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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  I love my car! - 2012 Volkswagen Golf
  By denicep1 - December 20 - 1:48 pm

  I spent six months researching cars before subscribing to Consumers. They had listed the Golf as the number 1 hatchback. I had looked at one before, but someone had told me they heard from a friend that they werent really good cars, so I stopped considering them. But I decided to get a quote to see what I could buy one for. I was really impressed with the price quote (less than invoice) so I went to test drive. It drove like a dream and had everything I was looking for in a car. I even got 1.84% for five years. In the end it was a no-brainer: great car for a great price. Ive only had it five weeks, but I love it so far.

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  Before you buy one... - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By passatisalemon - December 20 - 3:36 am

  Dont buy this car! Not unless you enjoy throwing money out the window. My 2002 Volkswagen Passat was good for the first few months. Then it broke down on me in Indiana (coils). The A/C system stinks. It has broken three times. The check engine light comes on all the time. No joke, it comes on every few hundred miles. I take it in, pay a butt load of money for something stupid, then a few miles later it comes on again. This is the most unreliable car I have ever owned. When working it rides nice and looks nice, but I would give anything to have my 1997 Honda Civic back. Buy a Toyota or a Honda, buy ANYTHING, just not a Passat. Most positive reviews you will see only have a few miles on the car. I have 65,000. its junk.

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  Handle with care - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Bart - December 20 - 12:33 am

  Solid feel, great seats, excellent dashboard lights, likes to run like a horse. Has an impressive look. The V6 is a better engine than the Turbo and gets the same gas mileage. Fun to drive. Unfortunately the car must be meticulously looked after. Control arms damage easily, electrical nuisances, check engine light goes on if gas cap is not tight, rotors are prone to warping. Poor cup holders, premium gas. Only 45000 miles.

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  Love my New Beetle! - 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Karen1963 - December 19 - 10:10 pm

  I wanted this car for a long time before my husband bought this one for me as a surprise Christmas gift in 2007. It is so easy to drive, and the seats are a good fit for me. I have the automatic, so the gas mileage isnt the best, but I really love the experience of driving it every day. This is the best car purchase we have ever had and I will likely own this car the rest of its life!

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  2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6M - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By hercnav - December 19 - 10:07 pm

  We love the driving experience the TDI provides. Bolder front and rear appearanceÂ…lines taken from Audi lineÂ…nice! Performance is outstanding for the mileage and power. Seats are good with comfortable sitting position. IÂ’m one of those people whose right leg tends to rest near the center console, but itÂ’s a broad area of contact and not just an edge so itÂ’s comfortable. Nice clean interior design, good visibility. Solid body feel, doors, suspension. The dash design with the chrome accents provides a nice overall look. Rear twisted bean suspension is fine; smooth controlled ride and quiet interior. Some less refined materials and build quality in interior, but not a show stopper.

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  Head turner! - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By scott813 - December 19 - 9:17 pm

  2 years and 36,000 miles and it is still fun to drive. This car has spunk and handles well. Have had many comments on the look of the vehicle as it was not readily seen on the streets at first but I am starting to see more and more. Went with black on black and have enjoyed the driving experience.

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  i love my wolfsburg 1.8t jetta - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By terry - December 19 - 4:34 pm

  i got the car on a trade with my explorer. with a slight exhaust leak the car still pick up and gos pretty good I have only got it up to 120 but then I had to slow down. it handles the turns like it is on rails. I have only had it about 2 weeks now but on the high way I smoked a Honda civic with some mods like it was standing still

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  Engine Problem - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By murphya - December 18 - 2:00 am

  After 67,000 miles, the entire engine block cracked after hitting a pothole or small object in the road. VW would not admit any liability, my collision paid for it. The car runs very low to the ground. It seems like such a major repair for a minor collision. Cost $6700 to repair.

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  Very pleased [so far] - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By OBTV - December 17 - 11:40 pm

  This exceptional styled sedan meets most acceptance points of any auto out there today, as a previous owner of a DTS [FULLY LOADED] cadillac I miss the softer ride only, however the CC has all if not more extras than the Caddy. Thats the good news folks...the not-so-good points are a User Manual that is NOT so "user friendly" (many smaller titled booklets in one binder) that you are constantly fumbling from one to another to find the info needed, & most [if not all] the driving control feature set-ups have to be programmed...a real nightmare! I use a computer every day and can only imagine someone that dont have some computer skills saddly will end up not using many features available.

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  Great Car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By jaw43 - December 17 - 10:00 am

  We hed a minor problem with the memory seats when brand new, the dealership finally fixed it on the 2nd try. The car is an absolute plesure to drive. It gives a solid, sure-footed road feel. We drove over 3000 miles in 7 days last month, every mile in comfort and ease. When our lease is up the end of December, 2003 this will be the first lease car Im really tempted to buy.