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:

• 

  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.

• 

  VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI 52 mpg - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By rp4042 - June 10 - 4:46 pm

  I bought this car on July 30 2013 and wish I had bought it sooner. I love this vehicle. the only gripe I have is the odometer is not constantly displayed in the speedometer, rather you have to page through a display screen to read it. Volkswagen claims 42mpg on the highway but I get 52 mpg with 60% highway and 40% city driving as long as you keep the rpms below 2,000 rpms. this is with the automated manual transmission. my best for those conditions was 55.4 mpg. as far as some people saying the interior looks cheap I beg the differ it is not flashy like some other cars but certainly not cheap. this car is a joy to drive on winding roads.

• 

  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.

• 

  Great thus far - 2009 Volkswagen Passat
  By fmrporscheguy - June 9 - 2:00 am

  Have had this car for a full 3 months, and its met or exceeded my expectations. So far no unscheduled trips to the dealership, which is good. Being that this is a "performance" German car, you have to know it will need regular maintenance. The engine is adequate, though not at all inspiring. Does a decent job of moving along when pushed. Int design is very nice. Leatherette works great w/o worry of ruining it with wet beach shorts, sun damage, or regular wear and tear (look at pics of older models and seats still look new). Center tunnel is a tad narrow and would be nice if it were carpeted. I think ext looks nicer than Passat sedan. Audi-esque front grill is great!

• 

  My Lemon - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By J. Petrus - June 9 - 2:00 am

  We purchased this car thinking German engineering is built strong and tuff. One week from owning the car the breaks start to squeek loud( high pitch sound).I took it to the Van nuys dealer and they said it is break dust and it will go away.We had a crv before that and never had a problem, Regretably, we are looking to trade this car with eithier another crv,rav4 or cx7. I guess the German cars are not so strong after all.

• 

  Not a solid car - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Nate Lindner - June 9 - 2:00 am

  Bought this vehicle in hopes for its reliability and gas mileage. This car not only disappointed, but I asked Burnsville Volkswagon to buy it back. It had clutch problems right from the word go. It was in the shop more than it was at home. I almost forgot the color of our car. My wife and I live in MN and traded in her jeep for what we thought was to be a gas improvement since we had two four-wheel drives at home. I would not recommend a jetta to anyone. I put on Bridgestone Blizzack tires to try to improve the terrible winter performance to no avail. You would think a car from Germany could handle some snow. The traction control system is a joke and noise maker. Terrible vehicle.....

• 

  Fun to drive! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Danny Wilson - June 8 - 3:50 pm

  I bought this car new from the VW dealership in 2004. I drove it for 120,000 miles and then gave it to my college aged son who has put another 130,000 miles on it. I loved the car and he still loves the car. The car has always been quick and it still runs just as well now with over 250k miles as it did when I drove it off the lot new. We have always used Pennzoil full synthetic oil and have changed it at about 7-9k intervals. At around 200k we changed the timing belt. This has been a really good car. I keep telling my son to put back some $$ for another car as this one is getting some miles on it. Ive been telling him that for 3 years now. He doesnt want to trade it, it just is too good of a car, still.

• 

  Biggest Pile I Have Ever Owned - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By johnd - June 8 - 8:36 am

  I was really excited when I bought the car. Been all downhill since. There cannot be a car that is more cheaply made than this. Mechanical issues (hoses, coils, traction control, etc.), interior is literally peeling, seats fall apart, antenna is cracking and falling off, engine cover under the car fell off, front bumper has come off twice. Lost lug caps, front grill caps. I could go on and on. Worst car I have ever owned. Will never buy a VW again.

• 

  Perfect...Except "Wheres the 48MPG"...??? - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid
  By kksdad - June 7 - 11:52 pm

  Our Jetta Hybrid will be a year old next month, my wifes the primary driver and she loves it, but, I LOVE it more, and enjoy driving it so much whenever she "lets me"...!!! dont be fooled by the fact this is a "hybrid", VW has "done it right" with great handling, performance and fuel economy (that cold be BETTER..more details below...) for a car that we are happy to own and have NO regrets in buying. Our 16 yo daughter "cant wait" to get her hands on it when she starts to drive..."in her dreams"....!!!

• 

  MS VW - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Bibelicious - June 7 - 6:53 pm

  While a fun car to drive - when something goes wrong - watch out. The repair bills are extremely high. Normal charges for ordinary upkeep are also higher than lets say a Toyota Camary. Check recalls - we have had two. Change your oil!!! We did not change it every 5,000 miles and they voided our warranty on a repair that cost us $1,100 with 60,000 miles on the car. So far with 103,000 miles on this car, that my wife calls "the baby" we have spent over $4,000 on repairs never mind the normal stuff. An expensive kid indeed, never mind the premium fuel required.