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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  Perfect package - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By mgh - November 9 - 9:46 am

  This car is a great mix of way fun to drive, very respectable gas mileage, useful features, and overall grin inducing ownership. The driver is pampered in a GTI; great seats, superb steering wheel, quality switches, tight handling. Now that Ive put almost 5,000 miles on it, the fuel economy is starting to improve. Started out at 25 mpg on a hilly highway commute, now Im up to 33 mpg - very timely.

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  Still on Honeymoon! - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By dad007 - November 9 - 2:00 am

  This is my second Passat. My 98 saved my life when I was run off the road into trees. The car was totaled but I walked away without a scratch! I looked at all the new choises out there but could not help coming back to the Passat. Its better than the 98 in so many little ways that just add up to the best bang for the buck. This is only the 2nd car I have owned that I look forward to driving every day and I still glance back at it every time I park it. I now work at Sears automotive as a CSA and see and drive almost every car you can imagine. Nothing even comes close to this cars overall quality/price comparison.

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  FUN TO DRIVE - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By lkwdvr6 - November 9 - 2:00 am

  This is by far my favorite car i have ever owned. It has plenty of power all the way across the extremely smooth powerband. interior comfort is unbelievable for a car way under 30 grand. However i have had the car for about 3 months and electrical system is very disrupting. everything resets and car stalls and doesnt start back up agian too many times. It is sometimes hard to believe that it is a brand new car. Gas mileage is decent 20 mpg, it isnt a big concern of mine, plus it probably could be better if you take in account how i drive. Overall i feel better when i sit in my car, and even better when i drive it like a stole it.

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  ILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VOLKSWAGON AGAIN - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By joeydee - November 9 - 2:00 am

  THIS IS THE MOST UNRELIABLE CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED!!!I HAVE BEEN TO THE SHOP A COUNTLESS NUMBER OF TIMES FOR EVERYTHING FROM MINOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS(POWER WINDOW REGULATORS,RADIO MALFUNCTIONS,FAULTY TAIL LAMPS) TO MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEMS(UNEXPECTED ENGINE THRUSTING DUE TO A DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODY AND THE CAR JUST NOT STARTING- UNKNOWN CAUSE).

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  Jetta 99.5 - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Club - November 9 - 2:00 am

  Automatic transmisson with very good response. Accelerator (pedal) hard to sense for starting up. Very good and neat interior construction.

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  nice car, most for the money - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By JK - November 9 - 2:00 am

  works as advertised. smooth, powerful and quiet. great highway cruiser, 24 mpg overall. heated seats are a treat.

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  nice car, most for the money - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By jk - November 9 - 2:00 am

  works as advertised. smooth, powerful and quiet. great highway cruiser, 24 mpg overall. heated seats are a treat.

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  Buyer Beware - Tires Defective - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Ed Slater - November 9 - 2:00 am

  Tires defective at purchase (Micheliin MXV4) - pulled and "wobbly." VW dealer refused to replace. Michelin authorized dealers continue run-around. Rotated on 10/28/02, told to drive for 5000 miles. Re- rotated on 12/13, and pulled other direction. Michelin dealers refused to replace - advised to return to VW dealer. Dealer refused. Dealer offered to "replace" tire for $150 including balance, valve stem and mounting. Caveat emptor.

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  A Fun Car, But Take Good Care of It - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By Stuart N - November 8 - 5:03 pm

  My 07 GTI is the most enjoyable new car I have ever owned. Its the perfect size and Ive got plenty of space for people and cargo, too. VW styling never gets old and the retro interior is cool, comfortable and durable. The DSG is best auto-manual transmission ever made. It makes the car feel sporty without making me feel tired. Its a sports car that doesnt beat you up. But stick to the base car and skip the leather package. Otherwise you have a $30K GTI.

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  I love this car!! - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By YyysAzz - November 7 - 11:43 pm

  I owned a 99 Passat that I got from a co-worker that was about to retire, it had 210,000 miles I had driven the car for almost a year and needed a new car. Went looking and the Passat was high on the list. As soon as I saw the Wolfsburg edition I was sold. Almost everything you would want: MP3 CD changer, heated seats, steering wheel controls, fog lights; I saw it on a Saturday and drove out Monday afternoon. I have leased 4 GM SUVs in the last 10 years and I am more excited about this car than all of them. If you are in the market for a great car this is the one you want, but hurry only 6000 Wolfsburgs, if you miss one, wait if you can - a 50 state legal TDI is coming out in the fall.