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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  Simplify - 2013 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By mtnmike4 - March 17 - 6:52 pm

  Drove from Orlando to Philadelphia on just 2 fuel stops. average 41.8 MPG. Passed many a hybrid "conserving" fuel. TDI gives plenty of pep for passing and having the "manual mode" helps when pulling hills or overtaking. Fits our 3 person family just fine with even a large 2 seat Burly bike stroller in the back. We chose this over an Outback due to fuel savings. It also beat the Focus hatchback due to cargo capacity. The Focus did not pass the stroller fit test. Dash is simple to use ..controls on the steering wheel are easy to adjust to. Blue tooth is exceptional... Have over 11 k in just 6 mo. Couldnt be happier

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  The Best SUV for your $$$ - 2011 Volkswagen Touareg
  By sgleyzer - March 17 - 10:37 am

  I was a Lexus RX owner for the past 10 year. Drove 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008 & 2009 models and HATED them for as long as I had them all. I wanted a change.... When passing by VW dealer I saw this Beauty on the front lot I took if for a test drive that moment. It was Sport V6. It was OH MY... after just 5 minutes of driving I test drove MDX, RX350, X5, Mazda9 and 2011 Grand Cherokee. Non of these came close (money vs what you get) I picked up my Touareg Sport V6 for more then 6K off MSRP ($39200) on 12/22/10 For all folks on the market for 5 pass. SUV MAKE YOURSELF A HUGE FAVOR PLEASE CHECK IT OUT AND TAKE IT FOR A DRIVE!!!! THATS ALL :-))) Good Luck & All The BEST!!!!

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  Might Be A Lemon... Or It Might Just Be The Brand - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By jen86 - March 17 - 3:22 am

  I bought my rabbit used from a Volkswagen dealership in 09, its an 07 model and it only had 12,000 miles on it when I drove it off the lot. Its now got about 77,000 miles on it, & its had problems since I got it. This car has had the wheel well fill up with water and seep through my seats ($4-500 fix) a bolt fall out of the engine mount (covered by warranty), the alternator failed at 50,000 miles ($500 at the dealer), the airbag light & the brake pads are worn light (electrical issue) are both on ($1000 to repair those 2 things at the dealer), and the CV joints are shot ($670 at the dealer). I would caution people against buying a Volkswagen if they want longevity in an automobile.

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  Thunderbunny 09 - 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Paul - March 15 - 9:16 pm

  My White little Rabbit dominates the small car genre easily in Sport. Test driving other small American and Japanese cars felt like a waste of time after riding in VWs 09 Rabbit. The Focus is hard to focus on after you are behind the wheel of a fully powered Rabbit.

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  You need to drive one - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By T - March 15 - 12:50 pm

  This is my third and favorite VW. I have previously owned a 00 Golf, 01 GTI VR6, and an Audi A6 4.2. The Audi is the standard I have come to judge all other vehicles by and the TDI stands up well. The power/economy ratio cannot be disputed. It does lack power over 80 mph but the torque from 10-60 is great. The DSG is the most amazing transmission I have ever driven. It is lightning fast and smooth shifts plus one more gear than the stick! I bought the car over the phone and did not spend enough time checking fit and finish on the lot; as a result I have found a few build quality issues. They are minor overall, but really check your car out before you drive off, Hecho in Mexico. Great Car!

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  Peoples Car?? Not this one. - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Virginia&George - March 15 - 3:56 am

  Yes you change oil every 5000 miles, but you have to go to the dealer and buy SPECIAL VW oil?? To do any basic maintenance you need a degree in mechanics?! Even then, you may not be able to reach the fitting or part that you want to service because it is so cramped and difficult. Now after 3 years we have problems: (a) difficulty in starting cold engine in the morning, (b) things fall apart inside the cabin (ashtray, window controls, hand-brake knob, etc.), (c) when you start engine lots of white smoke is delivered by exhaust pipe.

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  Glad I bought this car - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By RyRo - March 14 - 2:53 pm

  Owned for one week. Solid car gets crazy good mileage. Like the option set for the price. Also got the eco credit. big score. Nice interior. Fun to drive car. not a dog by any means.

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  VW NIGHMARE - 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
  By serge_vw - March 14 - 1:20 pm

  This whole experience with VW has been a NIGHTMARE! I was complaining about fuel consumption of the car (14 mpg on 2 liter engine) since September. I took the car to the dealerships 4 times! 3 times - to Royal, and 1 - to Serramonte. They both REJECTED not only to fix the issue but even to test the car properly!! Royal told me that I have to pay for the test myself! WHY? The car IS on WARRANTY! When my car was at Royal they gave me a rental car which I paid for twice more than they have reimbursed. Serramonte just declined giving me a spare car or reimbursing any taxi expenses! None of them fixed anything!

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  Superb engineering - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jordan - March 13 - 8:43 pm

  I traded in a 2003 Audi A4 for my 2.0T Passat. I was a bit sad when I took delivery because I loved my Audi very much, but was out of miles on the lease. I must say that after a year of driving the Passat, I am in love with this car. Its so great that I bought a second commuter car (07 Nissan Sentra) to run miles on as I want to keep this Passat for a long time. The ride is impeccable, the cabin is luxurious, and it handles like the Audi (except in snow where the Quattro is a must). The 2.0T is powerful, the Navigation is easy to use, and the stock radio is great. My only complaint is that dealer service on this car is very pricey, and the synthetic oil changes are costly.

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  Not happy - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Beth P. - March 13 - 6:40 am

  Have owned this vehicle less than 3 years and I have had to have the drivers side headlight replaced twice. The driverside exterior mirror just cracked down the middle for no reason. I have had trouble with the power windows. Have spoken with other owners and their having the same electrical problems. I am not impressed with this vehicle. Planning on trading it in on something more reliable.