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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  2 days and counting - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By DANO - March 4 - 10:00 am

  Gray with gray leather, 5 speed, 1.8, a fun car to drive, only thing I cant figure is the empty slot under the steering wheel...as if a shelf should be there...but that is the only flaw I have found with 350 miles. My buddy who has a Merc 4Matic thought it was great and was impressed with the price point. The sales guy Godfrey Campbell at Valenti in Watertown, CT was great!

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  Love my Jetta VR6 - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Johnny Max - March 4 - 10:00 am

  A very reliable and fun car to drive. The VR6 enigine is very zippy as I hug the turns like a high priced sports car. Many cars on the road give me a double take as my Jetta zips on by them with ease. For the price this car rocks!

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  So far so good - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By gticl - March 4 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car (my 5th VW, 2nd GTI) for a month. So far, only door panels have rattle noise sometimes. This car is almost perfect despite the noise.

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  VWs Black Sheep - 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By Badger - March 4 - 10:00 am

  The Euro SHOULD be the best (un)minivan in America. It is not. While it does have VW build quality and performance, it is obvious that the Euros origins are that of a cargo van. The dash board is the most user-UNfriendly Ive ever seen, the seats cause actual pain over longer distances, and the climate control system needs to be drug out into the street and shot. All that aside, it is a great van.

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  2001 Eurovan GLS - 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By rkchambers - March 4 - 10:00 am

  I love my Eurovan.

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  About what I expected for $17K - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By vfr2fast - March 4 - 10:00 am

  Recently Ive been driving a Focus. I like the Beetle so much better: the way it handles, the conveniences, its smooth acceleration and its look. I have had little annoyances with the Beetle: power windows failing, heating vent shut-off valve broken, power gas cap didnt release once, headlights burned out quickly, keyless entry not working (battery dead?), cassette player died. Other than that crap, I love the car.

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  The wonders of diesel! - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By MD - March 4 - 10:00 am

  Have had this car for 2 1/2 years with only normal maintanance. No issues and a fun car to drive. Still love the retro-design. Im 63" and feel like Im in a cavern. First car Ive ever had where I CANT drive it with the seat all the way back.

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  I would never buy a vw again - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By emily - March 4 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car two years ago and have had nothing but problems. my wipers have broken twice, my driver door lock has fallen out, my battery has needed to be replaced, my instrument cluster has been replaced ($500), my emc has been replaced, my rear brake pads and rotors have been replaced.....this car has spent so much time at the garage. do not buy this car.

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  MY SECOND NEW CAR - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By YACOUB NASRALLAH - March 4 - 10:00 am

  the jetta is a car toyota is a toy like the name says,with a few GS more you get the jetta nice interior:nice cup holder, seats,dash board design,SEATS five people ,safe car ,nice blue lights at night to light the spedometer and gas gauge etc.on the outside :open the hood and enjoy the look of its engine on the road:a heavy car on the road unlike the tercel ...its a lot of fun to drive for long trips its comfortable....the only thing about the jetta is if you wanna pass a car it takes the jetta about 5 important seconds to start speeding like you want it unlike tercel because of its light in wieght it responds quick

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  Worst vehicle Ive ever had - 2014 Volkswagen Passat
  By Smitty - March 3 - 8:25 pm

  The NAV is not user friendly. When you enter the car, the media plays whatever it wants to even if your apps arent open. The display changes from whatever setting youve selected to show that youre making a call and to whom youre calling; so if you had it set on the speed you have to change it back after starting or ending the call. As soon as the a/c was out of warranty the compressor went out. I have had it replaced less than a week and its gone out again. Besides the fact that my TDI has no value because of the lies the company told, the car is a piece of crap.