brake first before they will fix it.

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  Jettas a winner!! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By drjhson79 - September 2 - 10:00 am

  We bought our Jetta in August 02 so we dont have any long term experience with it but the time we have had it has been great!! The quality of assembly and materials of the interior is wonderful and the exterior styling is what we were looking for. I work for an automotive supplier and could have recieved some great discounts from the "big three" but they just didnt have a car that could compete with the Jetta. The VR6 is incredible in its smoothness and power. This is the first import we have owened an at this point we are very impressed.

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  VW has really done it! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By iclyde - September 2 - 10:00 am

  My god how can they sell such a well equipped car for this price. My parent have an Audi A6 and almost cried when they heard how much I paid for my Passat.