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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  Used, but new to me... - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Rob - May 23 - 11:26 am

  Purchased my 2001.5 Passat V6 4Motion on April Fools day and so far I am impressed. The vehicle has 69,000 miles on it and runs perfectly. When sitting in the vehicle I cant help but think Im in a BMW (ahhh the memories). Interior styling as well as exterior make me feel like Im in a much more expensive car, not that the original sticker price was by any means cheap. Coming from a truck that Ive driven for the past two years this car can do nothing but spoil me and impress.

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  Review - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By meinung - May 22 - 2:50 pm

  Likes: Comfortable seats, quiet & smooth highway ride, good legrroom in back seat, adjustability of seats and steering wheel, high quality cabin materials, great sound from Monsoon sound system, excellent manual shift, strong & smooth V6 engine Dislikes: Ride is softer than I like and roll during cornering is more than Id like; a couple rattles have appeared in cabin; price of oil filter is outrageous ($18)

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  Redefines sport touring sedan - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By kevorkjan - May 22 - 2:00 am

  This is a great sport touring sedan. It is very nimble and has excellent "street habits". I would strongly recommend to anyone. The AWD system is superb. Tiptronic does the job quite well. If you are looking for a 4 dr sedan to provide "double duty" - family sedan and performance car - then this is it!

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  Great Car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By ChrisR - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Driving for three months and this car far exceeds my expectations. German engineering is far more exciting than Japanese reliability. The German build quality of this car is noncomparable to the previously built US & Mexico VWs (Rabbit/Jetta) There is always room for improvement, but they are minor in nature. This car has one small rattle that the monsoon stereo fixes.

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  Better Buy for Sedans - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By TDIman - May 21 - 2:06 pm

  After eight years of ownership both my wife and I truly enjoy driving this car. It is comfortable, economical, has more than adequate power and is stylish. It remains as tight as it was when it was new. Any problems were recall notices given us by the dealership which were cheerfully fixed in a timely fashion. Its even roomy, I brought home six foot sections of wire shelving and they fit in the sedan, with the rear seats down of course and with the trunk lid closed. This is a very versatile vehicle.

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  Ok car but expensive ongoing maintenance - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By spomps - May 21 - 2:41 am

  Bought new in 2003, still going with 172,000 miles. Comfortable and great handling car but it comes at the price of expensive, ongoing maintenance. The check engine light has been on for at least 1/2 its life and I just ignore it. Sometimes it goes off, sometimes it doesnt. Have had to deal with it every 2 years to pass state emissions though. Dash lights stopped working at 107k miles and had a wire meltdown. Required a new wire harness ($3,500) so I just use a clip on book light to illuminate the dash at night. If it werent for the expensive and ongoing need for repairs, Id highly recommend this car, but cant.

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  My car is a recall beast. - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tori Saulnier - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Jetta for 6 months and have been to the shop 3 times. Passenger seat frame broke, window fell into door, gas tank door wouldnt shut, leaks whenever left outside in rain, break light malfunction, and now the stereo wont turn on. Thank God this was all under warranty for me, so buyer beware. The car drives well enough for what I do, but big puddles and slippery roads are very scary with my Jetta. But other than that long list of recalls my car is fine.

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  Way Poor Quality - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By BAClayton - May 20 - 10:00 am

  There is no mistaking that this is a beautifu car, especially in the Harvest Moon exterior and black top. Beauty aside, however, the car has been a bit heaache. 1) The dealer didnt inform me that they put a significant ding in the bumper when they detailed it. 2) Within days, the automatic transmission didnt work correctly, and I discovered that the console lock pulled right out of the console - the car had to be serviced before I made my first payment. 3) The Turbo is malfunctioning at 4000 miles - driving a non-turbo is horrendous weak. 4) The door has to be slammed shut so it closes correctly and the window tucks away under the roof. 5) I dread the other problems Ill face.

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  Love this car - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Birgit R. - May 19 - 8:36 pm

  This car is so much fun to drive. I originally wanted an A3, but found the suspension too stiff. I test drove the Passat and the GLI as well, and this one was just right. I love the interior styling. The car handles super nice in curves and when merging into traffic. I love the pick up. My 6 year old calls it the Silverbullet. I had issues with catalytic convertor, rear armrest and satellite radio. Dealership took care of it promptly. This is the best car Ive ever had so far.

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  It must be love. - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By unwynde - May 19 - 7:50 pm

  Whats not to love on this vehicle. It has every feature imaginable for a reasonable price. Navigation, mp3, pics, power doors, dvd w/rear ent., satellite radio, wifi, backup camera, hands free phone audio, premium leather, shades. One couldnt ask for more. Mind you, I said I would never buy a minivan. I test drove this vehicle while I waited during the paperwork process for another vehicle. I was sold. My husband, myself, +5 children, and we still have room for the in-laws.