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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  Jetta TDI Wagon - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By MJB - June 18 - 10:00 am

  Awesome gas mileage and good performance from this TDI with a five speed trans.

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  Bang for Your Buck - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By James Nullmeyer - June 18 - 10:00 am

  Ive had no problems with my Jetta. It is a pleasure to drive as well as fun. Kudos to VW.

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  Watch out ! - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By el guapo - June 17 - 10:26 pm

  This vehicle is very problematic. I have spend more in the car than I did in all my old cars put together. The timing belt broke and blew the head, it cost me 2,553.54 dollars. I will never own a volkswagen ever again.

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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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  1st luxury car - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By soccerfreak11 - June 16 - 8:43 pm

  We bought this car with 74,000 miles and have had a few problems. 1) EGR valve. No idea what so ever how to fix it. 2) rear window doesnt work. It is a solid car with good MPG, but could be better. Tons of interior room and trunk space. Love the sunroof. The radio goes into SAFE mode every time the battery is disconnected though. Now it is permanently locked and only the dealer can open it. The exterior design is a definite draw back. Over all, it is a great family car.

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  Kool - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By joe - June 16 - 2:03 pm

  This car runs with the best of them. It has a great turbo engine. It handles like a much smaller auto. I love almost everything about it but, why is the clock only good for the driver to see. Everyone wants to see the time. Also, I cant reach the door handle when its fully opened. These are very minor things if you love this car as much as my family does. It is just great!

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  Plastic Molding is Cheap - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By A H - June 16 - 8:00 am

  The plastic molding under the windshield is cracking and the dealership will no honor warranty. Also the molding under the rear window is cracking. Its probably due to our hot summers (100+). Still the car has only 8k miles and the warranty is crap, what happened to bumper-to- bumper. Why does car shake when moving after complete stop, I do use 91 gas.

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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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  Should have completed more research! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Sneel - June 15 - 1:43 pm

  Very disappointed in this purchase. Thought that it would be more reliable. Someone warned us that a Jetta was like a Christmas tree--- always a light on and we should have listened! From Day 1, we had problems. The brakes and roters never were quite right, the armrest broke, center piece of wheel came off never to be found again, transmission problems, trunk problems, remote on the keychain only worked when it wanted to, .....you name it! Definitely went with American made for our next purchase!

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  Feels good but not reliable - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By lfouts - June 15 - 4:30 am

  I have 20,000 miles on my 07 Passat 2.0T. Last week it quit operating while on the freeway. Felt like it was out of gas and unresponsive to gas pedal. Had plenty of gas. Coasted to shoulder and it resumed operating. Then there was a loud noise that was not from the engine. Towed it to the dealer. They checked it out and found nothing wrong. It drove perfectly again. The technician gently told me that perhaps I hit the brake and the gas at the same time and the computer, for safety, favored the brake and went into a low power mode. Sounded possible the way tech explained it. I dont trust the car now. Anyone else had this problem?