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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  put the honda and toyota rumors to rest - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By winkster24 - July 9 - 2:00 am

  i was totally fixed on my moms accord and her old camry, but this car puts them in the dust. buttery smooth describes everything about the car, and the styling is simply brilliant.

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  2.0T is a great, great package! - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ben - July 4 - 7:33 pm

  I was actually looking at a Rabbit with the (Canada-only) Sport package, which ended up being more expensive than my Jetta 2.0T. (I would have considered the 2.5, which was considerably cheaper, but they only had it in beige.) My mother drives an 08 Eos with the 2.0T/6-speed manual combination, and that combination was undeniably the most fun I had ever had driving. The 2.0T/6-speed manual is wonderful in the Jetta as well; combined with 17" wheels, black bumper trim, huge trunk. Loving it. Traded in my Mazda3 Sport - which I loved - for this Jetta and have not missed my Mazda for a second. Class-leading power, comfort, interior materials, fun-to-drive quotient.

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  Fun to drive, handsome, good MPG, happy owner!! - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By gottlieb - July 4 - 11:51 am

  After 3 years and 30,000 miles, still love my 2010 VW CC white/tan , i prefer driving this than my 2008 Mercedes Benz E Class, I get as high as 35 MPG highway with A/C, interior is awesome, feels more expensive, very comfortable seats better than my Lexus and Benz, cornering is excellent, a little bumpy for my taste but thats to be expected for a car this low, acceleration is amazingly fast for a 4 cylinder car. love the "THUNK" when opening and closing the frameless doors!!! Only VW has that. overall, another VERY HAPPY VW CC owner, thinking of buying 2013 :)

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  Great Car - 2009 Volkswagen Passat
  By sconner69 - July 4 - 10:52 am

  This is the first "new" car we have ever bought, We purchased it in April 2010 however it was a 2009 Demo so not really brand new. Anyway it had just at 5K miles on it when we purchased and since then we have driven about 23K miles. We have had not had any mechanical issues with the car. I like others would have really liked memory seats. As I am 65" and y wife is 56" so we are always changing the seat. The 2.0L Turbo has amazing power and we average about 24mpg I have gotten 35mpg on the highway driving at 55 and really trying to get the best milage. Overall the car has been quite nice.

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  Bets car for the money - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By Hellzyeah - July 4 - 10:00 am

  This car is the best Ive ever driven for the price. The performance is great, handling is solid and the features are great.

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  fun fun fun - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Robbie - July 4 - 10:00 am

  this car is great to drive and the turbo has no lag i have found yet

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  fun fun fun - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By robbie - July 4 - 10:00 am

  this car is great to drive and the turbo has no lag i have found yet

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  Fun and Solid - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Stratman - July 3 - 11:13 pm

  This is our first VW since owning a Scirocco in the late 80s. We have the 2007 Jetta Wolfsburg Edition with the 6-speed automatic. We love the styling, ride, power and fuel economy of this car. But in the terms of safety, this car is fantastic with front and rear side curtain airbags. I hope we will not have to use them but if so, theyre there. The power is quite adequate and we have already taken a few trips in this car and the ride is quite comfortable. Also, the heated seats are a very nice edition on those cold days. The rear seat and trunk room are very nice as well as we love to travel and can fit much luggage in the cavernous trunk. All in all, this car is a great addition.

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  Great car so far... - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By MLS - July 3 - 2:46 am

  This is my second Passat and my 10th VW. I used to drive 50k miles per year commuting between Huntsville, AL and my job in Atlanta, GA and have found the Jettas and Passats to be great cars. The Passat is fun to drive. The car is sleek and stylish. I had no problems with my second Passat except several "weird" repairs which were needed after 90,000 miles (oil in my coolant system cost about $350 to repair; fixing of an oil leak due to a faulty gasket was about $150). I went out an priced BMWs today and decided I would keep my VW and just drive it until the wheels fall off (hopefully I have another 100k). Overall, Im pleased with the car. Would love to hear from 100k plus owners!

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  TDI was the Best Decision - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By knophop - July 2 - 2:53 pm

  We had been looking at Jettas and were trying to decide between the 1.8L Turbo charged gasoline engine and the 1.9L Turbodiesel. The TDI was a much better choice, especially since the engine has proved to be much more reliable than the 1.8L turbo. There is plenty of torque, and the car feels like it has a significantly larger engine. The ride quality is excellent for a car of this size. The fuel economy is also excellent. I prefer the exterior styling to that of the new 2006 Jetta, but that is simply a matter of personal taste. If you are thinking of buying a Volkswagen, ALWAYS consider a turbodiesel. They are by far the most popular engine elsewhere in the world, and are the most reliable.