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 Value - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By pdxtomct - August 27 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car after owning two GTIs with the 1.8t engine. The VR6 gives the car a completely different feel...much more stable, but decidely heavier through turns. The GTI is a fantastic road car, fun to drive and very solid. Its part sports car and part work horse.

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  VW 4.2L Touareg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By biggreenmachine - August 27 - 2:00 am

  Solidly built and fun to drive ith excellent handling. Ive not taken it off rode- yet. Fuel consumption is as advertised- a true gas hog. Front seats are on a bit of a platform limiting putting your left foot back which is my only complain about comfort. Gauges are too small and hard to scan while driving. Gadgets are plentiful- reading the manual is a must.

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  Fun to drive - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bobthony - August 27 - 2:00 am

  This car is fun to drive. It handles well, acellerates well, and breaks well. It doesnt have alot of room for passengers in the back, but what do i care? Im driving :) Ive had a few problems with the car. Bad window regulator, but it was fixed promptly and under warrenty. Battery died on me just a week ago, it was covered under the warrenty. My radio stopped working for a week and started working again, but they said they would replace it anyways. All minor issues and taken care of without any money out of my pocket.

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  So far ,so good - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ifix777 - August 27 - 2:00 am

  Ive only owned it for 3 months, but so far so good. Gas mileage is very good, around 28mpg, city/highway. Saved a whole bunch on insurance due to all the safety features it came standard. Car is fun to drive, but not very roomy in the backseat. Wish it had a 6th gear, but i guess its there so you can pass cars easly when your going 80 in 5th gear.

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  Torque monster and extremely fuel efficient! - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Marcelo Murillo - August 26 - 9:26 pm

  I will start with the only thing that could be improved and that is the transmission. I have the DSG transmission and it is great and refined at normal driving speed (15 mph plus) However it is a bit rough when coasting to a stop, driving through a parking lot and other slow situations. It seems there is more low end torque than the transmission knows how to handle and when it downshifts from 3rd to 2nd to 1st gear it is not as smooth as other non-diesel non DSG cars, the dealer checked the transmission and all was good no defects were found. Everything else this car aces, fuel economy is off the charts, build quality is what you expect from VW which is excellent, no squeaks or rattles, the interior materials are solid and not cheap, ergonomics are great and I love the no nonsense designs of the controls. The car handles great and the 2.0 turbo diesel has loads of torque which makes passing and merging into a freeway a breeze (no drama it just builds speed) Road noise is better than other cars Ive tested on this segment and great for long journeys, front seats are very comfortable and there is great leg room for the back occupants (Im 6 tall). Trunk space is actually surprisingly good and mine came with a first aid kit. When it comes to fuel economy this car is a star especially on the highway, I never get less than 550 miles per tank and have gotten as much as 610 in a trip from Florida to Michigan. In conclusion I highly recommend this car to anyone. Ive owned this car for almost 3 years and I bought it used with only 5k miles on the odometer.

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  Jetta - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By baileycat - August 26 - 10:00 am

  After owning this car for 4 years, I have had a few small things to fail on this car. The remote key/alarm doesnt lock the doors with 100% accuracy, the lights for the ac/heater stopped working, and the passenger window last week went down and didnt go back up (it went off the track). Overall, Ive enjoyed good performance and reliability. I will in the future steer clear of automobiles manufactured in Mexico.

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  First Impressions of New Car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Cal Driver - August 26 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned this car for less than one week, but so far it is a lot of fun and a pleasure to spend time in. Quality and reliability unknown but this site requires an answer to post...

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  The 2006 Volkswagen GTI is Sick - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By flipp - August 26 - 1:43 am

  This car is sick. I have owned all kinds of cars, the GTI is fun to drive, comfortable, sporty, safe, etc. I commute 16,000 miles a year so the reliability remains to be seen, but initial build is very good. Love this car!!!

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  Beware misaligned drivers seat and steering wheel - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By tincansailor53 - August 23 - 11:34 am

  I want to love this car but its hard when the drivers seat and steering wheel are not centered with each other. VW Customer Care admits this is the way the car is made, due to the widening of the body, but without making corresponding adjustments to the steering system. Therefore, the wheel sits to the right of center. VW managed to move my seat 2mm to the right, which helped make it a little less drastic. My loaner Passat had the same problem. I SO WISH I had noticed on the test drive. As for the TDI, wow, its awesome. But, this car may well be gone as soon as the warranty is up. If youre not OCD like me, then you will love this car. Also, 1 month in and been to shop for rattle fix.

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  not too shabby - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By vdubtuna - August 21 - 10:00 am

  the auto trans shifts awkward sometimes but overall at good daily driver. powerful but nimble enough to handle city driving. i would reccommend the manual version since i know some people with it with almot no problems.