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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  Great TDI Economy Car - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mroto - January 17 - 10:00 am

  We get 47 avg. MPG in combined city/highway driving and 52-53MPG at steady freeway driving speeds. The engine is the best part of the car! Not a slow car by far and comfortable ride for a small car. Only knock is the fit and finish quality of some of the parts. The paint on the interior door handles flaked off for instance and VW does not stand behind this kind of problem, rear seat split on seam and VW also almost balked on this! Outside paint clear coat is peeling in a couple spots. Car itself is solid however so I feel these issues are comparitively minor.

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  No support from VW - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By mststeve - January 17 - 10:00 am

  Car got great milage, good power and comfort. Regrettebaly, I had to trade it in because VW would not stand behind the product. Shortly before the warranty ran out, the car ran out of gas, although the gauge showed some in it. 6 months later, the gauge went bezerk, and VW would not cover it under warranty, even though it obviously had a problem when it was in warranty. This subsequently cost me $605 for a sending unit and the body control module (which they said must be replaced in conjunction with the sending unit). The gauge in my 40 year old Ford still works for Christ sake. I am very happy with the Mazda 6S. It handles so much better, and the quality is as good.

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  CAR MUST OWN - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By TALOT - January 17 - 10:00 am

  FUN TO DRIVE, ALL I HAVE TO PROVIDE IS GASOLIN. A/C WORK WELL AND PLENTY OF COOL AIR FAST.I DO NOT KNOW WHY PEOPLE GAVE A WORST REVIEW FOR THIS CAR ? THIS IS A CAR THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE.

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  Great but with surprises! - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By mmw0627 - January 17 - 10:00 am

  Everything is great for this only-1,300- mile car EXCEPT: 1. Grinding noise when turning the steerling wheel (getting louder and louder everyday) 2. Brake with squeezing noise 3. maybe more noises in the future I am quite disappointed with Passats initial quality.

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  Excellent Car - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VolkswagenJettDriver - January 17 - 10:00 am

  Cool car with many awesome features. Alot of safety features and comfort is great too.

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  watch out for roof problems - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By retailgod - January 17 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned my Beetle for a little over 3 weeks and the dealership has had it for 10 of those days. There has been a problem twice with the roof not closing completely and freezing. Have had to have the motors replaced for the top. Hopefully that is the last of it. Otherwise, a real head turner and alot of fun to drive.

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  Great little car - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By stephen - January 17 - 6:13 am

  Ive had this car for about 5 weeks and put 2000 miles on it. For the price (under $18k with 170 hp, 6 speed auto & Tiptronic) you really cant beat it. 95% of the mileage is city driving, and I avg 17.9 mpg, which isnt great but I do drive quite aggressively. Overall the car feels quite well-built, and given that I used to manage a valet lot and have driven Audi, BMW, Porsche, Lexus, Jaguar, etc, that is pretty impressive, especially at this price point. In my opinion you are basically getting a GTI at an economy car price - and my insurance is far cheaper than it would be with a sports car. The only downside is the fuel economy, but if you can get past that, this car is a winner.

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  Best buy! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By BEST BUY! - January 16 - 6:46 pm

  The 2004 Touareg is a very close to the Porsche, but for $16,000 less! Look at it this way you get a V-8 311 Hp. engine, heated memorie seats front and back, performace of a life time on- road, and off!, AWD 4 motion, dual climate control, and a pair of xeon lights with washers, for under $50,000! Did I mention it handles like a sports car, and has the abilitiy to beat any suv off road any day. PS: It pulls 7,900 pounds!

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  The Most Fun, Least Reliable Car Ive Had - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tina - January 16 - 5:33 pm

  Bought my Jetta Wolfsburg, or affectionately, "The Puebla Wolfsburgo" in 10/02 with 13,000 miles on it. It has great handling and incredible torque. I could rip around the city then climb up the canyons without this car missing a beat. However, its constant problems quickly overshadowed the fun. Interior and exterior lights went glitchy, sunroof opened and wouldnt close, dash peeled, rear cupholders broke, center armrest broke, engine oil leaked and fouled spark plugs, ignition coil and bearings went bad. And of course, the dreaded check engine light which comes on constantly. All this and only 34,000 miles on the car. Despite the incredible performance, I dont think these cars are worth the headaches.

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  My best purchase - 2017 Volkswagen Passat
  By Louie - January 15 - 8:58 pm

  This is a fun car to drive. I purchase the SE with technology and this car is great. I disagree with Edmunds about the sluggish transmission, NOT. Feels like a sport car and it competes with its rivals. It is loaded with technology and worth the price, I paid $ 22,671 after taxes ETC and trade in. Such a steal on the MSRP is $ 29,375