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 - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Newtisdead - September 9 - 2:00 am

  Window unit has failed 3times Turbo has gone out 2times Leak in the sunroof.

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  Worst Car I have Ever Owned! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By frank - September 5 - 3:00 am

  My 2002 Volkswagen Jetta was the worst overall experience Ive had with any product, not just a car, that Ive ever had. The car needed to go in for repairs an inexcusable 13 times. Some repairs took multiple visits to correct which was a strong indication of how inept their mechanics are. The car had problems ranging from electrical to catalytic converter to even the radio needing to be replaced twice. The customer service was neglectfull and even rude at times and the Volkswagen customer care people do not care! My car now is leaking through the sunroof & smells like a fishbowl. Their service is outright terrible. Dont buy a Volkswagen! That is unless you enjoy frustration and being ignored.

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  This car will be my last VW - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Buffmeat - September 2 - 10:00 am

  We have had numerous problem with this vehicle and have less than 60,000 miles. My favorite was replacing the air bag clock spring twice. We also had a fun problem with the shocks rubbing with 2 people in the back seat and the tail pipe fell off at 10,000 miles. The only thing I can say good about the car is we live in the midwest and the car starts every morning no matter how hot or cold.

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  TURBO RELIABLITY? - 2001 Volkswagen Golf
  By TURBOS! - August 29 - 10:00 am

  i have a turbo gls golf and i have been in and out of the dealership. my car for some reason does not reach 8000 RPM my friend has a RX-8 and he reaches 9000 RPM. There is def. something wrong. when i drive i always see smoke coming from my car i drive 100 miles to work everyday and i need a reliable car i do my oil change every 3 months and it should be a good car from wheat my friends say. i need a more reliable car.

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  Avoid this car if your goal is to buy a reliable v - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By Scott Young - August 26 - 10:10 am

  I bought the 2012 diesel Passat for the fuel economy and range. During the summer months I get almost 50 mpg hwy and winter is less because of the diesel fuel additives. HOWEVER- I have 135,000 miles on a 2012 and so far have dumped more than $9000 in maintenance and repairs. Every 40K miles the DSG transmission service is $800 and that is the cheap part. At slightly over 100k miles the problems started and they were all emissions related (this car is complicated). First the Add Blue tank heater failed and the entire tank must be replaced ($1000) then the butterfly valve for burning off the particulate failed ($1000), Both cooling fans ($800) and two oxygen sensors ($1000), add to that VW changed from a timing chain to a timing belt in 2011 so at 130K timing belt, water pump rollers/bearings etc. ached service was $2200. My VW dealer was great but VW needs to address reliability on this model (wonder whats going to happen with the emissions scandal ??)

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  What a lemon - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By ahogan - August 26 - 7:50 am

  The VW Passat has more trouble than I have ever had with a car before. The issues with oil sludging and all the repair costs make me want to run back to a Japanese maker. I will never buy a VW again.

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  wont buy another! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By setaglm - August 25 - 1:43 am

  a.m. radio went out at about 45k $600 dealer quote to replace. the transmission literally fell out before 25k. the passanger side mirror defrost has never worked though i have had it replaced a couple of times. the sunroof drain clogs periodically and starts dripping into the car via the interior lights. a can open is required for anyone over 5 to get in and out of the back seat. interior coating peels constantly. armrest storage latch snaps off randomly (4 times) the front bumper catches or snags on parking curbs and rips. diesal fuel has remained much higher than premium unleaded defeating the noise for mileage trade. v.w. floor mats replaced a number of times only to fall apart quickly.

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  Too Many Problems - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Phil Johnes - August 20 - 2:00 pm

  I recently got a call from my dealer saying that I had a couple of problems with my 2002 Volkswagen Passat GLS 1.8T. First, the vacuum line needs to be replaced at a cost of $178. Also, the car needs to be decarbonated at a cost of $198. Third, the brake pads and rotors need to be replaced - cost $440. Is this a joke? The only mistake I made was to buy this terrible car. I have already had a number of problems with it before this, including the ignition coils failing making it undrivable, a number of electrical issues, I have to replace bulbs twice a year. bad quality tires that are easliy damaged, and bad wiper blades that dont work well in snow / rain.

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  Save your money - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By tarawater - August 19 - 1:35 am

  Since early 2007, I have had the catyletic converter split, front and read brakes replaced, steering column replaced and put on sideways...had to take it back to the dealer. Front axle, compressor, 12 tires...its awful in the snow and ice. Satellite radio died, peeling on the arms and buttons, leak in the sunroof, terrible heating/cooling system...takes forever to heat up. Electrically system messed up and when I try and open the window, it closes, then opens. Numerous other things wrong with it. In just the past 6 months Ive sunk $8000 into the car. The only thing I like is the way it handles on the open road. Im so disappointed with this car and will never buy a VW again.

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  worst car ever - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By worst car ever - August 16 - 3:56 am

  I will never buy a VW again. Ever since I bought it I had nothing but problems. After a month or so glove department latch broke and from there everything just went down hill. I spent over $6,000 just maintaining this car. Overall the worst car I have ever owned.