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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  Love it - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By satoshi - September 3 - 10:00 am

  I got my black Jetta 1.8T GLS last Friday. It is so much fun to drive and it looks so beautiful. Got the sport luxury package: 17" alloys, sport suspension, and a power sunroof. These cars are built in Mexico, and I dont really trust Mexican quality control. It worries me. The Jetta 1.8T GLS is definitely more bang for the buck than a BMW or Lexus. Its not as nice as those other cars, but Ill be paying off the Jetta in 2 years instead of 5 years for the IS 300. I dont like that the acceleration curve is not very smooth. You have to be careful with all that torque or you are risking whiplash. I also wish it got better gas mileage. (only 22/29)

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  Great Car Except... 2 Things Drive me Crazy - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By jax20 - September 3 - 7:46 am

  Im writing this review because I just got backed into. And if the blasted horn were to work when the car is turned off it would not have happened. What I want to ask you Mr. Hans Designor is why must the hatch lock everytime it is closed? How is this a safety feature? And how in the world is it safe to be unable to use a horn when your car is turned off? A paranoid hypocondriac grandmother could not design a more annoying electric locking system.

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  Smart peoples SUV - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Laszlo - September 3 - 2:00 am

  I have been buying VWs for about 10 years.Ilove them they are the best cars out there for the money. This car drives, handles and looks like a $40k car. (I spent 24k on mine,everything,but leather and automatic.)

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  The best adult hatchback in the group - 2009 Volkswagen GTI
  By Mark - September 2 - 10:46 am

  I really wanted a smaller car, with decent gas mileage, good performance and a somewhat upscale feel without spending 40K. I also need a back seat for occasional passenger transportation. I looked at the civics, and just could not do it, its seems like a kids car to me, I also looked at The toyota corrola (better gas mileage, but the most boring vehicle) absolutely no fun to drive. After test driving the GTI, I was sold, it was perfect, sporty, but comfortable, easy power, not a brute, easy to maneuver in the city, quick acceleration for passing and the best interior of the cars I tested. Im 40 years old, and this car is a blast, but also very practical.

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  VW Rabbit as good as it gets! - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By atomicbri - September 2 - 5:20 am

  Wow. I am really liking my new VW Rabbit. Its still a Golf in my head and I have to get used to the name. Otherwise this car is excellent! Already have taken it on a trip and it proves to be a great driver. Very quiet at highway speed with auto. Small so easy to parallel park in the city, but loads of cargo room. Fun to drive, handles well. And interior fit and finish is excellent.

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  RUN AWAY! - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By mo - September 2 - 2:03 am

  I bought this car for the worst possible reason: IT LOOKS CUTE. No sonner had I bought it than things started to go including the battery, a fan, the a/c system, the stereo, the windows, and the reverse gear. This list goes on an on, and everything is EXTRAORDINARILY expensive to fix. I made a quick decision because my previous uber-reliable Honda Civic was stolen, and I rue the day I bought this car every day of my life, particularly when Im sweating in the summer without the $1,600 it would cost to fix it. Everything that could go wrong has. Don;t buy this car. I will never buy a VW again.

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  Awesome Value - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By CJohnson - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I think that this is the best car that Ive owned, including other VWs, Mazdas, and Acuras. I dont know how you could do any better at any price. The styling, both interior and exterior is fabulous, and the fit and finish is beyond compare. LOVE the sunroof. The car feels very solid like it would last forever.

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  Fun To Drive!! - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By JND - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I love this car! But all I have to compare it to are big vehicles, Full Size Truck, Excursion and old Landcruiser. So of course I love the GAS MILEAGE! We have the Diesel. We live on a long dirt and gravel road with crazy mud and snow--was looking at a Subaru, but needed good gas mileage, this works! May buy mud and snow tires soon, but pleasantly surprised so far.

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  2010 VW Jetta Wolfsburg Manual - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Home Theater Guy - September 2 - 2:00 am

  This isnt our first VW Jetta. Although, we did test drive quite a lot of cars before purchasing this one. Amongst the cars we did not purchase Audi A4, BMW 325, Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Mercedes C Series. A lot of these cars had nice features, some more than others. None put it all together with a manual, a great engine and a fair price tag like VW had. We are very proud owners of these vehicle. So much so, that we purchased the 100k mile warranty. Its a keeper.

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  Great little car! - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By thedriver93 - September 2 - 1:25 am

  I traded my Corolla in for the top of the line Jetta SEL and I never looked back. Great product from VW! It had leatherette seats, heated, AMAZING Fender sound system, comfortable ride, NAV system was easy to use. MPG was lower than I expected, I was averaging 28 MPG 70% highway.