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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  Not the same ol VW - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By macaddiict - September 22 - 2:00 am

  I have driven Hondas, Toyotas, and a slew of different US cars over the last few years without really having a "favorite" that stuck out from the rest. I first test drove one because my son was working for the local VW shop and I felt compelled to support who was supporting him. I have never been more impressed with a car -- Dont buy a sedan without checking out the Passat -- Youll be sorry you did! I recommend test driving a Passat right after driving another vehicle youre interested in so you can have them both fresh on your mind. The handling and steering alone will have you sold! VW does it right.

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  Second Jetta - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By James326 - September 22 - 2:00 am

  This is my second Jetta. I loved my 1992 which had 200,000 miles on it when I reluctantly gave it away. Ive already fallin in love with my new 2003.

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  Great car! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Bharat P - September 21 - 9:40 pm

  The first day I took it out, the window fell in, but that was the only problem. I love this car, it has nice torque and it looks great. I especially love the turbo. The cupholders dont really interfere unless you change CDs frequently.

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  VW Rabbit 06 4 Door Manual - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Moss - September 21 - 5:00 pm

  This is a great car overall! It handles great and you could feel the high quality German build. I test Drove a Civic and a Mazda3, and Mazda6. Test driving this car sold me right away. It has a great sound system and great drivng performance

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  Looks can be deceiving - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Julian - September 20 - 12:25 pm

  Bought the car because I fell in love with it since I test drove it. Fantastic interior, excellent performance and suspension overall. Have owned this car for 4yrs now. Bought it with 20,000 miles. First year car ran like a champ no issues what so ever. Then came second year of ownership and everything went down hill after the warranty expired three months before. Water pump failure, $1,500 fix. Six months later water pump failed again. I though the mechanics were idiots and did not know what they were doing until it failed again a year later. Anyhow, Ive had four water pumps replaced in three years. Intake manifold failed twice, PCV valve failure and of course fuel pump failure which are all "common" problems due to poor engineering according to dealer. Constant oil leak until I had to have valve cover gasket redone. Oh yes, rear main seal failed at 40,000. The car has 50,675 miles at the time of this review. Great car when it runs but I have spent more money on repairs for this car than the maintenance work done on my two previous vehicles combined.

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  Lots of issues - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By bkhal - September 20 - 5:48 am

  I leased the 2009 Tiguan and after doing that I will never buy another VW again. Within the first 6 months one of the door handles came off in my hand. I had it put back on but it would fall off every few months. I also had severe leakage problems with my sunroof and had the interior ceiling reupholstered- twice. This car has serious moisture problems and the windows are completely fogged up every day. I need to keep a towel in my car to wipe down the window everytime I need to drive somewhere. The mildew smell is awful and there is growing in the car. Im grossed out by the car & cant wait to get rid of it. Its ashame b/c its adorable and drives well- just has too many issues.

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  Fun & versatile; but some flaws - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By David - September 19 - 3:30 am

  Good sporty drive feel but not a true sport car feel. Back seat big enough for 1 small adult. Great top; easy, quick, plus sunroof. Flaws: Poor traction or excessive torque on start up - front wheels easily spin. Bad tires (Goodyear Eagle LS-2) on my 17" wheels. Tires easily ruined by normal potholes (at $200 each)and have poor traction. I replaced mine with a different and vastly better brand for $175 each. Rough transmission with lag on acceleration and when automatically upshifting. Noticeable surge when transmission downshifts. Recall on my 2.0T engine which VW didnt inform me of and wont provide info on. Ugly exterior rear end. Cheap looking interior plastic wood.

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  Achtung! - 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By KD - September 18 - 9:00 pm

  Very nice! I love my 2009 Rabbit. Its fun, its swift and surprisingly roomy. It fits 2 adults in the back quite nicely. I dont know who the previous reviewer was trying to fit in his 2 door! I have had 3 girlfriends squeeze in the back! I wanted all the standard safety features. Mazda 3 does not offer ESP standard. Even after reading all the bad reviews of the previous models with electronic breakdowns, i still got the Bunny and I love it!

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  Shifting unpredictable - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By France - September 18 - 3:26 am

  Love to drive our Passat when its not in the shop. We have been having a problem with the transmission or shifting pretty much from the beginning. I was hoping to find other people with the same problem as we are experiencing. We took our time in choosing this car, purchased a VW for the supposedly well made vehicle it delivers, great disappointment. Its still in the shop now; hoping this time it will be fixed.

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  *Sigh* - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By peqy - September 17 - 5:56 pm

  I am a 17.5 year old male, who has been driving this car since I turned 16. I started driving it and really liked the ride. It was very smooth. The insides of the doors were peeling when I got it and continued to peel as I owned it for the next year and a half. I didnt like the looks that I got while driving it, most likely because I am a man. The cupholders are ridiculously placed, and the rubber things come out so the cups dont stay, when they actually fit under the clearance. I had to replace the brake light switch twice because it failed and wouldnt let me take it out of park. I was late to work twice. Also, a belt wore out towards the end. Overall this is a decent first car, but I am never buying another Beetle and probably not a VW either.