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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  i love it - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bad ass - February 14 - 4:33 am

  i have had my jetta for 2 years now and i love it. it is fast smooth and drives awesome. no matter how hard i drive it i still seem to get 30 miles to the gallon. yeah, it is premium fuel but it is such a small price to pay.

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  I couldnt ask for a better first car. - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By jdamato - February 14 - 3:33 am

  My Rabbit is my first car and its a fantastic car. My brother drove it for a year and then handed it down to me for a Jeep. Its really everything I wanted in a car. A good design, amazing handling and performance and very good gas mileage(just what I need for a job thats 22 miles away from my house). I havent had any major problems yet. The only problem I had was my emergency brake wasnt disengaging all the way and it wore my back brakes really fast.

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  Great Buy, Great Fun - 2005 Volkswagen GTI
  By Jorge - February 13 - 5:43 pm

  First of all, you cant beat the price of this car for the fun that you get. I was between this car and the Acura RSX S, but purchasing this car for 4K-5K less turned out to be a great decision. I love the 17" 15-spoke wheels, and the posh interior is identical to the Audi A4. The acceleration, engine noise, and handling make you want to be the friend who drives everybody around. This car has proven to be both functional and fun, as the back seat turns into a surprisingly large cargo area that beats any sedan as far as usefulness goes. Discrete looks with a fantastic pick-up at an unbeatable price makes this guy a proud GTI owner.

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  Great car for your daughter in HS - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Suvacrew - February 13 - 9:56 am

  Im an Audi guy, had one of the first TTs and they had some issues, now drive an A8. But got my daughter the Beetle Sport 5 spd, red and loaded. Have had NO ISSUES apart from the door handles chipping. Its very similar to the TT in drive quality, if not giving up 30+ HP on the engine and feels much lighter on the road. The Sports lo-pro wheels give it a nice handling sensation and the brakes are much more manageable than in the Audis. Perfect car for a new driver in HS. Relatively cheap to insure, the wheel panels are plastic and cheap to replace (luckily have had no need to) and its a total chick car. I feel its a safe car to be in.

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  Awesome Car - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JETTAFAN - February 13 - 8:56 am

  This is by far the best car ive ever purchased. Though I was nervous at first (as the dealer explained to me that the costs of repairs for this car are very expensive), Ive had no problems yet. The car drives great and the 6 speed tripmatic is awesome. I find the car to be very comfortable and love nothing more than the heated seats in the winter. I 100% recommend.

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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.

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  Drives very nicely...mediocre interior - 2009 Volkswagen Passat
  By DG - February 12 - 7:06 am

  I love the way this car drives. It drives better than most 6 cyl vehicles Ive driven. The interior knobs have a somewhat cheap-looking appearance. Overall a good bang for your buck.

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  second time around - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By stephen walker - February 11 - 11:13 am

  My first vehicle was a VW Jetta 4 door and the problem list was endless. I just purchased a 2004 Jetta Wagon after doing a little reseach and I must say what a difference. The engine is better, the convenience package is better and wow is it fast!

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  80k - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By chucky15 - February 11 - 7:03 am

  Got this guy new in 2010. I have put close to 80,000 miles on it since. For the price a great car. Fuel economy is amazing( especially if youre a mostly highway driver). Ive averaged 45 mpg in mostly highway driving. City driving gets 32mpg. The torque band is equally awesome. DSG is fantastic. As it is a VW and a diesel you can definitely count on annoying little things going wrong with the electric(AC went out, covered under warranty, O2 sensors died wayyy earlier than they should have etc). The one BIG issue I had was the High Pressure Fuel Pump exploding and destroying the fuel line. VW covered it as they know its an issue.Hope I can get 200k out of it.