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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  Disappointment - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Brenda Hall - October 4 - 10:00 am

  Int. door lining peeling off, sunroof side strips both broke off no apparent reason, self air filter change extremely difficult, passenger side head light out before 30K miles, dealer stated 2-3 sets brake pads replaced on rear before replacing front ones, replacement remote key overly expensive, underside of front driver side head rest separated (why?), disconnect battery & to many things to reprogram, expensive windshield replacement, fog lens cracked & entire light unit replacement vs lens only, gas mileage should be higher for such a small car, & front arm rest latch broke early on & 24K warranty was a joke.

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  bernie - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By jennychan - October 4 - 10:00 am

  Beware the 40,000 mile service costs $1,000 ... they must have this VW confused with a porshe ... when you figure that added expense, you can wave goodbye to any fuel savings

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  1 Year of Pure Bliss - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Erich - October 2 - 3:03 pm

  I wish the rest of the motor industry would take a queue from the Volkswagen Jetta. What a wonderful vehicle. The interior fit and finish of my 03 Jetta beats that of even some $50,000+ vehicles and my VR6 has plenty of power. If this years vehicles turn out to be as reliable as they are functional, it could very well be my favorite of all time.

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  great car but paint.. - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By adam - October 1 - 5:16 am

  i love this car. i got indash gps. i also go 4 12 inch subs. fully loaded package 2. but the only thing i had is the paint. i got a black jetta. but the paint is just horrible after driving it. i just will have to get it buffed. i just worry that it wont make it worse.

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  Needs better brakes - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Chicagoguy - September 30 - 5:06 am

  The Passat is a good overall car. My only complaint is the cars brake rotors. I bought the car new and at 15K miles I noticed the brakes didnt seem right and brought it to the dealer. They told me the car needed new pads and rotors. This happened again at 30K and yet the dealer said this was normal. Ive owned many new cars over the years and have never had to replace the rotors every 15K miles and have concluded that VWs rotors arent up to standard. Its not right to expect a customer to have to fork over hundreds of dollars for new rotors every 15K. Because of this expense, I wouldnt buy another Passat.

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  Fantastic Car - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By CamarilloGTI - September 30 - 2:00 am

  I test drove a GTI, Civic SI, Focus SVT, Subaru WRX and Celica GT. Theyre all great cars. If money was no object and it werent so ugly I wouldve gone for the WRX. But taking money and style into consideration the GTI is the best choice. The engine is very torquey. I love the solid feel of this car. Just shut the door and hear a solid thud, not a hollow boom like on the RSX. Slide the turn signal and feel it snick into place. Run your hands over the dash and feel the quality of the components used, unlike the hard plastics in the Celica. Its the little things like these which gives a car so much of its soul that I never seem to find on a Japanese car.

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  You want to like this car. - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By The VW Rattler - September 30 - 2:00 am

  At first glance and ride the car appears solid as a rock. Tight fit and finish, well thought out design features, except for the cupholder, and a German feel. Unfortunatly the honeymoon ends soon after ownership. Numerous squeaks and rattles that you wouldnt tolerate on a 1980 Chevy. It will drive you nuts! They come from the dashboard, doors, rear seats, sun roof...everywhere it seems. The dealer claimed to fix by placing some sound dampening material in strategic locations, but to no avail. Also, lost my drivers side window to the inner door pocket and had to replace the Monsoon radio - all before 12,000 miles.

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  Chosing VW wont be a wrong decision. - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By i_am_913 - September 30 - 2:00 am

  Have a 2000 VW Jetta VR6 auto but as the GLS 1.8T is the best buy. Besides turbo lag, more noticable on the on auto the car is great fun and with some practical sides. Rear seat room are made for long torso bodies and not for the long legged. Great features throughout, creaking and signs of wear become more and more apparent as months go by but not to the point of annoying. VR6 is a blast but a notible hesitation on pedal to wheel delivery. VR6 get manual. Both still eat up gas which VW should work on. The TDI is the best car though. Great gas mileage and no question a car that can easily put on nearly 200,000 miles and more! NO JOKE!

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  Over engineered - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Moscig - September 28 - 10:00 am

  VW has come late to the SUV market, great design, good funtion and a surperb off road vehicle. Here is what they do not tell you about the 2004 SUV of the year! Electronics are overengineered as it relates to warning drivers on a faulty tire presure system, seat belt chimes that do not allow drivers to leave the car running with out being cherped to death, radios with on-board map system must be cleared everytime you start the car by excepting the disclaimer "release/acceptance" button! Something to look forward to for as long as you have your vehicle. One of the best dummy warnings is the airbag warning, buzzer, then bell/chimes to tell you it is off

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  Beware of Electrical Problems - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Kristen - September 27 - 9:20 pm

  Even though this car is absolutely darling, it has had numberous electrical problems. I have had my car in about five times for electrical problems. Windows unaligned causing rain to come in, not going back up or down, radio stays on when key is removed door shut and locked, air bag light on, coolant light on, tail lights going out several times and the dealership just does not care about it at all. I am trading it in and going back to Toyota. I will miss my little bug but its unreliable. Good thing I dont work, I would be fired for the times I have been without a car and unable to go anywhere. I am afraid to take it on a road trip. Purchase a Toyota or Honda.