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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  Love it ,But - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By jak54 - April 12 - 3:33 am

  Ive owned this Touareg for about 4000 miles now. Its a great SUV as far as the the ride and handling. Im not going to complain about the terrible gas mileage. I mean someone else already mentioned this, ITS A 5500 LB SUV! What bothers me is the cheap plastic they used on in the interior! The decals on the radio presets and on the fans, etc. The supposedly buttons for a garage door opener do not work. Took it to the dealer..he said "use your own opener"...and the stereo controls...shouldnt they be on the steering wheel? Bells and whistles dont mean much if they dont work. Oh, and the VW logo in the center of the wheels, is glued on!

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  Nice Ride - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Sheela - April 11 - 6:40 am

  My Jetta is great, minus a few things here and there but I love it. Its faster than I had expected, showing me that I could surpass many higher end cars, it has a nice kick to it. I havent had any engine trouble but I did by it used and havent had it for too long so we shall see. I love a lot of details in the interior like the lights in the dash, the stereo system, sunroof, and heated seats. Unfortunately, it was poorly built Im finding out. The interior rubber-like paint peels off and I have now just peeled it all off and it looks better. I learned quickly not too pull up on a curb because it basically pulls your bumper off which was surprising to me. Other than that though, I love it!

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  Very satisfied with the CC - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By wogass - April 10 - 6:32 am

  Bought new In 09 and I though Id might be taking a chance as it was in its first year of production. Now, 3 years later & 76000km Im glad I took the chance as Ive been extremely happy with it. Ive had no issues other than the dealership I bought it from (Horrible customer service). I switched dealerships which made all the difference In getting the most of out the car & service.

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  Happy with my 01 VW Cabrio! - 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By mpet - April 10 - 2:00 am

  WAY fun car to drive and it turns many heads. I opted for manual 5-speed transmission, and it performs very well. The only things I have not liked is (a) some peeling on the door handles & dealer didnt fix to my satisfaction; and (b) with a smaller wheel base, the car rides rough on bumpy roads -- but thats life in a smaller vehicle. You can park this puppy anywhere though, and you are guzzling precious fuel like those SUV owners! I love my Cabrio. Its been a great new car experience. Looking forward to spring so I can DROP THAT TOP! :)

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  A Problem - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By abettinger2 - April 10 - 2:00 am

  Bought it for my wife. Ignition coil problems, instruments turn out hard to read in bright sunshine with sunglasses on, seat velour wearing, drivers door handle wearing and seats to short for my legs.

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  Superb GLS 1.8T manual - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Paul Moscarella - April 10 - 2:00 am

  Closing in on year one of a three year lease. Car has performed flawlessly especially in a rather nasty NYC winter. Purchased the 17" rims & sport suspension & ALL the safety features. Excellent acceleration w/minimal turbo lag. Smooth shift linkage. Could use a little more rear passenger room and the gas mileage is so-so for a 4 banger. Good road manners & excellent handling though a rear sway-bar would help with some understeering during fast acceleration.

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  buy one-youll love it !! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By yorkiemama - April 10 - 2:00 am

  This car handles great and isnt as loud as you think ,especially when youre saving all that gas!This is my second diesel vw jetta-last one was a sedan and theyre just great! Not much difference in the parking than the sedan because these 2 cars are only 1 and 1/2 inches in length different!

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  Its Great! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By HappyVJC - April 9 - 10:10 pm

  I have had my Passat for one week and I am just so happy that I purchased this vehicle. I looked at the Cadillac CTS & Volvo S60 before seeing a Passat on the road and saying what car is that! Thats when I came to Edmunds and started researching for this vehicle and realized it had more features and way better pricing than the above vehicles. All of my co-workers were like "whose new car is that?" when I brought it to work and someone even said they were envious!

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  Amazing!!! - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By drewz - April 9 - 10:00 am

  Everything about this car is beautiful. I have never received so many complements on the way a car drives and looks. Probably one of the most fun cars Ive ever driven.

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  The Worst VW Ive EVER Owned!!! - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By lisa_tim - April 9 - 10:00 am

  This car has been a nightmare. First the sunroof made a buzzing noise, then the cable on the gas door broke. A wheel bearing went bad at 12,000 miles and another wheel bearing went bad at less than 18,000 miles. The rear brakes were completely gone around 18,000 miles, I had to replace both the pads and rotors.(The rear brakes definitely should not have been bad, the front brakes were like brand new). Obviously VW put cheap brakes and wheel bearings on this car. Dont buy this car or you will probably regret it as much as I do. The dealership was absolutely horrible to deal with. Ive had less trouble with my used cars than I do with this one bought new.