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:

• 

  Loved it for 7 years - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By happy - December 4 - 10:00 am

  I bought the station wagon new. I previously owned an M3 BMW and this car has the road feel and gives me as much pleasure as the BMW. I have an antique shop and can load anything in the car; Hoosier, table and chairs, things that look impossible to fit even into an suv. The biggest problem with all VWs is the dealerships. The car is wonderful but my dealings with the dealership have been awful. The car has had no problems and I only see the dealer for routine maintenance. The men at the counter are friendly and pleasant but the job always takes twice as long as they say and seem pleased that they only charged an arm and a leg.

• 

  Dont buy this car... - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By bbaak - December 4 - 10:00 am

  This car is 95% chrysler! First and foremost. If you want a VW, DONT BUY THIS. This is a Chrysler rebadged as a VW. The Only thing VW besides the logo is the suspension. I was told only the frame and the engine....but sorry the whole thing is Chrysler. VW sells 4 different vans in Germany, but now Im stuck with a car that has lost 30% of its value in less than one year. IF I knew then what I know now I would leased it at least then Id be able to mess w/ VW back as they would have to eat MOST of the cost on this car at surrender time. IF you want a routan buy a Town and Country....go to a VW dealer buy logos and stick them on.....same thing!!!!!!

• 

  Dont buy this car... - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By bbaak - December 4 - 10:00 am

  This car is 95% chrysler! First and foremost. If you want a VW, DONT BUY THIS. This is a Chrysler rebadged as a VW. The Only thing VW besides the logo is the suspension. I was told only the frame and the engine....but sorry the whole thing is Chrysler. VW sells 4 different vans in Germany, but now Im stuck with a car that has lost 30% of its value in less than one year. IF I knew then what I know now I would leased it at least then Id be able to mess w/ VW back as they would have to eat MOST of the cost on this car at surrender time. IF you want a routan buy a Town and Country....go to a VW dealer buy logos and stick them on.....same thing!!!!!!

• 

  The right car after a long search. - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Stryrker - December 4 - 10:00 am

  I was looking for a car with good fuel efficiency, comfortable to travel home from Minneapolis to Bismarck, and room for bicycles in the summer and 210cm cross country skis in the winter. Crash safety was also very important. After narrowing it down to the Jetta and a Subaru Impreza, I chose the Jetta. The manual is a much more tricky than any Ive ever used, but once you get the hang of it, its not too bad. Expect to kill the engine now and again. Theres tons of space in the trunk. It is better than hatchback versions of the Subaru and Mazda3 I drove in terms of space and ski/bike fit. The seats are very comfortable, and I fit well in the drivers area. Good visibility.

• 

  Perfectly Fine Car - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By fried003 - December 4 - 7:06 am

  The 2003 Volkswagen Golf is a solid car. It is nothing special, but its very reliable and solid. It has all the basics.

• 

  Unbelievable - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By PLEASE READ - December 3 - 7:16 pm

  I bought this SUV in late 2004. It has been the in the shop at least twelve times over the past 36 months. Went through five batteries before a recall came out to fix the battery cables. I was told that I always have to leave my car locked in order to not drain the battery. I went to trade it in and was offered only $21,000. Then I went to CarMax and was offered $22,000. This truck only has 30,000 miles on it and both CarMax and the dealer said it would be rated as excellent, which KBB and Edmunds say the trade in value should be $24000, and that a third party sale would be $28,000. This vehicle is such a loss. I am so disappointed in how this value has dropped so much. It is going to cost me money to get out of this vehicle.

• 

  MPG - 2012 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By geo02r1 - December 3 - 3:00 pm

  I purchased a 2012 VW sportwagon se 2.5 rather than a Nissan Frontier truck mostly for the MPG. Having owned a Toyota that had lower EPA MPG, I thought it was a good move. The cars EPA MPG is 23 city/31 Hwy. I expected 25-26 combined. Im getting 18-19 driving conservatively. I went to the dealer thinking there was something wrong and was told its fine. I contacted VW Corp. and was told its the way I drive. WARNING VOLKSWAGON MPG IS FALSE !!!!!! I WISH I NEVER BUY A VOLKSWAGON

• 

  Great car - cant go wrong - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Tiguan lover - December 2 - 11:46 pm

  I bought the first Tiguan to hit Colorado in May. I have put 32000+K miles on it and I love it! I am in sales, drive 50+K miles per year and insist on being comfortable. It is such a fun car to drive but I have picked up 2 speeding tickets since purchasing the car. The sunroof is great!! 6 cd stereo is great!! When I use Super gas I get 28+mpg - it drops to 23mpg when I cheap out on the gas. Stock tires are not so great - I already need a new set. The car has a tendency to slide in the snow even with AWD - breaks do need to be checked. Upgrade from the "Sports Cloth" seats - I wish I had been warned that the cloth shows EVERYTHING and dog hair does not come off.

• 

  Bad Brakes! - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By david - December 1 - 11:16 pm

  Overall the car is ok. Im one of the unlucky few that has brake problems. I had to replace the rear brakes and rotors at 9,849 miles. Im still fighting to get it done under warranty. The brake sensor is only for the front brakes so you will find out too late that your rear brakes need replacing.

• 

  The Car is Junk After a Few Years - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By James Chitty - December 1 - 7:03 am

  My 2002 Volkswagen Passat GLS 1.8T ran great for a few years, but after 40,000 miles the thing started going down hill fast. At 60,000 miles just out of warranty the Turbo went out ($1,700), the axel is bad in the front ($590), and the car is always getting out of alignment. It no longer has any pep. I am very unhappy with this car. I wish I would have gotten a Honda! I coworker heard my fighting with the Volkswagen people and she also had a Passat Lemon, that she had to sue the company over. If you are leasing a car for a couple of years and do not planning on owning it, then it should be an alright car. If you want to own a reliable car for a few years then this is not your car.