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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  VW Needed to Provide Lemon-Aid - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By VW - October 28 - 8:23 pm

  Ours is a single owner 1999 Passat. Problems started the first month and thousands of dollars later, they continue. We have had 2 major brake repairs. We have had a number of electrical problems ranging from irritating-- the trunk latch, the dashboard lights and emergency sounds, the riders side window--to completely unreliable--the ignition, the starter. The undercarriage panel fell off while we were driving. The wiper fluid reservoir has a hole in it, the oil reservoir leaks. Lots of small plastic pieces inside have broken or fallen off. The car has had to be towed more than the total of all of the cars weve owned in 25 years of marriage and it only has 55,000 miles on it.

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  Lots of problems with this one - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By airclowns - October 28 - 6:30 pm

  Driving this car is exciting and fun. However, maintenance and reliability are a great disappointment. Replacing the transmission at approx. 75,000 miles was not cheap. Servicing is difficult, replacing a thermostat sits way in the back of the engine, requiring lots of dis-assembly. There is an oil leak that has been there for years, it will cost me several thousand $ in labor to fix. 2 power windows just fell into the doors at approx 150,000 miles. It cost me $450 to fix them outside of dealership- parts are expensive and you have to be a technician to get the door panel off. Typical German car, you need special tools to do anything, including removing tires.

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  An Excellent Value & Fun to Drive - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Donn - October 28 - 10:00 am

  (1) It delivers 273 ft.lbs. of screaming torque at only 2,750 RPM, so the full power is available right away. It handles in a sporty, solid way, providing good road feel and just enough cushioning on rough patches. (2) See my suggestions below regarding the interior. In addition, as VW doesnt offer a navigation system (a must for me) and the Monsoon stereo system is just okay, the dealer was willing to, and did, have a first-rate combined DVD-based Kenwood navigation- stereo system installed at my request by an aftermarket dealer for cost -- $4,000. I also opted for trunk-mounted VWs 6-CD changer. (3) Total price: $40,000 + taxes/tags.

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  This Car Is a Lemon - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By thegoods - October 28 - 10:00 am

  This car is nothing but a problem. The service department is always full so it is just not me having problems. I have had this car over a year and I will list a few of its problems: Air Condition broke, Drivers side window fell out TWICE, speakers broke, brakes went bad after 5000 miles, sunroof broke, interior lights broke and there are many more. Im warning you DONOT buy this car.

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  11 Touareg TDI hits almost all targets - 2011 Volkswagen Touareg
  By tdifor - October 28 - 3:39 am

  We took delivery of our new 11 TDI Lux on 12/9/10, and my wife and son want to drive it more than their own cars (08 GTI and 02 525i wagon). Its quiet, comfortable, beautiful inside and out (what a sunroof!), has a great nav system and electronics package, great power (cant wait til summer to tow our boat), and is getting 25+ mpg! It passed its snow test with flying colors, and the handling is fantastic. The only negatives are price ($55K) and lack of cargo space, but we knew what we were getting into there. Five adults and all their stuff plus some food gets pretty tight, but if you dont mind a car-top carrier it would be a great answer. Check it out if looking for a new small SUV!

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  What a family car should be - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By jku72 - October 27 - 8:33 pm

  Weve had our wagon for 1.5 years, and have logged 47K miles, in harsh Maine environments of rough gravel roads, very rough paved roads, salty winter roads, ice, mud, and one cross country and back trip. Excellent in snow, havent crashed it yet. Ive driven it through 12" of snow, plowing a path. The heavy diesel right over the wheels makes it better than a 4x4 on ice, with proper tires. Loaded w/family & gear, at 80, mileage is 38. 70 its 46. 65 its 49. 55 its 51. Everyone likes to drive, or ride in this car. Nothing on the market compares. Buy one.

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  Amazing Value! - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By cameron12x - October 27 - 12:43 pm

  The Sport trim is an amazing value. The turbocharged 4-cylinder mated to the six-speed manual transmission produces sub 7-second 0-60 times, yet I got 33 mpg on my first road trip! The build quality is first-rate, comfort abounds, and its an incredibly beautiful car just to look at. I cant wait for the parking lot comments!

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  What will fail next? - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By FoolMeOnce - October 26 - 3:43 pm

  How many electrical problems can one car have? My Passats history: tail light stuck on, trunk light out, headlight out (times 2), heated seat burned hole through fabric, visor light out (times 2), remote key failure, speaker failure, brake lights nonfunctional, CD player frozen. And one non-electrical problem, a broken glove box latch. All this with only 38,000 miles on the odometer. All items were covered by warranty, but the hassle factor outweighs the fun of driving this car. Nearly every VW owner I talk with has had similar problems. What will fail next? Rather than paying to extend the warranty, I am trading in this lemon for a Honda.

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  Eos - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By Larson - October 26 - 1:16 pm

  Very nice convertible. Handles extremely well, just as one would expect with a sports car. For a 4 cyl.2.0 liter turbo engine it has a lot of go and then some. More than enough power. It is extremely quiet with the top down. Very easy for people to talk, meaning marginal wind noise.

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  Nice Combo - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Shaun - October 25 - 9:40 pm

  This is a unique blend of qualities. Nice design and build. Nice interior. Great fuel economy (30 to 40)and nice performance from this drive train. Fun transmission that can drive like a manual in sport mode. Good handling from this zippy car. From 0 to 50 mph this car is quick which is not expected with this kind of economy. It also has Audi interior cues such as info center on dash. It is the same as my A6. No diesel smell or noise. Pleasantly surprised from a former BMW 328 owner.