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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  Best Car Ive Bought So Far - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By h8gas - June 20 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely love my new Sportwagen TDI! I have had mine for a month and its wonderful. I chose a Tempest Blue DSG with the premium pkg which comes with navigation. Everything is very easy to use and I love the fact that I can control my ipod feature on my Iphone through the touchscreen radio. My son loves looking up through the panoramic sunroof. The DSG shifts silky smooth and effortlessly, and I am getting 38mpg driving mostly in the city. The 2.0TDI engine has surprising power and has great passing capabilities on the highway. I dont think that writer #1(nonickel) has a 2011 because the bluetooth system is awesome, I can control my entire phone through my steering wheel or radio!

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  This Car is the Best (50+ mpg) - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Thomas Horton - June 19 - 9:20 pm

  My 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI is so much fun to drive. It handles like a sports car. The power is great from 60-80 mph, there is no sound just pure power. I am averaging 49.9 miles per gallon combined city/highway with 7,500 miles so far!

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  Proud owner - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Vandekamp - June 19 - 7:36 am

  I am very happy with my car, from its leather interiors to the way it can glide down the road. plenty of pep if you want it, and is economy friendly fun. Its worth every penny, Family car/Sports sedan Volkswagen has created a fun car for all

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  Surprisingly Good - 2017 Volkswagen Passat
  By Adam - June 18 - 6:26 pm

  I recently leased a 2017 Passat R-Line and I have to say I am surprised by how good it is. Im pretty OCD and normally take a long time and make careful decisions. I cross-shopped it with other mid-size sedans, mainly the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Kia Optima, Hyundai Sonata, Chevrolet Malibu, and Ford Fusion. Basically I rented or test drove all the main mid-sizers except the Subaru Legacy. In terms of handling, the Passat is middling. It is a bit bouncy and feels just a bit floaty at high speeds (over 80 mph, which is normal speed on SoCal freeways when not congested). Of all of them, the best driving were the Mazda 6, Ford Fusion, and Honda Accord, followed by the Malibu, Optima and Passat, with the Sonata bringing up the rear. In terms of comfort, however, by far the most comfortable was the Passat, both for the front seats and especially the crazy large backseats. It also feels very airy and the sight lines are very good (except to the direct rear, where high back headrests intrude a little). The little 1.8 liter turbo engine is a champ. It felt at least as powerful as the base engines in the other mid-sizers, and more powerful than some. Yeah, its 170 horsepower doesnt sound very impressive, but its 184 lb ft of torque is always there and gives really good oomph. I will check mpg when Ive had it for longer. In terms of technology and infotainment, I would say the Passat ranks pretty well, but is not the best. The R-Line has the key safety features I was looking for: Wide angle rear camera, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot monitor, and forward collision alert with emergency braking. The one feature it is missing which I wanted was adaptive cruise control - I would have needed to go up to the SE With Technology for that (I think Edmunds lists it in the normal SE, which seems to be a rare error by Edmunds). One possible safety issue: The headlights arent the best. I have the halogens - the LED headlights are supposed to be a bit better, but mine doesnt have them. I can see fine with the halogens, but they arent very bright and some people might wish for more brightness. In terms of looks, I would say the Passat is attractive from all angles, especially the back and side, although I think looks are really a matter of personal taste. Trunk space is very good - 15.9 cubic feet, and the space is very functional, plus the rear seats fold down 60/40. The main reason I chose the Passat was that, looked at as a whole package, I felt better about it than any of the others. It just feels extremely easy to live with, and also feels like a premium car but at a lower price than others on this list. There is nothing it doesnt do well, and some things it does great (did I mention the huge open airy comfortable cabin? Let me mention it again). Plus the dealership (Mossy VW in Escondido, CA) was more willing to work with me than other dealers. So I drove off with what I felt was the best car of the bunch, at the lowest price of the bunch, whats not to like? Its too new to give any reliability impressions - I might do that after Ive had more time with the car.

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  We Love Our VW Touareg - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Nick N - June 16 - 7:50 am

  We traded in a brand new Mercedes-Benz ML 320 for our Touareg. We had nothing but problems with the Mercedes. We cannot believe what a great vehicle the Touareg is. It is fun and stylish.

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  A Touareg is like a Fine Wine - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By NYTouareg - June 16 - 2:00 am

  The Touareg - is a gr8 SUV - you will enjoy all of its features - VW thought out a lot of thinks for the driver - this is a drivers SUV/Sports car 4wd - tight handling - great tires/brakes - you really feel the road - I had it in the snow , just eats it up . If you want to enjoy you ride to work - this is the car - everyone at work wants a ride - people think you paid a lot more fro the Treg than you really did - tons of buttons and knobs - you will have fun learning all the new features - very happy - it is a whole new level of Mid price SUV.

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  New to VW - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Mel - June 15 - 12:26 am

  It handles good, feels good. Owners manual does not say much at all about Transmission or maintenance of tranny. i cant even find type oil to use or how to check it.

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  Nice, thanks for but somewhat expensive. - 2017 Volkswagen Jetta
  By John Keck - June 14 - 11:29 pm

  The Jetta GLI is a fairy sporty sedan. Its not the most economical of the Jetta trim levels, but offers great acceleration, braking, and handling. The interior is nice with a good infotainment system, parking assistance and blind spot monitoring. I havent had the car long enough to comment on reliability.

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  TDI is a great engine - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By DD - June 14 - 7:50 pm

  Ive now had the Jetta wagon with the diesel engine for about two months. Assuming it lasts (the engine assuredly will, time will tell about the rest of the car)it is a wonderful car. Comfortable, road-friendly, intelligently designed (they even have a sunglasses holder), this is a great car. And, Im getting 40 mpg. It loves to cruise at 80 mph. Great car.

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  Joyces TDI - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jross - June 14 - 6:26 pm

  Traded in a 2001 Jetta VRX with 5- speed manual and VR6 engine. A decent - well equipped car with excellent reliability history. The new TDI is a MUCH nicer car; significantly better ride and handling. Zero problems at 8500 miles. Excellent fuel economy - not unusual to see 38mpg in the city.