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:

• 

  Wish I Hadnt - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By GirlyGirl - May 26 - 5:56 pm

  Bought an SEL with Rear Entertainment to haul family of 6 around. Found it more comfortable than the Odyssey and was swayed by the power rear windows and dual TVs - 2 things Honda doesnt offer. 3rd row is horribly uncomfortable, cheap interior, and RES system is a nightmare to operate. The radio was replaced within 8 months of owning it and it rattles constantly. The gas mileage is awful for a mini- van. Ive tried to get rid of it 2x but with the finance specials VW keeps running, Im stuck.

• 

  GL review - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By lalala - May 26 - 10:00 am

  boring car. i use it around town, not remarkable

• 

  Do Not Buy This Car!!!! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By very disapointed - May 26 - 10:00 am

  I bought my car two months ago and it has been a disaster. In the first month a vibration started in the steering column and the foot pedals, seats and doorsills. Took it in and the dealer said live with it. Then the transmision was having trouble; again they said live with it..vibration still there...then they said the turbo charger had a problem..but they didnt fix it ..just deleted the code from the cpu. I am not gonna live with it...no one should. Finally it was admitted to me that there were three problems..but that was on their final repair attempt. what a coincidence!

• 

  I Like the Car, Just Did not Like the Experience I had with the Dealership and VW Customer Care - 2012 Volkswagen Beetle
  By nola17 - May 17 - 5:47 pm

  Purchsd vehcl in Feb & it has ben @ the dlrship 1/2 the time I have owned it. After signing the papers, noticed vehcl had 2 dents on door that had to be repaired. After getting it back, had prblm w/the defective window. Had to bring back 3X for this problm. Was tld vehcl wasnt on recall, but continuously had window prblms. Noticed also that the paint was peeling around the bumpers. Dlrshp told me car paint was wrapped, but sent vehcl to their body shop 2 paint ??? Car has ben back 3X for correction. There now. Have been fighting with VW Customer Care and Dealership just for some type of reimbursement for all of the headache and possible diminish of trade-in valve.

• 

  looks can be deceiving... - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By wvmechanic88 - May 12 - 6:23 pm

  Bought this car with 100K mile on it. car looked good. ran fine. the little 1.8 turbo engine really runs good. great handling at high speeds. now for the cons... after about two months the ignition coil packs started going out one by one. have replaced some twice. then its the crank position sensor. then the exhaust. next was the windshield. no dings in it but is just cracked for no ryme or reason. when i first saw the car it was love at first sight but that didnt last long... expensive repairs that never stop.

• 

  Fun to drive, but costly to maintain. - 2000 Volkswagen GTI
  By Bensfo - May 12 - 10:00 am

  I would never think of getting any car other than GTI, but the reliability of this vehicle is a nightmare. Expect to spend at least 1000$ a year when your warranty is up. The last thing was emission system failure that costed me another 400 bucks. My wife drives a Lexus and I never spent a single dollar on that car despite its twice older than my GTI. Now I dont believe any more in "German engineering".

• 

  Buyers Beware - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By oddmoe - May 10 - 10:33 am

  Like many of you other reviewers, I too was looking at the Infiniti G35, Acura TL/RL, and Toyota Camry and ended up buying the 2006 Passat 3.6L Sedan. I thought it had the best bang for the buck. However, someone once told me that if something is too good to be true, it probably isnt. Ive driven this car less than 3,000 miles and have already had it in the shop 3-4 times. The electrical system has failed numerous times, tire-pressure gauge light has already gone off as well as the service engine light. Its usually a 2-week wait to get your car in for service and make it 3-weeks if you need a loaner. This car is not very reliable and VW dealers provide poor customer service. It worries me what this car will cost in the end.

• 

  Massively Underpowered - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By GettaroundDriver - May 6 - 3:38 pm

  I have read the reviews and theres a lot of applause for VWs 1.8 engine. However in the Passat is much too heavy for the engines up and down power. This problem is also hampered by a lazy transmission. The first time I took it out, I thought the parking brake was on. But it wasnt the case. By the tested numbers, the acceleration seemed decent but it doesnt describe how "wonky" the engine is. At times it seems like its dead and at times its going mad. My girlfriend laughed at how the gas pedal would be floored and nothing would happen. And her previous car was a slow Prius. I think the transmission is part to blame irregardless that its a dual clutch 6spd. Lastly the brakes were simply too grabby. It was so hard to modulate. Total tested miles - 780 miles, 6400 miles on the odometer. Glad it was a rental.

• 

  Dont buy this car - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By aeg - May 4 - 4:36 pm

  I just traded my Volkswagen Passat in for a Honda Accord. After 3 years and thousands of dollars, I rather have a car that runs than one that looks good. I have had a wide range of problems, from expensive repairs such as having the entire engine rebuilt due to oil sludge issues, having my radiator disintegrate at 67000 miles, replacing the instrument panel which runs most of the electrical system, cv boots busted, vacuum hose replaced, and a number of blown sensors and small repairs such as glove box and window controls breaking. This car was towed in 3 times in 6 months. I feel bad for whoever buys it next.

• 

  Its a Lime! - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By stowbound - May 4 - 4:36 am

  If it were yellow, it would be a lemon...instead I bought my wife a lime (green) for her 40th birthday. I believed that German engineering would provide us a good quality car that we could keep for 10+ years. Instead, I have had to sue under the lemon law for our horrible experience. The transmission still not fixed, the sound system rattles, marker lights fall out and dangle from the cords, gaskets come loose and the plastic parts break with ease. It is fun to drive with the top down, but is uncomfortable, gets poor mileage (24 mph, not 30 as advertised) is noisy and just feels cheap. There is also no storage anywhere in the car. This is not a car that will last. What a disappointment!