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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  Piece Of Crap - 2001 Volkswagen Golf
  By AELinuxGuy - June 24 - 10:00 am

  This has been the worst car I have ever owned! In 30,000 miles the airbag indicator went bad, car alarm stopped working, oxygen sensor went bad twice, rear winshield washer stopped working, and both windows fell down inside of the door (happened twice on passenger side). Avoid VW like the plague.

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  A Super Car! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By bjbird2 - June 24 - 10:00 am

  This car is really a kick to drive. I actually look foeward to my commute to and from work since I bought the Passat.

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  Check out the Jetta GLI - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By shelly13 - June 24 - 10:00 am

  Looking for the fully loaded Jetta GLX but dont want to spend the money? The GLI is more reasonable priced than the GLX and the amenities you "sacrifice" are downright frivolous. Who needs power seats? Who needs the tint on the review mirror to adjust automatically for glare control? Shoot, this car has everthing you need, for less money than the GLX. Weve only had the car for 1 week, and most of the "nods" we get are from other VW owners! That should count for something!

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  It looks good but... - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Reggie Heins - June 24 - 10:00 am

  I have only had my VW Beetle for three months. The whole right side lighting was out from the day I bought it and an officer pointed it out to me. Found out the fuses were falling out and broken. The window rolls up on auto but when it gets to the top it comes right back down. The tail lights have already burned out and had to be replaced after a full 5000 miles. And last but not least, the drivers seat apholstry seperated on the door side and the little platic hinge cover on the right side of the drivers seat broke off and fell in the floor. The dealership said I must have broke it because they have never seen one do that before, and refused to fix it.

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  Best Choice in Mid-Size Sedan Class - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By William - June 24 - 6:44 am

  Fantastic car in every way. Styling, ergonomics, performance and value. Bought my 2015 Passat Limited 5 months ago. Just clocked 6K on the ODO. This car is everything and more than expected in a reasonably priced German engineered sedan. Obviously, long term experience is yet to be seen, but so far its looking great. Overall Im getting an average 28MPG, and thats with a 60 mile round trip commute in heavy traffic five days a week. I bought this car brand new for $19,995 and drove it off the showroom floor. Ive owned several cars that cost 2x-3x as much and I am very pleased with the overall quality of the Passat. You cant go wrong with this one. It is also quite fun to drive!

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  So far, so good - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Tocacat - June 24 - 3:46 am

  I have been driving this baby for three months. It has a great ride. People are blown-away that this is the base model. All the sensors work (yes, even the tire pressure one). Watch out, this is a big car. It has more blind spots than I had expected. Its shifting is smooth. The parking brake and hill assist are nice. The guy whos getting 37 mpg on the highway must be driving like an old lady though. Im averaging 25-27 overall, and maybe 32 mpg if driving highway only. How can you not cruise at 80 mph? Thats so easy in this ride. Go for the alloy Tango wheels. They are a pretty good deal for an upgrade. To the comment about the autolocks - you can modify the settings with the computer. Just read the manual. Its slightly smaller than the bible.

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  Excellent performance with trade offs - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By mike - June 24 - 3:16 am

  The car has been very reliable and handles well. A small transmission fix and a console trim door replacement when new. Almost 3 years and 38K miles later and no other repairs. Ive fixed a couple rattles in the IP. Oil changes are expensive, about $80 every 7500 miles at the dealership but the service experience is excellent. Comfort seats even in leather are adequate at best but far from comfortable. Air conditioning is marginal, inadequate above 90, and I replace cabin filter annually.

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  Awesome new Jetta, wish gas was cheaper - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Irene - June 23 - 6:16 am

  First time buyer of a VW or any German car, and I must say that the reputation of the performance and handling of the new Jetta stands strong. The car is very sturdy on freeways, the tiptronic kicks in smoothly when accelerating between speeds for that extra oomph of power and you hardly know when you are going over 70 mph. Handles superb turning and lane changes. Ive never been issued a speeding ticket before, but I just might now! Love the color (got the Graphite Blue). Great, modern interior and exterior look, LOVE the new chrome grill, super speakers, moonroof. Just wish that the fuel efficiency was better - Ive been filling up about $35/week which is a dent...but decent.

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  LOVE my Passat - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By SFM - June 21 - 6:56 pm

  Great car with great fuel economy. Whenever I am on the highway I get around 30 mpg. Mine has 95,000 on it right now and is still running great. The exterior is a little boring but greatly improved on in the new Passats. The body is very sturdy, I have backed into my garage door after slamming the gas and it barely has a scratch. Great for a first car or anyone who is on the road a lot.

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  Go Get One... NOW!!! - 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
  By Lance - June 21 - 12:57 am

  Look, you are reading this review because you care about what others think. If you have an active family and need storage space for kids and stuff, the VW Atlas is for you. The storage capacity is amazing! If you have more than two kids, the VW Atlas is for you. You can actually use the third row with the VW Atlas; imagine that! You might be wondering why we bought the VW Atlas. When it comes to driving experience (ride, handling, braking, seating comfort, infotainment), the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander dont compete. I dont know what it is about the Japanese car makers, but they werent in tune with that for which I was looking. VW nailed it! Im 62" and weigh in at 215; I fit in the VW Atlas. I felt cramped in the Pilot and Highlander. Could have that spoiled my driving experience? Sure. Ill concede that point, but take a corner in the Atlas and the same corner in the Pilot; you will know exactly what Im talking about. If you are looking for navigation and rear seat entertainment, all you need is a decent smart phone and a couple of tablets. Youll save thousands on your car purchase by avoiding Nav systems and DVD players. Worried about real leather? Maybe you should be looking at Acura or Lexus. You have kids, and you want the best for your money. If you dont buy the VW Atlas, you have other priorities that I simply dont have. You want three useable rows of seating? You want incredible storage capacity? You want state of the art safety technology? You want a solid, safe ride? You want all of that in one package? You want a VW Atlas!