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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  Fun to Drive, but Unreliable - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By louvia - February 24 - 10:00 am

  Owning a New Beetle is a love-hate relationship. You love how it drives but hate how it keeps letting you down. Ive had endless problems with this car from the start. The transmission started leaking the first week and had to be replaced. Weve had endless brake problems due to a vacuum leak. It took Capistrano VW 4 times to diagnose it the first time it happened. Brakes have never worked well. The battery has been replaced twice. The interior is falling apart, door handles peeling, passenger sun visor wont stay up, side mirror knob broke off. Were going to replace it with something more reliable. Its a bad sign when the dealership knows you by sight.

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  So much for German Engineering! - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By M - February 22 - 3:23 pm

  My wife purchased this car a few months before we met. Its been a fun little car to tool about town in. Handles well, gets excellent gas mileage (32 mpg in mixed city driving), and the convertible top is simple to operate. Unfortunately, the car is poorly built: Power windows dont operate properly, interior bits are falling apart, and the final straw: Total transmission failure at under 55,000 miles (5 speed manual.) Google "Self Machining Syndrome" to find out more about how some very important pieces of the drivetrain are held together with rivets! This goes for Golfs and Jettas too.

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  Reliability - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By aliaso - February 21 - 2:00 am

  Reliability 3 brake repairs now engine malfunctioning (possibly coil pack) trim rattles WJ ABS recall windows regulation intermediate problem avoid VW if need car everyday

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  No Longer a VW Amabassador - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By bulldogj - February 19 - 10:45 pm

  Loved CC in beginning. Work in sales so lot of people see car & commented on. Couldnt take after purchased bcause recall 4 seat wiring. Washed car 1 week later & window leaked due to seal. Then trunk would not close. All warning signs 4 things to come. After no warranty due to miles: dashboard around ignition & glove box started bubbling & peeling. Then trunk would not open. Wire harness broke no obvious rodent chewing that caused it; cost $250.00. Recall steering column console Aug 11. Sept: steering wheel locked & couldnt drive thought due to recall. Nope, diagnosis rack & pinion issue not related to recall - VW svc est $1600.00 plus $80 tow. Sales colleague was buying; no more!

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  So Disappointing - No Joke - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Michael - February 18 - 10:06 pm

  Bought June 2002. Yes, its refined inside, build quality above average & overall car is fun to drive. But reliability is worst Ive experienced. My 4th car. 1. 3 separate power window probs that left me with window sunk in door. Fun in winter. NOT 2. 2 separate seat probs. 1st was when the seat actually moved beneath me with each turn. 2nd occurred when lever to raise/lower broke 3. Ignition Coils *UGH* 4. 4 separate coolant probs. 1 prob left me stranded on road (2 year old car at the time) 5. 1 dashboard lighting prob, many MIL engine light probs 6. Car *almost* failed start in 50 deg. weather. VW found no prob. Inexplicable. Just waiting for more... Ill never buy VW again...

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  Watch Out - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By MNtracks - February 17 - 10:53 am

  To start with I love this truck! I tis a great design good to drive. The reason for this review is the total lack of any sort of reliability with the unit. Brakes @ $850.00 per axcel I have replace 7 times. Tires maybe 25000 on a good set. Electrical system is absolutely the worst I have ever dealt with. Drive Train, hads to replace the drive shaft linkage at 34500 and the factory wouldnt cover the cost to repair. I cannot tell you how much this vehicle has cost me to own. Never again... Watch Out!

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  NEVER again! - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dont buy a Jetta - February 17 - 3:36 am

  It is not a reliable car. Does not like going up hills, doest like snow, power windows stink-mine would start going up & down independently then caught on fire (no flames but lots of smoke in my car right behind my head), alloy wheels break when you hit a pothole - mine were discontinued so they dont match now, alternater and starter both replaced, antifreeze leaks ($18/gal), got stranded/towed 2 times in the past year, spark plugs and other wires not good, and now the transmission will not shift ... its not a safe car when you pull out of a toll booth on a highway and cant get above 40! I cant even think what else is wrong with the car, I would never buy another one.

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  Dont Buy it!!!!! - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By CC1836 - February 15 - 10:00 am

  Do not buy this car!!!! I have had mine for 10 days. The roof malfunctioned and cracked the side of the car. After calling one dealership who wouldnt even look at it for week, I called customer service, they found a dealer willing to look at it, but who honestly told me it wouldnt do any good because the parts wont be available until mid-may.

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  Dont believe these high reviews - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By johnnybumps - February 12 - 11:16 pm

  First thing you must do is Google HPFP failure. It is happening to all 2010 and newer models with the CR injection system. Mine died on the road at 23,000 mi and had a horrible time threatening VW of America and the delearship to fix under warranty. All the dealers are giving the same story to owners that face the "flashing lights of death" on ther dashboard that they are to blame for putting gasoline in their engines instead of diesel. This is a lie not to honor an engineering defect.

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  New Beetle Convert - Always a Problem - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By New Beetle Convert - February 12 - 12:46 pm

  When its all working? How fun. But most of the time something is broken. Windows, Convertible top mechanism, lights. Convertible mechanical flaps. Very expensive to fix any of it. Dont buy this car for the quality.