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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  Audi in VWs clothing... - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By atr - January 15 - 8:23 am

  I have had the car for just over a week and loving every minute of it. I opted for the sport package and cant imagine it any other way. It has been quite a head-turner with lowered ride height and included 18" rims. It handles like a dream with lots of power. So far great it has been getting great gas mileage, 26 - 29 mpg. The manual transmission was a must for me and I couldnt be happier with it. It is a smooth shifter through all 6 gears and accelerates with ease.

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  Looks can be deceiving - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By johnnyhatesjetta - January 15 - 12:53 am

  Read all the sites before you buy a jetta!! I know I made a mistake, dont let it be you. The car looked awesome. Got more than a few compliments on the road. It had more than adequate performance with a 200 v6 and 5 speed auto. Nice sounds from the stereo when it worked. Loved to cruise at very high speeds.

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  Fun car, hate the check engine light - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Vdubber - January 13 - 12:36 pm

  I bought my Jetta two months ago and have put about 2000 miles on it, it had 93000 when I bought it. I love the looks of the car and the features are second to none in the small car realm, the heated leather, sunroof, radio controls on the steering column, its very fun to drive and fairly economical, it gets around 31 mpg, my only complaint is the check engine light, no matter how many repairs, it will not go off and stay off. $530 later Ive decided to let it be on. Sometimes I get so mad about it but then I drive the car and remember why I love it, its fun to drive, more classy than civic or corolla... did I mention its fun to drive?

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  Finally a car that makes sense. - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By Gabriel Palotas - January 13 - 11:56 am

  The word conventinal does not apply to this car. Elegant styling, quality workmanship in all details. Finally a car that gives you value, satisfaction. I have compared and toiled over the last couple of weeks in purchasing a hardtop convertable and was prepared to pay well over the price of this car. The comfortable four passanger seats are unmatched in the hardtop convertable class. The motor is peppy and economical. I turned in my M45 Infinity V8 with joy. I have not given up on luxury.The leather interior and smart easy controls spell SMART.

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  So far so good - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vwandsaabfan - January 12 - 3:07 am

  I recently purchased this car as a practical everyday driver and I am loving it. It is not very powerful, but the 2.0l does well enough. The manual gearbox is wonderful and is very fun. The car handles surprisingly well. I am happy with the fuel economy (average 29.5) and so far have not had any mechanical issues. There are a few squeaks and rattles from various places in the interior, but other than that the car is very clean. It is almost at 100xxx miles and still runs like a champ. The heater is also excellent in this car, which is important as I am from Wisconsin. I have put about 3xxx miles on so far and am very happy with this car.

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  Tdi Sportwagon - a REALLY good buy - 2014 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By paulddb - January 12 - 12:49 am

  Now done 21,000 miles of mixed open road and LA rush-hour traffic, this has been more fun to drive than I could ever have expected. Free dealer services at 10 and 20k, I decided to have additional oil changes at 5k intervals. The high torque makes top gear acceleration fun. People complain of sluggish 1st gear starts - like pulling away from a light or making a left turn across traffic. This can be partly avoided by switching briefly to S-mode, which completely changes the character of the car, but takes its toll in fuel consumption. Mixed driving gives me an overall 39 mpg: some days commuting across LA from the San Fernando Valley to Venice I get 53 mpg.

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  Happy to be back with VW again - 2011 Volkswagen Golf
  By flbntz - January 11 - 9:40 pm

  I had a 1973 VW Super Beetle, my first new car, and, due to driving around with five full size guys in the car, bought a used 69 Ford Thunderbird coupe, the party mobile, Regretted not keeping the VW longer, really solid, well-built car, and fun to drive. Bought a 2010 Toyota Prius in December 2009, and traded it on a 2010 Golf 2dr gas AT 3 months later, due to lack of driving enjoyment when the cool factor of the Prius wore off, and everything became about gas milage with it, which wasnt as good as they advertised. They said it was due to it being winter, and the gas motor needed to run to run the heater, but they donttell you that before you buy it. Fahrvegnugen! Like my VW.

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  Love my Passat - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Echad7 - January 11 - 4:40 am

  I checked out this website before I purchased my Turbo two years ago. Reviews were so good, I took the plunge and have not regretted it one minute. I love my Passat. Handling is awesome, comfort is excellent. I make sure it gets its regular maintenance. It has 40,000 miles on it and not had any problems. Hope it stays that way!

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  Loved it - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Bigg E - January 11 - 2:00 am

  Definately one of the best cars that Ive owned. Very fast, stable and loaded with features. Only had a few repair problems. I was told by the dealer that the brake rotors can not be turned, they had to be replaced. Expensive fix. Not an expensive car to own overall. Definately recommend.

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  Great car for commuting - 2001 Volkswagen Golf
  By Harold J - January 11 - 2:00 am

  The golf is great for commuting but not for transporting more than 3 people. when 4 or 5 people are in the car it gets kind of sluggish. but for driving to work, home, shopping and a little roadtrip its great. It comes off the corners well but will handle a lot better with performance tires. The manual windows are great since my buddies auto window regulators keep breaking on his 2002 gti. check up on the window regulators they are notorious for failling but i think VWOA had a recall out on it now but you may want to check it out to make sure