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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  Poor Performance for 310HP v-8 - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By KJ1128 - June 18 - 10:00 am

  Very poor performance off the line for a v-8, Seems to spend most of its energy shifting through the gears (six speed). Leave plenty of room before you pulling out in front of on going traffic!!! Or it can get scary. My Toyota V-6 will run circles around it. No way to open the hatch with a manual key. Hatch locks evertime you close it. If I want it locked, Id like to be the one to do it!! Lose the rear head rest - driver cant see over them. Funky key - should detach the FOB from the key.

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  Dont get a VW - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ilya - June 17 - 3:20 pm

  Fun to drive even with the low HP, particularly mine with a stick, but such a hassle as far as reliability. Bought it new and had problems from almost day 1, you name Ive fixed it.

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  Very Frustrating - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By EH - June 15 - 5:26 pm

  I bought this car used three months ago with 58,000 miles on it. I have since had to replace the heater core, the CV boots (both sides), and replace some major parts in the transmission due to a leak. The dealer I bought it from replaced the CV boots and fortunately the transmission repairs were covered on my service contract, but I had to pay for the heater core, which was about $1,000. I talked to VW of America and the VW dealership about the the concerns but they were of little help. The features are nice, but the car is completely unreliable. I am going to trade it in within the next month because of all of the problems I have had and do not recommend a VW to anyone.

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  Stoop to Conquer - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By Dan Hoogen - June 12 - 7:46 pm

  This is an excellent car - quick, fairly comfortable, great handling and incredible mileage (36 hwy). But, if youre older, like me, its a pain to get into and out of due to the low roof line. Also, it is hard to load and unload the trunk because of the smallish opening. However, it does have a big trunk. And the back seats are really roomy, nice. Did I mention its kinda noisy - as bad as my Outback. But, hoo baby, this car moves! And I never tried the sport setting on the transmission.

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  Fun but always broken - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By khq0660 - June 12 - 2:23 am

  This car was lots of fun to drive and I had an extended warranty, or else I would have ditched it. It always had body parts breaking. The electrical system was always having shorts (one time it went crazy and my trunk kept popping open while driving, blinkers worked only sometimes, doors locked on their own, etc). Endless mechanical parts were replaced. I hated the feeling I got when a new warning lit up on the dash. Just before the warranty expired I had to be towed. All of this happened before it even reached 91,000 miles. If I hadnt owned a Fiat 27 years ago, which showed me how truly bad a car can be, I would have been tempted to give my Jetta an even lower reliability score than I did

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  Big mistake - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Bluesunbug - June 10 - 9:06 pm

  Bought this car used. It was Clean on Carfax and had only 6,700 miles on it. I have only had it month and a half. It has been back for repairs 4 times. The window stopped going up and the convertible top would jam. Also, it has starting squeeking and rattling so much it drives you nuts. VW service is the worst. They take forever to get you your car back and then most times have not fixed it properly. I am fed up already thinking of bailing. I had a 99 Isuzu Amigo that ran 10x better and never a problem. I should have learned about German cars from our nightmare BMW 740i.

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  Lemon - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Unhappy - June 9 - 2:13 am

  Fairly fun car, but very poor construction. New tires every 25K mi, interior trim repeatedly broke, fuel pump failed, pwr windows failed, and on and on until the engine finally blew. 100% dealer serviced according to factory specs. Been towed more than once. I have been a very satisfied VW owner in the past, but this is it.

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  Very Unreliable for a VW - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By psykosonik - June 4 - 10:00 am

  Just to let buyers know there are several issues to be aware of before purchasing a new or used 2000-2001 VW Jetta. They are very prone to issues. First off, I bought my car new in Aug 2000, it is a 2001 VW Jetta. In less than 2 years have had an Oxygen Sensor recall, both Driver and Passanger Window regulators have broke, resulting in the windows falling inside the doors, the electrical wiring has had to be rewired, the Brake Switch broke and needed replacing, and the interior plastic is already peeling. I have owned VWs in the past and am just beside myself at the poor quality of this car!!

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  Just Like A Boat - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Brian_ - June 4 - 10:00 am

  Just like a boat, the two happiest days are when you buy it and when you sell it. Worst car I ever owned…

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  dissapointed - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By maukahale - June 1 - 10:00 am

  nice from far but far from nice. im appalled at the 8.5 mpg im getting. brakes constantly wail, clunk on up shift or downshift, leather stiching pulling apart at 3,500 miles and the car has a chime or buzzer for everything, have to pull the fuses to shut it up. should have kept my audi allroad...