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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  VW Beetle Convertible - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Jeffrey - December 4 - 4:36 pm

  Great car to drive! Lots of fun. Mechanical problems with the electric roof have been a bit frustrating. Overall a great car for the money.

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  Avaoid if possible - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ron_dg - December 3 - 4:00 pm

  Pros: - superb fuel economy; beats by far any hybrid - pretty powerfull engine for a 1.9 liter - a lot of extras from dual power seats to leather - roomy inside despite apparences Cons: - feels like a cheap car after 1-2 years - plastiky... - tapistry falls apart in less than 1 year - twice ! - real bad mechanics ( 3 automatic transmissions changed in 4 years ) - at about 68 k miles, need to add oil even between oil changes. - engine start loosing power after 3 years; could not diagnostic the issue even after a computer upgrade; Bottom line, a fun car to drive while it works. When the mechanics and the technicians at the dealership knows you by name when you pull in, is bad...

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  So disappointed with my 99 Passat - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Clare Grief - December 2 - 2:00 am

  I bought my VW Passat new in 1999. It has been back to the dealer regularly ever since. Engine fan, engine temperature sensor, interior and exterior body moldings, major oil leaks, oil coolant leak and finally last month, the spark control module failed leaving me stranded on the side of the road. These repairs have cost me over $3,500. This is by far the most unreliable car I have ever owned and it has only done 34K miles.

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  Passat GLX 4 Motion - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By ride0238 - December 2 - 2:00 am

  This is the 2nd Passat GLX 4 Motion that I have owned and I hope that it is as good as the first one. I had no problems with the 2000 GLX and this one is just an improved version.

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  Unreliable, tons of problems - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Joan - November 30 - 8:16 pm

  We purchased this car in March of 2006. We now have 34K miles on the car. It has been towed to various VW dealers four times. Twice we were going 65 mph on the freeway and it stalled. Weve had the entire A/C system replaced (that was fun, going up a hill, a grinding sound and tons of smoke and the car died), many belts have broken, various sensors have malfunctioned, electrical problems and I could go on. We had 2 other VWs previously and no problems. Thankfully our other car is a BMW which is night & day compared to the Passat.

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  1rst VW: Extremely Roomy, Insane MPG - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By wilsonbrown - November 30 - 12:11 pm

  This car has as much room as an Audi A8 and the MPG of a much smaller car. Getting on average 42mpg. On highway, can get 56mpg on long trips.

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  An excellent all round car - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By nij - November 29 - 2:02 pm

  Ive had the car for 3 years now. Used it for pretty much everything -> Haul cargo ( 500+ miles ), furniture from ikea. With the rear seats folded, i was able to completely assembled computer table in it. Although i wish the car was a little wider. Commuter car -> I use it to commute 30+ miles daily and it is a quiet and smooth ride. the standard seat heaters help in winter. The car was covered under the factory free maintenance until now, so i havent had to spend any extra money on it. The car averages 28-32 mpg ( city - highway ) for me. The highway ride is smooth and comfortable. I havent spent any money on repairs so far and have 45K+ miles on it.

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  Good car, reliability not good - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By ma3770 - November 29 - 2:00 am

  My vehicle currently has over 100,000 miles. Initial impressions during the first 25000 miles were very positive. The car handled decently, the ride was firm, the V6 engine had smooth power. Gas mileage has been constant at an OK 22 combined city/highway. Subsequent impressions were not as good due to overall reliability problems. I could cut and paste the problems mentioned in other reviews/forums, such as leaking cylinder head gaskets, leaking cam seals, tie rod replacement, new ABS module, control arm joints, and a host of various other problems. Repair bills over the years were exorbitant, much of which was due to the high cost of replacement parts.

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  Can you say lemon? - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By Synthtek - November 29 - 2:00 am

  Love the car, love the interior, fun to drive...When it works... Car has broken down once in the first six months and need to be towed. Since that time it has been to the dealer 3 times for misfires and engine stalling out. This is a DSG vehicle... Ive made three reports to NHTSA and the car is currently in the shop again... Never had a vehicle before thats been so unreliable.

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  I love my Jetta, mostly... - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Barnaby S. - November 29 - 2:00 am

  I enjoy driving this car very much. I had a Toyota Camry before and that car was so boring to drive I didnt really enjoy going place, it almost put me to sleep. This car is a joy to drive, I get in it sometimes to drive just for no reason other than to drive. It does have more annoyances than I am used to however. It has many squeaks and rattles, which seems unusual for a newer car. Though the seats are very comfortable, and the interior looks nice, and everything is very easy to use, the car makes many noises that are disturbing. There are probably 6 or 7 different intermittent squeaks and rattles that present themselves regularly, very annoying.