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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  1 year report - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By pajeff - June 21 - 12:48 am

  After driving for a year and 20k miles heres my take on the Passat TDI. It takes bumps like a pickup truck, corners like a boat, and the technology of a car from 1990. Every time it rains the water rolls off of the roof and into the car when getting in/out or stopping at a drive-through. Is there anything good about this car????? Yes, the amount of space for passengers and luggage is enormous and I get the same milage as all those hybrids but I dont have to worry about a $7K battery swap in a few years. Bottom line buy if youre looking for space mad mileage. Plenty of other choices if tech or performance is higher on your list.

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  Its the Little Things - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By irish7459 - June 20 - 10:06 pm

  I started having problems right off the bat. The check engine light came on about two months into my ownership. They had to replace the entire O2 sensor. Next the door locks broke. Theyve been replaced twice, and are currently broken again. The interior dome light broke in year three. I never touched the thing. The muffler started vibrating in year five. Ive had it "fixed" but its still vibrating when I accelerate. My car has been strictly dealership maintained. They are a pain to deal with. You have to pester and pester to get them to do anything. I figure if a part breaks and keeps breaking VW should change and make better more reliable parts.

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  phat rabbit - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Jae Hyun Park - June 20 - 2:33 pm

  This car brings out the true meaning of peoples car. The quality, the performance and the PRICE! Makes me want to drive more.

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  Still Fun, but No Improvement - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By JOE - June 20 - 1:03 pm

  The 07 Beetle still lacks the charisma of the old Beetle. So? We should expect more for the more money we pay. How about power seats (sit higher, too), locks, mirrors, a better stereo (MP4), free DVD navigation, cool electronics? Eliminate the pillar and rear blind spots. Give it a better trunk lock. How about the top receding into the boot with an automatic tonneau cover or an power hard top? Give it more power. The handling needs work. It has a firm ride, cut the sponginess. Hey, give it better gas mileage, please! Also, give us attractive mirrors.

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  Fool me once - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Teri - June 20 - 9:30 am

  As I write this my VW is dead, dead, dead. We were so excited the day we bought our passat. We loved driving it, loved the luxury of the features. What we dont love are all of the repairs. It is constantly in need of something and everything (and I do mean everything) is at least $500 on a VW. We just got it back 3 days ago, spent $1000 after having at the dealership and our mechanics for over 2 weeks and the hunk of safe, solid steel is just as dead and just as broken as it was when we towed it in the first time. VW suggested we let them take it and they would get us into a new one. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice and it would be another story. No thanks, VW.

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  Best non-luxury sedan - 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Abraham Padilla - June 20 - 8:18 am

  Quality and Style that surpasses any competitor.

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  VW-PASSAT 2015 WOLFSBURG - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By Ashokkumar Shanmugam - June 20 - 12:24 am

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  Best Bang for the Buck - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By Bobby Williams - June 19 - 10:00 am

  This is the most fun in a car I have ever owned. I have owned everything from old big block Chevys to small cars and this is my second VW Golf and I dont think I will ever want another car. The Japanese and American car builders could learn something from the Germans if they would buy one of these cars and drive it. The power, all wheel drive and fun ratio is Awesome!

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  Poor reliability spoils GTI fun - 2000 Volkswagen GTI
  By Laja Dare - June 19 - 10:00 am

  While I enjoyed the performance, comfort and styling of my 2000 GTI, I cannot recommend this vehicle due to constant breakdowns. Reliability was very poor. The power window "retainer clip" broke three times, the glove box hinge broke twice (cheap plastic), and virtually every exterior bulb on the car burned out within 24 months. A valve blew in the engine, the clutch went out at 40K (a thousand bucks to replace), the CD changer went on the blink and on and on and on. I spent countless hours in the service lobby regretting my purchase. Dont get taken in by the plush interior -- this is a cheaply built car. Have a look at the Impreza, RSX or Sentra...

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  The best fun car - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By Jorge Santaella - June 19 - 10:00 am

  It is a very comfortable car. Perfect performance, the engine is fantastic. Very powerful and fun. The car has very cool style and is fun to drive. The price is excellent for what you get. It is a lot of a car with a very affordable price. If you want a car with style, power and afordability, this is the one for you. Jorge M . Santaella (Chicago)