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:

• 

  The perfect car for me - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Ogden guy - May 26 - 8:20 pm

  I bought this in late 1999 and it was just right. I didnt mind the 91 octane as I got 35-36 mph all the time. Did a lot of long distance interstate driving and have over 130,000 miles on it now. Have always done dealer service and only one bad experience and never went back to that dealer on Provo Utah. Had to replace a control arm and tires as a result. But other than that, it is a dream. Wish I could still buy a 1.8 5 speed turbo in the future. Somewhere out there around 225,000 miles I suspect.

• 

  Nice car to drive but... - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Integraguy1995 - May 26 - 3:06 am

  Ive always driven Hondas and Toyotas and when my wife bought her Passat used with 95k, I was expecting a decent vehicle from VW as well. Boy was I wrong. "German engineering" in this case means that everything was engineered to fail at 100,000 miles. We paid $8,500 for this car two years ago and have put $6,000 into in repairs since. The timing belt and water pump were expected but when we had to replace the power steering rack, strut mounts, all four window regulators and had to fork over absurd money for German-made synthetic oil and filters to keep the turbo from blowing out, we were not pleased to say the least. Cant wait to get rid of this thing for a Honda or Toyota.

• 

  Professional and Sharp - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By MARGARET ADEBAYO - May 25 - 5:00 pm

  The Volkswagen Touareg is a strong and fast truck. It handles the road with ease. The brakes and safety features are great. The only thing I dislike about this truck is its poor gas mileage.

• 

  Hate the transmission - 2011 Volkswagen CC
  By ericd12 - May 25 - 4:09 pm

  Good value but transmission is all wrong. Shift points in drive mode vs. sport mode are too extreme - drive mode shifts very low (~2200rpm) and in sport mode pretty high (~4500rpm). The transmission disengages when at a complete stop and there is a lag for it to re-engage. Also, when starting from a complete stop with the steering wheel turned it becomes very jerky - as if it is in sport mode.

• 

  Time Will Tell - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By rjs38 - May 25 - 10:16 am

  I have only had this car for a short time, but so far I love it. I was hesitant to buy based on previous reliability reports on earlier models (I have always driven Acura/Honda--very consistent with reliability). But I did extensive research with this model getting good reviews with more positive points on performance than appearance. I like the sporty feel of the turbo. Its roomier than previous models. Leather sport seats are very comfortable. Only time will tell if VW has improved its reliability.

• 

  excellant car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By flyboy 911 - May 25 - 2:00 am

  this car has been our best new car to date .

• 

  Cheap Thrill - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By Darshi Sen - May 25 - 2:00 am

  Although its not exactly cheap, the $19,000 + tax I payed for my brand new GTI 1.8T was definitely worth every penny. The engine, if not the smoothest in its price-range, is probably the most powerful all- around. The broad powerband (max torque at 2000-5000 RPMs) is perfect for everyday driving thrills. My buddy who has a BMW 325i thought there was something wrong with his cars engine after driving mine.

• 

  New Beetle Convertible - A real Toy - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By VA Driver - May 25 - 2:00 am

  Fun to drive, a real eye catcher. The new VW convertible has been lots of fun. It has had a couple of bugs, boot cover is hard to secure and electric windows sometime dont close together. The dealership has been wonderful about servicing and any problems. Time will tell the tale. If it holds up as the earlier model VWs this should be a life time of fun and great riding.

• 

  Mine - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Magushky - May 25 - 2:00 am

  This is a very good car. It is fun to drive in. It is le bome.Its sooooooooo cool. It doesnt waste almost any gas. I like the color silver/metallic and black.

• 

  We Need More Diesels! - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Drew - May 24 - 10:30 pm

  I was on the fence over which car to buy, the Camry, Accord, or the Passat. Diesel engine is what sold me, and the wagon option. This car will eventually go to one of my kids when they go to college; I expect it to run that long! Great highway car, will “get-up-‘n-go” and not hurt you at the pump over driving it hard. Dealers are offering KILLER deals right now.