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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  Brand new...... - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By weaselinsuit - December 28 - 5:46 am

  Just purchased so no idea yet as to mileage or reliability so rated them a 5. But it certainly is fun to drive; handles well, peppy, comfortable ergonomics. Got it with the panoramic sunroof which is a nice feature, heres hoping it doesnt leak over time. Overall, appears to be a well built, functional, fun vehicle.

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  2005 Beetle Conv 1.8T Turbo - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By xcrytonx - December 28 - 2:16 am

  Very surprised at this car after we bought it. Wife wanted a cute conv with a little get up and go but what we got was one of the funnest cars we have owned with good looks and more than enough performance in the city and on the freeway.

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  The Curious Case Of Diminishing Milage - 2013 Volkswagen Touareg
  By claudestouareg - December 27 - 7:11 pm

  Our bran new 2013 Lux TDI gave us astonishing 33 mpg trips on secondary highways at around 60mph. Now with 7,000 miles on the odo we cant get even 28mpg under the same conditions. When we started noticing the loss of mpg we started taking extra precautions not to waste diesel but to no avail. This car is getting at least 10% less mileage at 7,000 miles than it did bran new. Anybody else experience this??

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  18 Times and still counting - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By texlittlebear - December 27 - 9:06 am

  So the public will know my 2008 Eos has been in the shop 18 times and I did buy it new. This is not encluding the 2 times the dealership wrecked my car. VWOA will do nothing and in your hand bood it tells you to go through the BBB so that is what I am doing. I love my car but this is just to much for me. I think if you are having problem with your Eos let it be heard.

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  Breaks down every other month - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Jessica - December 27 - 4:34 am

  Ive never experienced so many problems with a car before. The engine coils break every 4 months as well as the spark plugs. Ive gotten the battery replaced multiple times in the past 3 years. The interior cloth and leather seats are falling apart so easily. The radiator and water pump had to be replaced. I feel like ive replaced and have fixed everything in this car and yet i still have problems with it. Reading all the other reviews im starting to think maybe i just got a bad one or the owner before me didnt do crap to maintain it!!! its a shame though because it really is a unique and fun looking car to drive.

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  Great, Great Car - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By SarahR - December 26 - 10:53 am

  I recommend VW as a brand to anybody. They are great cars that hold up forever. They are smooth riding, safe, and they look nice without being snotty. I really love this car.

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  Do not buy Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Roman - December 25 - 11:53 pm

  Once warranty was over my Passat started to fall apart. In its fifth year I spent over 5,000 on service and maintenance. VW service after recent inspection informed me about 2 additional things that need to be done in the nearest future (additional $2,000). I wont buy Volkswagen again and I recommend you to stay away from Volkswagen

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  My Last VW - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By hsk15kaol - December 25 - 10:30 pm

  From the start I knew we were in serious trouble. Our first problems started less than one week from delivery and they have gone on from then. To list it... Bad sensor in trans, missing parts under front end, gas pedal got stuck under center console trim (VW has no answer on this one, almost killed us!) Power window modulator failure, doors that do not close correctly, and the list goes on. We do not use the panoramic sunroof as it has failed twice and the dealership claims it is fine... okay, right on! Many issues come and go, and it is horrible in the cold and all around a clunker! BEWARE, it is a VW and they are no as reliable as they were... We have owned 10, and this is our last!

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  What a great car - 2008 Volkswagen R32
  By ITworks - December 25 - 12:00 pm

  Over the years I have owned or purchased a number of performance vehicles, a short summary: 1997 BMW M3, 2001 BMW M Coupe, 2003 Honda S2000, 2006 Porsche Boxster S. I do have to say the R32 doesnt quite hit the handling and performance of some of these cars, but it does something none of them could do (with the exception of the 97 M3) and that is provide performance and practicality. It certainly beats the M3 in bad weather because of AWD, but in pure head banging acceleration, you wont get it with the R32. What you will get is manners, knowing that the car in under your control, not the other way around, which happens when people buy too much car for their capability. The R32 is great!

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  This Car SUCKS - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By myjettasucks - December 24 - 1:10 pm

  I have had this car for only 9 months and I am already getting rid of it. Jettas may look cool, but reliability sucks. Since having it I have put nearly $7,000 in repairs. It will run great for a couple of months and then I will have a major problems (i.e. clutch, MAF sensor, ignition coils, MAF again, O2 sensors (yes plural), alternator, and master cylinder to name a few. Displeased doesnt even begin to describe how I feel about this car. I am trading it and sticking with a Toyota or Honda.