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:

• 

  Rag Top Problems - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By frantommy - July 14 - 10:00 am

  My rag top has been broken twice in one year now the dealer tells me the company does not reconize this as a major problem for this reason it might take weeks to fix,(summer is here now). Has anyone had this problem? Seems that other beetle owners have had this problem at my dealership. Does anyone know what to do?? Is this a LEMON?

• 

  80,000 and going strong - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tom - July 13 - 6:50 pm

  We have owned this car for 2 1/2 years. I drive over 2 mountain passes nearly weekly with heavy snow in the winter. The car accelerates well, is great in snow, runs as well with 4 adults as it does with one. I am not sure where others get their numbers for MPG, but I consistently get 40+ at average speeds of 60 MPH with an automatic transmission. The only time it gets less is when the air conditioning is on. Prior to purchasing the VW we owned a Honda Accord which was a great car. One very significant difference between the Honda and the VW is how much more it takes to ding the sides of the VW as compared to the Honda. Without a dozen dings, pride of ownership comes much easier.

• 

  This car helped save my son! - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By sandy - July 13 - 6:40 am

  I just wanted to let everyone know that this little car saved my sons life! He was doing about 45 mph and ran a stop sign late at night due to fog, he went airborn into a field where he it a 8" round tree. The air bags deployed. The only injury he got was a scrape on is face from the airbag and a passenger had a sore shoulder. The car held up well even though it was totaled...It really didnt look that bad, I expected worse! Thank you Volkswagen for making such a nice, solid car....

• 

  The Best VW Ive Ever Had - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Passat Enthusiast - July 13 - 3:26 am

  I have no complaints about this car except for the chronic softness of the brakes. I would say that this is the best car ever. Its fun to drive and economical. It also has excellent handling and a cockpit-like feel for driver. It is superior feel to the BMW 3-Series. It was engineered by Audi, and this is the poor mans Audi. Actually, I like its looks better.

• 

  In love with my Passat - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By passatlove - July 12 - 10:23 pm

  I bought my Passat used, 2007 model in 2008 and absolutely love it! It came with the sport package which really sets the car off with the 18” wheels/tires and lowered suspension. When I was shopping for a car in 2007, I settled for a Jetta Wolfsburg edition because of my finances at the time and could not afford the Passat I really wanted. A year after I bought my Jetta I saw the Passat 3.6 w/sport package on the used lot of my local VW dealership. After talking with the sales manager I finally got a price I could afford. When my coworkers ride in my car they tell me that they really like how the interior is laid out and how the car rides and the exterior looks.

• 

  Best Car Ive Ever owned - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By starsister - July 12 - 1:29 pm

  Am coming up on 5th year of ownership. Bought my TDI brand-new and have 128K miles and still cruising on the original brakes. This is a wonderful car. I keep it serviced every 5000 miles by the dealer. I continously maintain 40-45 mpg. When I think to "hyper-mile" I can get 50 mpg. I highly recommend this car to those who need good mileage. It is very comfortable for long distance driving also. It is a mid-sized luxury car. Very pleased customer!

• 

  Dont be fooled by its look, its bad! - 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Collin - July 12 - 12:30 pm

  I love convertibles and thought that the Cabrio would be perfect for me. This is my second one and this one is still nothing but problems. I have owned this car for about 2.5 years, and have been stranded about 7 times. Everything in the car is going and I cannot handle it anymore. I have spent more fixing this car than what its worth today (around $4,000) However, the car does does get about 35 MPG on the highway, and I love the options it comes with. DO NOT BUY IT!

• 

  Great So Far - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Kenner - July 12 - 11:23 am

  We bought our diesel Jetta in August and so far we just love it. It is surprisingly quick and also gets great gas millage. We have been getting an average of 850 KM to the tank, or a little over 500 miles. We have been told that once this car broken in it will get even better. I cant wait.

• 

  Great car - 2010 Volkswagen Passat
  By zephirus - July 12 - 4:27 am

  The car is a pleasure to drive and is anything but a sole-less appliance. Some say near luxury, but its as nice or nicer than some "luxury" models ive been in. I think VW will miss this German car in the US next year.

• 

  Quality and fun for the price - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By Matthew - July 11 - 3:00 pm

  This car is a blast, love the six speed manual. Window snug up feature sticks in cold weather and can be a pain during frezing rain trying to warm up the vehicle as the interior gets wet. I test drove the BMW 3 convertible and was sold on the Eos due to the year round drivability and the difference of 12k in price for less features than the Eos. I got the iPod adaptor and 17 inch wheels, both worth the upgrade charge. Needs blue tooth capability and HD radio, cruise control is hard to see while driving making it hard to use. But I do love this car.