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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  GTI is the complete package - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By PJ Chops - August 19 - 2:50 am

  The performance is awesome all around & still feels a bit on the luxury side, 6 spd shifts perfectly, very comfortable heated seats, high quality interior. I actually get 30 mpg on a regular basis which I think is excellent! I test drove many vehicles which were more powerful but chose the GTI because hands down it was all around awesome. This car is so fun to drive I find myself leaving the house and just driving for hours with no destination in mind. I have tornado red with the 18" wheel pkg & this car turns heads everywhere I go. I cant say enough good things about this vehicle.

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  Great Car! - 2009 Volkswagen EOS
  By DTR - August 16 - 11:26 pm

  This is my first convertible, and I was a little concerned about the problems that are typical of the breed- -wind noise, cowl shake, etc. I have been very pleasantly surprised by how this vehicle performs. Yes, there is some wind noise, and its not quite as "solid" as a sedan, but Id definitely purchase this car again. Its so much fun to drive, and gets great gas mileage.

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  My Dream Car!!! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Bill W - August 15 - 10:23 pm

  This is my third Passat, and I love it! The ride and handling are just unbelievable. I thought my last Passat (2003) was really good, but the 2006 is so much better. My wife just got a new Altima. After letting her drive my new car, she said Passat the is so much better than hers. Im really happy with this car!

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  Fun to Drive - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Patty321 - August 15 - 10:00 am

  I have been very happy with my car, it has been very reliable and I have had not problems with it ever. I would recommend this car for someone who wants a 4 door sports car.

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  Bought it yesterday - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By bbramely - August 14 - 12:03 pm

  I have been researching cars for about 7 months. I was looking at this, an accord coupe, a g6 gt, and mini cooper s, and so on. I knew that whatever car I got into I would be happy with and I feel content with my lease. I am about to graduate from college and got a great job, so this is my first car in my name. Big experience for me. I am such a car guy so I put a lot of time into this and found that rating for rating, pound for pound, dollar for dollar, i made the right choice.

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  Awesome Car for the Price - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Matt - August 14 - 2:40 am

  For $18,295 plus ttl, this car is phenomenal. It is roomy, comfortable, and has awsome lighting inside, THIS CAR ROCKS. It has solid handling, and has the BEST interior materials that Ive ever felt...get one!

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  Great Car with one question - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By Kev - August 13 - 10:10 pm

  I just bought this car today 2/12/10. I LOVE the styling of the car and the way it drives. Its the 4 door, DSG fully loaded. My question is this, as I was driving home after leaving the dealership, the little "engine" light came on. The car seems to run fine but that light wont turn off. Is it possible the dealer filled it up with regular instead of premium that caused this to happen? I hope so..I hate to be without the car for days while they fix it.

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  Update from 2010 - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By rilezz13 - August 13 - 12:53 pm

  First let me say, I have NO complaints about the 1.8 Turbo 4-cylinder engine. It has been a wonderful, reliable, engine. I have always used synthetic oil and its just been great. My only nitpicking would be that it "sounds" like a 4-cylinder when idling (sewing machine?). Next: The Aisin automatic transmission. WOW!. About a year ago, the car (long story short) got bottomed out and the transmission got slammed into the road. I didnt think anything of it as it continued to work fine. When I took it for servicing much later on, the mechanic discovered that the transmission casing was cracked and like half of the fluid was gone! The transmission still worked fine! (but i did replace it).

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  So far so good... - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By 23hammer - August 13 - 4:29 am

  I picked up this Jetta because of rising fuel costs and a long commute. So far I have nothing bad to say about it. The car is comfortable, quiet, solid, and performs well. It does take a little adjustment if you are not familiar with a diesel. I am impressed with the interior and how much I like the "leatherette" I was expecting a lot less from the cars interior and performance after reading the reviews on Edmunds, but I must say I am completly impressed by this car. I am averaging 45 MPG in mostly highway driving. I am 64" tall and 250 pounds and I fit well in the car with my spouse and 2 kids.

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  Simply a great value - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By larmen - August 11 - 11:30 pm

  I just returned from a 1200 miles trip incl 568 miles in one day. I did all of the driving and the seat comfort was outstanding (dont have to see my chiropractor), the mileage was great (32.4 mpg), and the handling and performance in the mountains was first-rate.