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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  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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  Sell before warranty ends - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By joeykert - January 15 - 8:13 pm

  In the past month, at my expense, the front axle, water pump and timing belt all needed replacing. The car shakes in idle when stopped, a common problem with this engine from my research, but VW is in denial. The dealership cleaned the throttle body, fuel injectors and replaced engine and transmission mounts at my expense, car still shakes. This is my second and last VW, a car with only 41000 miles shouldnt have so many issues.

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  Fantastic multi-purpose vehicle - 2001 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By smallwisdom - January 10 - 9:50 am

  We bought our 2001 Eurovan used in 2006 with 70k miles. Now, in 2014, it has about 130k without any major mishap. That said, expect to spend about $1500/year on maintenance AND they are notorious for having the transmission die ($6K repair) between 40k-70k miles. 9 years later, our van has taken us on multiple camping trips and has gone to Burning Man several times. The engine runs a little rougher than it use to but it is still a very nice, drivable car for a large van. Sadly, I dont think our van will survive for very many more years because various bits are starting to fall apart, but it has not had a gentle life (we park it outside, take it camping, have kids, etc.).

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  Jetta not so good - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By basketball - January 9 - 6:43 pm

  Bought this Jetta for my daughter in 1999 from a private party and have had nothing but problems with it. There are too many problems to list but here are a few. First the clutch failed at 25,000. Oxygen sensor failed at 32,250. The key switch switch was replaced at 51,000. The electrical system and heater controls work when they want to. The starter failed twice. The power steering pump was replaced. The wheels can not be removed without beating on them with a sledge hammer. The list goes on and on. I had the car to 2 separate dealers who have told me to trade the car in because of the problems. 1 dealer suggested that I not bring the car back for servicing. This car is a nightmare.

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  Not as good as I thought - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Vdub - January 5 - 8:53 pm

  I have loved my Jetta until today. All of sudden, I was stuck in the middle of the road because my car would not go into gear (manual transmission). I have read many complaints on the National Highway and Safety website of other owners complaining of the same problem and VW who will not take responsibility. My warranty was up less than 1000 miles ago. My car has only been driven 50,000 miles. I should not be having problems with it so soon. It is costly to fix and I am very upset. I had planned on upgrading to a Passat in 2 years because I was so happy with the Jetta, but I dont think I will.

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  What Did I do? - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Osprey - January 3 - 2:00 am

  For the most part a great car but .... The gas mileage is the worst I have ever experienced with a V-6 engine. The transmission is very slow / or would not shift out of 1st gear until the car warmed upped or I went from auto to manual shifting. It has an verocious hunger for headlight bulbs. It seems that I have a burn-out on an average of once every three months (at $60 per pop).

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  very disappointed - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By jalowega - January 3 - 2:00 am

  THIS IS MY 2ND VW AND BOTH WERE LEMONS THE DEALER HAS DONE NOTHING TO INSTILL FURTHER CONFIDENCE IN VW. RATTLES AND CLUNKING FROM DAY ONE FROM A CAR THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE WELL BUILT.DONT BE INFLUENCED OVER GOOD LOOKS

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  Troubles, Troubles - Glad I paid for extended warr - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By Harlan - December 30 - 8:18 am

  I had the turbo go bad....lost the car for 8 days and the price was over $3000 dollars plus motel, rental car, etc. Luckily, subtracting the cost of the monthly extended warranty I saved $1300. Then a month later the pump that supplies the urea to the catalyst converter went bad while I was away from home. Paid to have the check engine light diagnosed, over $100. Part not available and had to be ordered from the factory - nowhere else was allowed to stock the part. I elected to return home to my local dealer that said they do not trust anyones elses diagnosis, so another $100. That repair was $1100. Now I have an appointment scheduled to fix the AC. The dual system....drivers side cold air....passenger side, total heat. Have to drive with the windows down. Heat wins out. Pretty sure theyll have to remove the dash. Glad Im still paying for the extended warranty. In the details youll set the Passat has 105,000 miles, but I run only synthetic oil, changed more other than necessary and Ive changed the transmission twice with the third time due in 15,000 miles. Over all my wife and I love the car. Well built, but the troubles are causing us to return it to VW in the buyback. We are considering going with a gas model of the Passat or Audi. VW really makes a great cars.

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  Schizophrenic relationship - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By cocoa - December 29 - 10:00 am

  In the 3 yrs Ive had this car Ive had the temp sensor and air intake sensor go out, the check engine light come on 3 times only to go out on its own, the air bag light come on which needed to be reset at the dealer, and 2nd gear intermittently grinding from day 1 that they have never been able to fix. Its so fun to drive yet so unreliable that I have a love/hate relationship with the car. This is my first VW/Audi and my last. I was looking at the A4 when I bought the Jetta but cant trust Audis now either after this experience.

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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.