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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  450 miles and stuck in garage - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Gail - February 11 - 6:56 am

  I bought the car less than two weeks ago. Memorial Weekend - I got stuck in a parking lot with a parking brake malfunction. Cant see service for two day? I miss my 13 year old Toyota which had no mechanical problems.

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  Awesome Car - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By PA guy - February 10 - 9:23 pm

  this is an awesome, sweet car! Ill never drive anything else. It is very fast and responsive compared to the 1.8T. Its fuel mileage is also better. I get 30 mpg driving on Pennsylvania back roads. Its large roomy interior and interior design are pretty neat as well.

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  Drivers wanted b/c the cars rarely run - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mcdc - February 10 - 5:40 pm

  While I love the way VWs drive, mine has been in the shop at least 3 times a year outside of normal servicing. Last year I had to invest $7000 to keep it running, and I have under 75,000 miles on the car. New expensive problems crop up ever 6 months or so. If you love to sink $ into depreciating investments and spend time at the shop, then this car is for you!

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  Wonderful solid agile - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Brandon - February 10 - 1:30 pm

  I bought mine sight unseen at auction. The battery was 100% dead, tires all 100% flat and radiator bone dry. I charged it up, aired the tires (patched 1 leak) and filled the radiator. This is an amazing car. Rides like a BMW M3 and hugs the road (even loose gravel, or snow covered roads) like an Audi A8. When you think the gas pedal is pushed all the way, push a little harder and the car goes into "shift down" mode and thats when the power kicks in.

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  i love gtis - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By vw - February 10 - 10:00 am

  i love this car

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  Buy Japanese - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By schmidbo - February 10 - 10:00 am

  I guess I was expecting the same sort of reliability from this car that Ive experienced from my 1992 Toyota Camry XLE. The Passat is fun to drive - handles like a dream and has plenty of pep. But the mechanical reliability leaves a l;ot to be desired. In my opinion, the water pump and radiator should not give out at under 70,000 miles. My Toyota has nearly 200 thousand on the odometer and its going strong. The Passat will never go that sort of distance.

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  I am a little dissapointed - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By PhillyPA - February 10 - 10:00 am

  Overall, the car runs well. However, trying to perform basic maintainance (such as replacing a light blub) is impossible to do on your own. Had over 6 headlight bulbs blow out over a 2 year period, and VW does not seem to see a problem with the vehicle. They blame the manufacturer of the bulb. Had to take many trips to the dealer for this little inconvencience.

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  VW Jetta GLS 2.0 - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Gary_y - February 10 - 10:00 am

  I had a very good experience with my Jetta, bought it in 2001 have 60000 miles on it, never let me down or had any kind of problems, changed tires at around 45K and rear brakes, front brakes have almost no wear even at 60K, car likes synchetic oils, overall solid build quality.

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  What a Truck! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By jannette - February 10 - 10:00 am

  This is by far the greatest SUV on the market. Customer service is wonderful too!

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  Luxury in a VW? - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Krisko - February 10 - 10:00 am

  With the touareg, VW has arrived. The touareg is the only suv Ive owned that I look forward to driving. For the money, its superior to the X5, ML430, RX330, GX470. I have the V8 model and it has great performance and sound from the exhaust. Its every bit as luxurious as my Audi A8. The future looks bright for VW.