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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  24V 6-speed GTI - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By GPS - April 22 - 10:00 am

  I love this car. Great power across the RPM range and a lot fun blasting through curvy country roads. I strongly sugest test driving one if you are thinking of an RSX, WRX, or Sentra Spec V (what I was deciding between).

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  GLI VR6 SPORTS SEDAN - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JASON - April 22 - 10:00 am

  HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR TWO WEEKS.SO FAR HAS BEEN A FLAWLESS PERFORMER.GAS MILAGE A LITTLE LOWER THAN EXPECTED SO FAR.

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  2005 Volkswagen Passat GLS 1.8T 4Motion Wagon - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By dnichols - April 22 - 6:20 am

  The only negative about my 2005 Volkswagen Passat GLS 1.8T 4Motion is that the engine is a little underpowered. However, that translates into better gas mileage than I had expected. All in all, this is a wonderful car and a great choice for the snowy roads in Vermont where I keep it.

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  Volkswagen Stinks!!! Fooled me once..... - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lacy - April 22 - 5:40 am

  Ive had brake problems for 3 years which Brakeway finally diagnosed and fixed. Then my tranny went out and it took over a month and $5k to fix. Now I got spots on my hood, roof, and trunk which was determined to be manuf. defect, but they wont deal with it because my warranty is out. The console is flimsy trash and my d. side door handle assembly came apart when I tried to close the door in the winter, but the latch assembly froze, on a German car! This is the first car I cannot work on myself. My fuel economy is around 30mph, though others are getting 40. I can truly say the dealer sold me a lemon that I still have to pay for. But, Im not paying to paint

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  Dont buy this car - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dorian - April 21 - 7:26 pm

  the 1.8t is a beautiful car, its not bad on gas and its fun to drive. But do not buy this car, this car will bankrupted you. their are so many electrical problems (automatic window problems, trunk opening problems light problems ect...) that you will run into (and its a lest of $300.00 to get each of the problems fixed). so if you buy this car you better get use to having check engine light permanently on.

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  The good, the bad, the ugly - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By crd - April 21 - 8:30 am

  After one year... I love the power, handling and design of this car. I was looking for a sporty, fast cuv that could still accommodate a three year old and all that entails. This car does that. That being said, driving home from the dealer I noticed (it was at night) I could only see 3 ft ahead of me. Took car back to find lights were ill- positioned. 6 months later I had to get the fuel pump replaced. Already had to get burned out drivers head lamp replaced and there is an awful squeek inside that I cant seem to find/fix. I like the car but am wary about what to expect in year 2. Imo, quality is really lacking. I am thinking of trading it in already, which saddens me as it is fun to drive.

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  great car - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By rich fidler - April 21 - 7:33 am

  very heavy, smooth, safe car. Very solid german feel, almost all high end options on most other cars are standard on Touareg. Tires are expensive to change if you get the 19s like I have but are very reasonable as 17 or 18s. I have 2 sets of tires, great in the snow with the all seasons on 17s in 18" snow in Tahoe. NO problems. Mechanically very good, poor fuel economy but its a V8 ! 14 in the city, 19 on the hwy. I get oil changes for $75 at a VW dealer. Had a headlight bulb blow, and an airbag under warranty replaced in over 2 yrs. Highly recommend.

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  GLI - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By summersbo - April 21 - 2:36 am

  My 2005 VW GLI was an absolute blast to drive, when it drove. The clutch and flywheel exploded(yes exploded) at 30,000 miles leaving me stranded. A clutch and flywheel should last longer then that, 100k maybe. I ended up trading it in on a Toyota. VW are engineered with driving performance in mind but are poorly built. If your willing to deal with the expensive upkeep then this is an excellent car. But if you want reliability go with something from japan. The reliability track record of VW will prevent me from buying another.

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  OMG was I taken - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By foleyarmy - April 20 - 2:50 am

  Yes very nice drive but OMG the issues. I should have looked at reviews, before getting this nightmare. VW is loving the money, cause they are taking it in double from us. Oil lights, low tire pressure issues, engine off lights, and the techs say "I didnt see any problems." REALLY no problems... never will a VW be in my yard again. NEVER !!!!!!!!

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  Very Fine Automobile - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Dennis J - April 20 - 12:12 am

  I bought my 2005 GLS TDI new after test driving a base gas model. At the time, the gas and diesel models were the same price, the diesel mileage was far superior, and the cost of diesel was quite a bit less than gasoline so this was a no-brainer. Now, diesel is often more expensive than gasoline, and sometimes even 15-20% more, so the diesel advantage is not what it once was. Still, I like being able to go almost 600 miles on a fillup, and I love the power, reliability and longevity of this engine. I have 175,000 miles on my Passat and have not had a single repair bill outside of scheduled maintenance. The most expensive maintenance is the timing belt replacement every 80-100K miles. The car has excellent pickup, not as peppy as the gasoline Passat, but much better than most cars that Ive driven, including V8s. The 10,000 mile interval for the synthetic oil change offsets the higher costs associated with changing the oil. This service, like most, is best performed by the owner, the dealer, or a shop specializing in German autos. Maintenance costs are slightly more expensive and servicing establishments more limited than Japanese, American, Korean or other cars, but the Passat spends very little time in the shop. I think that this has been an extremely economical car, but it drives as well or better than cars costing quite a bit more to purchase or maintain.