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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  2008 New Beetle Fun To Drive - 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Stanley - February 4 - 9:23 pm

  I gave my 2004 Toyota Camry to my son and I purchased a Red Beetle with a Black top. I have owned my car for two months and I just love it. I shopped around for a convertible car that is fun to drive. The New Beetle is perfect. The gas mileage is not as good but is so much more fun to drive. My husband is a large guy over six feet tall. He has enough room in this car but back seats are for small children. He was not sure about a small car but he fell in love with it too. When I was sixteen my Dad had one of the old beetles they have made alot of improvements. Great job VW. People stop me all the time and tell me how much they like my car.

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  Think twice - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jrose - February 4 - 10:13 am

  We bought htis car for the safety rating and the great reviews. The first six months were great except the gas mileage was way lower than we expected. Then thingsstarted to fall apart. The interior was pealing anywhere there was painted plastic. The center console broke because it was cheap plastic. After about a year, the rest of the car started to fall apart. Except for the first year, we have spent about $800 a year in repairs and of course nothing that went wrong was cover by the warranty. Various engine sensors and parts needed to be replaced and, a shock to me, after only 2 years and 25,000 miles the whole rear brake system had to be replaced.Think twice about buying a used VW Jetta.

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  The Best - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By Tracie - February 3 - 11:26 am

  I have truly enjoyed my Passat so far!!! It is very fun to drive and I love it very much.....Its roomy, not to big and not too small. I have owned a Mustang and a Jeep Liberty and my Passat beats them both...

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  Dont buy the wagon - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jill - February 3 - 7:40 am

  Fast and sporty with all the bells and whistles, but not reliable. I bought it used and in a year it has been in the shop 4 times. It has less than 50k miles. The interior is great and very well made. Has room for 2 adults, a baby, 2 dogs and luggage for a week. But if you dont want to end up stranded, dont buy one.

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  Great fun-to-drive automobile - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Patrick - February 3 - 7:06 am

  I have been driving for more than two years and this is my favorite car. The authentic volkswagen sound, the internal computer, and the comfort level are amazing. The ECU could use some work however as it limits the revs and it changes the shifting pattern too often (due to adaptive transmission). The winter driving is ok as long as you do not give it too much gas, and you can even drop it down into 1st or second gear for better stability and torque. The flaws I do not agree with are the window motors, as they wear out quite easily. The O2 sensors go quite quickly as well, we have had the car for about 8 years and it has gone through over 14 O2 sensors. The handling is very good on turns.

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  Poor mans BMW 325 - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tomcass - February 3 - 2:00 am

  50,000 miles of shifting gears and having fun.

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  Defective Ignition Coil - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Gkwong21l - February 3 - 2:00 am

  I loved this car-until, it started to fall apart. In 1 year, I have replaced 2 ignition coils (2 diff. times), the glove box and realigned the door. The coils were the biggest pain- b/c the towing fees. VW has IDd the defective part (in all 1.8T engines)- But has refused to recall it, as it does not represent a safety hazard. A bad German supplier is to blame for the coil. VW is to blame for refusing to recall the part. Dealers refuse to replace all coils, just ones that fail. Note-1.8T cars have 4 coils for each cyl; so I now have 2 new coils, and 2 coils waiting to fail. Dealers are unwilling to sell new coils-as they dont have enough to go around.

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  Awsome... - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By passat03 - February 3 - 2:00 am

  1.8T engine which provides plenty of power for everyday driving, combines with classy exterior/interior design and quiet, supple ride... 4 months driving this car and still in love with it. The honeymoon aint over yet.

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  Love my 1.8t!!!!! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By kristajibby - February 3 - 2:00 am

  This car is so much fun to drive, its super smooth and great when you need an extra boost. I love the interior style and the outside design is solid. I would recommend this car to anyone...its perfect!

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  GARBAGE! - 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
  By mike1964882@yahoo.com - February 2 - 9:36 pm

  $50K for a basic car! Does not have any instrumentation! No TPMS! No Battery Volt Gauge, No Engine Oil Pressure, No Engine Oil temp, No Trans temp. Horrible gas mileage 22 hwy 15 city. Three dealerships and no one knows anything about this SUV?! The service dept does not know anything the parts department the sales department. DO NOT BUY! You can buy a basic toyota, honda subaru ford chevy anything and get critical gauges and TPMS!