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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  Money Pit - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By jjroadtrip - August 15 - 1:56 pm

  Bought this car used in 2009, drive only highway miles and this car has been nothing but problems. Last year alone it cost me $6500 in repair bills. VW dealers are no help, even with used car warranty it covers nothing.

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  Dont buy it! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By duckrun101 - August 10 - 10:00 am

  I regret buying my my 2002 1.8T Jetta. Within 3 months the engine went down, not once but twice. They claimed to have fixed the problem at the first time, but a week after, the engine went down again. It was the coils that they said caused the problem but they didnÂ’t replace all of them the first time even though they knew they were not right for the car. Another problem - Just a few days ago, my A/C was broken. Since all the dealerships are so busying fixing other more serious problems like engine and falling-apart windows, they wont have time for my A/C problem until after this summer is over.

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  Check Engine Light - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JLZ - August 5 - 9:53 am

  Not tightening the gas cap enough, moisture in the air, wrong oil, wrong gas, when it feels like it light. Thats what I call it. You would have thought I would have learned from the first VW I bought, but oh no, I bought a second one. What a waste of money. A lot of money. 3rd time is not the charm in this case. I will never buy another VW, warranty or not.

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  Think Twice - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By dtown73 - July 31 - 11:00 pm

  It looked great on the lot. I did my due diligence and had the car checked out prior to purchase - where they found a rear-main leak, bad CV Boot, and some other minor items. All-in-All it seemed like a great vehicle for my teenage daughter. The car was a nightmare - ELECTRICAL problems. I had read that on Edmunds - but ignored it. The ECM was replaced 3 times. My daughter was stranded 6 times over 11 months. Thank GOD i purchased an extended warranty (1yr/12,000miles) for $1,100 (the premium warranty) - which covered (ready for this) $4,652.27 in repairs. Please Think Twice before throwing good money after bad. Traded it yesterday for a 2012 Nissan Versa... never again VW.

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  Used to like it.... - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Gettin_an_Audi... - July 27 - 10:00 am

  I am the original owner of a Blue New Beetle, we have had to Replace the 02 sensor, the windoew controls twice, window regulator, and just yesterday, door latch sensor, air conditioning filter, mass air sensor, etc - most of which were all out of warrenty. The car was decent - I got it as my first car. The safety was definetly a selling factor. But, if we would have known all the issues it was going to have, we never would have bought it. My interior door handles are peeling too, and I dont use lotion... VW sure gives everyone the run around.

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  please read before buying beetle - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By hatevw1 - July 22 - 8:54 pm

  i bought my 2000 new beetle in feb 2010 and i have put probably 3000 or more into it with repairs have seen it be towed away 4 times, left me stranded for all those times. i have done nothing but regret buying that car. yes its cute but thats it. i am honestly scared to drive it places in fear that it will leave me stranded again. its a piece of junk, and everything is expensive to fix and a pain to fix as well. i do not suggest anyone buys this car. i really wish they would stop making them to be honest. that breaks my heart to say because i always dreamed of owning a beetle and that dream has turned into a nightmare.

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  Not your VW Golf - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VWOwner - July 17 - 10:08 am

  Have owned both a Golf and a Jetta and would say that for the price, your best bet is to go for a Golf which is much more reliable than a Jetta.

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  Not Happy at All - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By chris0568 - July 17 - 10:00 am

  Do not buy this car! It is a piece of junk. Ive had it for 8 mos and want to get rid of it. 5x to dlr in 8 mos. Is that common? Engine noise explained as use of wrong oil. They tested my oil? Car sold to me w/ 2 open recalls. Thats a certified used car? VW needs to review their dealers as well. Not happy at all with entire staff.

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  Should have bought another BMW - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By jennmc3 - July 17 - 10:00 am

  My husband has always loved Volkswagen, until I bought him his first american version. Major problems began at 3K miles and have continued ever since. Replaced all ignition coils (some of them twice) all before the recall, replaced secondary air pump 5 times in the last two years with intervals of 11, 9, 6, and 3 months apart, window clip recall, monsoon CD broken, seat handles break off, turn signal indicator continually falls out. $28,000 for a true lemon.

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  Just the Facts - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Descartes - July 10 - 9:43 pm

  On July 10, 2006, I took my 2001 Volkswagon Passat wagon to the dealer for a safety recall replacement of of an item related to the right rear wheel. I had called one week earlier to make an appointment, however after showing up, they said that they did not have the part. Today (8/3/06), the same thing happened again! I had even called the day before to confirm that the part was in and that they could do the replacement! Other problems include: 1) a drive train axle broke 18 months after the purchase, 2) none of the cup holders work (they broke off or are stuck closed) and 3) I had to glue the glove compartment shut after months of trying to fix it.