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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  Great choice for a small SUV - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By RhodyVWOwner - November 13 - 11:20 am

  I just picked up my new 2009 VW Tiguan SE 4Motion! What a great little CUV. Yes, I compared it with all the other little utes. Really it came down to this or the Mitsu Outlander for me in terms of features for the money. That was a great car also, but just cant compare to the build quality or upscale feel of the Tiguan. If I was 20 again, I would go with the Outlander. Now in my 30s, the Tiguans the ride for me. It was hard to find one with the new Nav system (which is super cool) and the giant sunroof (also super cool), but I am glad I did. Has just the right balance of power and fuel economy, but it is a blast to drive. Drives a lot more like a car than a RAV4. Test drive one!

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  German engine-rng, Grt Dsgn, Headturner - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By xandre - November 11 - 10:00 am

  I traded Audi A4 for a Passat. Other than losing the name-plate and sportier handling (esp. stability at high speeds and on curvy roads) that Audi A4 offers, Im very satisfied with my Vee-Dub. ItÂ’s reliable, and built like the upscale luxury sedans. Materials quality is great. I got rear- ended once but the bumper bounced back out leaving no scratch. But the panel and other stuff inside the trunk were slightly damaged. I replaced everything anyway (including the bumper) since insurance paid. When I decide to change, IÂ’ll most probably go for another Passat with more HP. I havenÂ’t tried 4Motion yet, may be I should.

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  FUN - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By SeansTurboKafer - November 11 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for 4 years and still love it. I had forgotten how fun driving can be.

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  Best value in a car ever - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lapidsilver - November 11 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely love my Jetta. I got the base GL with no options and it still has more standard features than any other cars that I looked at. It comes with 6 air bag standard! It also has the CD player, visor shade, folding seats, etc. and I didnt have to pay extra for them. The sales person that helped me was wonderful, and the service department is wonderful too (I havent had to use it yet, but my friend who owns a passat says its great). I want my entire family to get VWs now, because they are so safe and reliable.

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  Children are not importants... (VW) - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By lslaflamme - November 11 - 10:00 am

  Ok, Im a french canadian and I will get to the point about children safety. This car is not legal in Canada for children seat because it doesnt permit the installation of a top (third) point anchor. We learn that after the purchase. VW said that the car is equiped with LATCH system, but it doesnt (the third point is not there at the top.) For that, this car should be 0/10. The children safety is the top priority of any car builder. I plan the get a lawyer until VW find a solution. I will go to the media. For the rest of the the car itself, it is very good.

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  Get the GLI - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By annie macpherson - November 11 - 8:10 am

  I bought the new 2006 Volkswagen Jetta GLI last month with the 2.0T engine, the same one that is in the Audi A4 without the Audi price. This is my first VW, I have heard great things about the Jettas but I like a lot of horsepower (200 I have now). The gas milage is great. I love the paddle shifters. I am so glad that the resedigned Jetta has more room for people in the back. The GLI is a top-of-the-line car, with leather sport seats all for under $30,000 including all the taxes and fees.

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  VW - The Rabbit formerly know as "Golf" - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Viper655rt10 - November 9 - 1:36 am

  Well, Ive only had the car for 2 days. But I can tell you that it is great. The quality has gone up to an even higher standard with this car. Volkswagen has clearly decided to make your money worth it. I had a 2003 Golf. It was a love hate relationship. It was weak-sauce when it came to acceleration, as could be expected. But it was rediculously fun when it came to getting through traffic and going through curvy 76 through Escondido in the San Diego mountains to Julian. As for this one, its freaking sweet. It accelerates like no other N/A sub 3.0L car Ive ever driven and handles like Steve Nash...left..right..left...left again..go go go! And thats with the automatic! Imagine if I got the manual!

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  great buy - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By love my JETTA - November 7 - 10:26 pm

  I enjoy every moment in my Jetta, it is fun and has been very reliable. I have 70k miles on it and have not had one problem.

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  Love, love, love this car - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Matt - November 7 - 4:16 pm

  This car without question is one of the best sport sedan values on the market. Although I have owned performance-oriented cars in the past, I have been consigned to baby- and kid-hauling minivan purgatory for the last ten years. Since the day I bought it, I cant help but smile every time I get it out on the road. There is only one way to go with a car like this: the six-speed manual transmission (even though it annoyed my automatic-only wife). In the short time I have owned the car, I have noticed that it is a real head Turner. The overall execution of the vehicle is just excellent, from fit and finish to materials choice to vroom factor.

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  True cost of all that mileage - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dfurdock - November 6 - 11:05 pm

  2006 Jetta TDI package 2. 183,000 miles. Maintenance costs are high, approx $400 DSG trans fluid service every 40,000 miles. Timing belt every 80,000 miles approx. $1,100. Syn. oil changes about $80. My dual mass flywheel just failed over $1,500. Also turbo failing approx $2,000. I am repairing all of the above because the car gets more mpg than most hybrids. I just hope that the dreaded camshaft failure doesnt occur. I will drive this one for a bit longer, buy a new TDI and hope for better luck. In spite of all the above I still love to drive my TDI.