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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  Potentially great car, mixed bag though - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By bostonaudi - March 24 - 11:03 am

  So far its been a good family cruiser, with lots of power. The sport suspension is a good setup. Couple of annoyances, I am 65", and find that the vertical height of the windshield is a bit low. I used to have 2001 Passat, with its higher windshield I found that outward visibility was better. The 07 Passats windshield is raked further, which reduces the vertical height. Another issue is the transmission. Mine has a fairly bad hesitation as slow speed (< 10mph), it doesnt always want to go back to 1st gear. Overall the 3.6 motor is quite the little monster, great acceleration! I chipped mine with Revo which gets another 20hp. Recommended!

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  Leaks and radio problems - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By docbob - March 24 - 10:16 am

  Absolutely do not buy this car. There are at least two inherent design flaws that will make the car unacceptable. 1. When you remove your key from the ignition the window drops slightly to let you out. When it is raining the rain follows the track of the roof into the car along the seal and actually POURS into your lap before you can move. You get rained on in the car! 2. The radio antenna is in the trunk. Not on top of the trunk or up front but inside so radio stations do not hold, satellite reception comes and goes abruptly and am is an almost total wash out of static. I addressed both these issues and some others with the dealership and was informed there is nothing they can do.

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  Money PIT - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Tony - March 24 - 3:39 am

  Ive had the car for 2 years and it has been in the shop about 6 times, 2 of which was to replace the rear main seal in less than 10 months. It also has a problem with carbon build up that cost about $600 to clean and a constant rumble noise from the front end even after new tires and front end alignment. Oh yeah not to mention new fuel pump, coolant pump, and fuel rails. I WILL NEVER OWN A VW again but hey if youre still in the market for one ill sell you mine dirt cheap!

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  Great Car - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Tom - March 24 - 2:50 am

  This car is excellent. The quality, fit and attention to detail is great. The reliability is outstanding. Handling great. With 17" tires it sticks like glue to the corners. The car is leading edge producing 134 HP. It uses every bit of energy in the diesel fuel. Temper your MPG expectations, if based on these reviews. The EPA mileage rating is 27/38 and while some are stating solid numbers over 40, those come with caveats. For example, the quality of the diesel fuel. The west coast does not have the true high performance diesel like other areas. These high MPG are obtained on long highway runs. My personal best is 39 MPG. Average commute numbers are 32 MPG (30% city/70% highway).

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  Hole on Side of Drivers Seat - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By maolra - March 23 - 3:58 pm

  I have enjoyed te car basically. Had front suspesion problemsit was a problem apprantly all 2009 Wolfsburg Jetta had . Service Dept was great rent a car free no problem. But I noticed a hole or abrasion at fist starting on drivers side @10k seat where seat belt comes around. Very noticable when car door is opened now. Now further stiching is is coming apart. Frame of seat pushing against side of drivers seat has created a hole the size of a mans thumb. V>W> is huh ?Calling V.W. North America as it has loded te value of car. I change my own plugs/coil and oil. Also spent the 100 bucks to get Bently manual. But I insist they replace the seat or I spend $225 for friont canvas seat covers.

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  My Best VW Yet! - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By David Pearson - March 23 - 1:56 pm

  I bought a 2001 Turbo New Beetle in October 2000 as soon as 2001 model came out and paid top dollar as there were no discounts. I have had the car almost 5 years and it has been the best new VW I have had - only 2 very minor problems with the electric locks & a dash light. Both problems were fixed right away without agrument. I have moved a few times so I have gone to 6 different dealers with a minimum of problems. The car is great, fun to drive, great looking and still gets a lot of stares. I would agree that the cup holders arent good for tall drinks but I do not use them much. The car is great in the snow as I ski and take it to Canada, the only improvement - All Wheel Drive!

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  Sadly Disappointed - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Curie - March 23 - 9:26 am

  Having driven a classic Beetle as a teenager, this car was a major disappointment. Three months after buying the car, the fuel pump relay died leaving me stranded at 10:00 pm. Three years after buying the car, I traded it in for a 2010 Honda Fit. The lights and radio wouldnt work when it was cold. The heater wouldnt work when the car was idling. The drivers headlight had to be replaced due to "faulty wiring". Upon acceleration or deceleration, the car would often hesitate. After a snow storm, snow would often get trapped in the wheel well causing the car to shake at speeds above 40 mph. Living in Nebraska, its important to have a reliable car.

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  Warning do not purchase this car - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By UNHAPPY - March 22 - 8:30 pm

  I purchased this car it had only 8,000 miles on it. The car has been a complete nightmare with replacement of many valves, air compressor, condenser, peeling of interior, burning lots of oil, finally new engine, now my transmission valve body needs to be replaced. There needs to be a class act law suit, no one should have these types of problems it it a Major headache. I have missed time away from work and luckily it is still under warranty just stay on top of the dealership to fix this problem. But if you are looking buy a new car Honda or Nissan which run great.. Im thinking about trading once the warranty runs out. I think the workers were on drugs when they built the car and parts.

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  Great Car - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jfc - March 21 - 11:33 pm

  This is my favorite car out of all the ones I have owned. It has a great mix of performance and economy. Where else can you get a car that handles great, is comfortable, is fun to drive slow or fast, and gets incredible gas mileage? If I take it easy, I easily get 45 mpg on the highway or around 40 mpg mixed driving. If I drive it hard (meaning quick accelerations, lots of speed up and slow downs with gunning it, and 80-90 mph on the highway) I still average in the high 30s. Incredible. I thought about a hybrid, but Im glad I went this route. The hybrid is not nearly as fun or sporty and does not really get any better gas mileage (specially if you do a log of highway or hard driving).

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  Fun fuel efficient car - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Banff Luther - March 21 - 6:11 am

  The 1.4T engine has lots of pep for what it is and amazing fuel effenciency at 40gph on the hwy. the fit and finish are standard for this value of a car. The interior is much roomier than the older Jettas and the trunk has more space than my Sportwagon. Its a good car over all and fun to drive. Its still new and not sure of long term maintenance.