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:

• 

  The End of a 35 Year VW Relationship - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Elenewlife - March 20 - 6:43 pm

  I grew up in a VW family; everyone drove them. Ive had over 15 myself. The trans was defective from day 1 and VW did nothing to help. When it broke around 10,000 they said I must be "riding the clutch". Many of these vehicles had flywheel problems; VW did nothing. Mine overheated in traffic; couldnt go on hills; shook all over and became disabled. The lights were an issue; windows and also the A/C compressor. I have always bought VW because they were reliable and VW stood behind them. Cute and responsive yet it was manufactured with a defect that VW shouldve recalled and replaced. They lost me permanently and should be quite ashamed of how they treated many loyal customers.

• 

  100K Mile and still going strong - 2009 Volkswagen Passat
  By mj48 - March 20 - 3:04 pm

  I bought this car new for my wife and have never had any but normal wear and tear issues. Living in a snowy climate I did have to change the tires but other than that a great car. Performance is great. It has a good ride and a lot of standard features. I chose this car over Toyota and Honda.

• 

  45 miles to the gallon - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Gilbug - March 20 - 4:30 am

  I love this car however the trunk lock does not work. The power windows go up and down as they please and the interior clock runs fast, about 5 minutes per month. Other than that a great gas car.

• 

  Great Performance and Reliability - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By KC Northland - March 20 - 3:56 am

  This is a great car for a driving enthusiast that wants good gas mileage. It offers responsive performance, great handling, and a gutsy V6 engine. The six speed manual transmission adds an extra fun factor, and the sporty wheels and low profile tires add an aftermarket look. It is the most reliable car I have owned. In 63,000+ miles, have only had to replace a couple bulbs and perform regular service.

• 

  2004 Jetta GLI - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Wai - March 19 - 5:10 pm

  Nice low profile tire & wheel help the steering response, though Goodyear RSA tire is not that good in dry/wet traction. Braking distance is kind of long due to small discs brake. ESP coupled with ASR standard in this car helped me in one emergency turn into a ramp off I-95 (driving too fast to pass one vehicle just before exit the ramp). A little disappointed with the color (silver) and date of manufacture (2004 model but date of manufacture is June 2003) but have no choice since this new vehicle is the leftover. Overall satisfied with this vehicle.

• 

  228k and going strong - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By stillgoin - March 19 - 12:50 am

  Purchased new and have had reasonably good experience compared to some others. Timing belt tensioner pulley failed at 84k. VW rebuilt top end under warranty. I now change at 75k. Control arms replaced @ 135k, ignition module @ 140k, cruise control stopped working at 170k, drivers window operation is sometimes erratic. Still doesnt burn any oil, clutch is still tight, car is very tight, only one or two rattles. Still get 30 mpg highway. Will run it until the wheels fall off.

• 

  Crappy car - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By otwersky - March 19 - 12:07 am

  Car drives great! BUT.. Things keep breaking due to poor quality parts!!! For instance, I was forced to replace two window regulators that broke in half although one window was never used... the regulator just broke for no reason... And for that reason, I will never purchase another VW. Their parts are either cheap, badly made or dont fit. If the car was well built, it would be a gem.. Thanks to the **** parts, VWs are ****!!

• 

  Poor Customer Service After Sale - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By criderun - March 17 - 8:13 pm

  This little car has been great until we have tried to get some warranty service done. We have had problems with the battery going dead from about the time the car was 6 months old. The dealerships equipment would not show the battery was bad since the car was jump started and recharged. Every other place in town tested the battery and showed it was bad. We have been fighting this for over a year now. Anytime we go out of town and the car sits for 2-3 days the battery is totally dead. We finally had the car towed to the dealership while it was dead but they are over a week behind being caught up on doing warranty work. Now I am no longer considering that new GTI. Nice cars, bad service.

• 

  VW 2007 Passat Wagon - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By VW2007 - March 17 - 5:23 pm

  Driving so far (2 months) has been great. My gas mileage on a 420 mile trip was 31.4 mpg. The only thing missing is Homelink controls for garage doors.

• 

  Pocket Rocket - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By MontclairMike - March 17 - 4:40 pm

  I was actually looking to get Mazda 3 or 6 went I went to the dealership. Both were kinda blah when I decided to try the Jetta (the dealership had both Mazdas and VWs). The 4 cylinders were blah as well but when I got behind the wheel of the V6, I knew that was it. The suspension is sporty, acceleration quick, and the handling was that stiff but smooth feel you expect from a sportscar. I had heard that the past Jettas were crappy but so far so good. Getting into my car is definitely a highlight of my day. The dash has an austere look to it. Nothing but the essentials, very unlike most cars that clutter up their dash. Very happy with the Monsoon soundsytem.