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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  Turbo Diesel has been great - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Al - November 17 - 5:13 pm

  Ive now had my turbo diesel bug for 3 years. Great commuter car. Very roomy 4 a small car. Lots of headroom. The gas mileage is outstanding (40 -45 MPG) and the car is fun to drive. Downside is key system is expensive to replace, & the engine immobilizer is tied to the battery, which has left me stranded when I replaced the battery earlier this year w/o knowing the secret of doing it. The reliance on electronics has been a minor annoyance, with the entire dash going out (under warranty) once.If you are looking for a fun car to commute with, this is probably it. No repairs needed on it between 16k & 50k. Dont buy it for short trip use. Needs 5 miles to warm up. I commute 15 miles each way.

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  Not worth it in the long run - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Dont get excited - November 17 - 1:23 pm

  A car is supposed to be a reliable transportartion and reliable it is not. Too many trips to the service department, too many recalls, too many service lights coming on worrying me about even more problems. I see likewise frustrated people at the service counter everytime I come in. Im charged an arm and a leg every time, without a guarantee that the fix will work. A 10 year old KIA has had no problems. I got too excited about aesthetics of it. But the features dont work and have to be repeatedly fixed. If only I read more reviews of long-term owners. Never another VW again. They are nice when on the dealer lot, but in reality too much trouble.

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  Not quite as bulletproof as promised - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By dusty_d - November 16 - 10:00 am

  he Brazilian Golf seems a little more fragile than its German bretheren. Sure the plastics are still top notch, the interior well designed and the shut line laser tight but there are hust a few too many problems. Windshield wipers that snapped in the first half mile, a dashboard that worked loose by 2000 miles, a passenger airbag that failed and had to be replaced at 5,000 and some very fragile wheel hubs and you see why my confidence has been a little shaken.

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  Most unreliable car I have ever owned - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By NMS - November 16 - 10:00 am

  The Jetta GLX is a fun car to drive the engine is powerful, the handling is great and the brakes are respectable. Unfortunately this car is so unreliable I can not recommend it. So far I have experienced a fuel sensor failure, a broken center console clip, a coil pack failure, spark plug wire failure, a catalytic converter failure and a mass airflow sensor failure. To make the situation worse the car only came with a 24k mile basic warranty so I had to pay for the coil pack, wires and mass airflow sensor myself. If you are in the market for a new car avoid the Jetta GLX.

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  Lives up to the reviews - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Popogigi - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I had been waiting for it ever since car & driver rated it so high...it is all that and more

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  First Review - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By gurnlark - November 16 - 10:00 am

  The Jetta GLS Wagon is an excellent family economy wagon with great performance for very enjoyable driving. Its low cost compared to the Passat makes it well worth the sligthly less room inside. The only downside is difficulty with freezing-up doors and difficult windshield frost in the extreme cold(minus zero temperatures.

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  Fun car, low mileage - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Mike - November 16 - 5:46 am

  Lots of power and fun to drive. Some noise on window when driving at 45 mph. Very good off road drive Overall a good drive

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  Love My Touareg - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Patty - November 16 - 2:36 am

  All of my oil changes were done by the dealer & only cost $108. This car just spared me and my husband from more series injuries following a near head on crash. Other driver crossed center line. My husband swerved to the right to try & avoid the other car, but the driver still hit us / almost a T-Bone then slide the entire length down our car. Drivers side airbags deployed and spared my 67" husband from serious injury to his head & face. He still suffered 3 broke ribs though.We love our car.

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  if only i had known..... - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By jocko - November 15 - 8:43 pm

  i bought the car with 7k miles...it now has a shade over 15k build quality is very poor...glove box door hinge came loose without any trauma..power window switch broke and cruise control went out. lower engine cover panel came loose after 6 months of driving, just replaced a faulty brake light switch now the solenoid that controls the gas cap door needs replacing....this car is truly a piece of crap....

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  Achilles heel: Navigation System - 2014 Volkswagen Passat
  By pnwsteve - November 15 - 8:35 pm

  Overall good results, but the one exception is so frustrating and "in your face" that I would not buy this vehicle again. Its the Navigation/ Bluetooth/ Stereo/ Backup Camera combo. The system is super slow and locked up for me four times. Music keeps playing, but nothing else works. Volume is stuck, navigation may or may not continue. Once the unit rebooted by itself after about 20 minutes, the other times I had to stop and shut the car off for 5-10 minutes. Onscreen button are slow to respond and sometimes dont respond at all. Entering an address while on the go is not practical. Valid, well-established addresses often dont work (~30% of use).