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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  A Lot of Car for the Money - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Phil - October 22 - 1:16 am

  My 2006 Volkswagen Passat has been great so far. After about 1,300 miles it has been getting 30+ mpg.

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  As a Tow vehicle - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Jim Quick - October 21 - 11:10 pm

  I tow a 31 travel trailer and have found the Touareg to be a excellent tow vehicle. The six speed transmission along with the 310HP V8 do a very good job, much better than the full size PU I was using before. Also better gas mileage than before.

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  2010 Golf TDi a joy to drive - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By TAV - October 21 - 4:23 pm

  There are 1600 miles on my new Golf and my wife is getting tired of hearing me say "I love my Golf". I look forward to driving the Golf, the comfortable interior, excellent handling and lots of low end grunt make it a joy to motor in. I sold an Infiniti G35 sedan that I owned for five years and bought the Golf. Havent regretted it at all. Handles almost as well as the G35 and nearly matches it in torque but gets an average of 40 mpg while doing it.

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  Bad in the Snow - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JJ - October 20 - 11:06 pm

  We love our Jetta, the only problem we have is its performance in the snow. We are not sure if its just the tires...but will look into different tires before winter hits.

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  Jetta TDI - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Georgia - October 20 - 12:46 am

  I have owned this TDI for 6 yrs and have been very happy. It has over 300k and is running strong. Every feature still works (heated seats). We get an adverage of 51 mpg. and we just purchased a second one for my husband.

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  Jetta SE 2.5 A - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By marc - October 19 - 10:16 pm

  Was really looking for SE manual - but hard to find. Only driven 700 miles so far, but am very happy with choice. This car has the look and feel of a luxury vehicle, but the economy of a compact.

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  Better than a 5 Series - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Fmr BMW Owner - October 19 - 10:16 am

  Just found this car when I was about to turn in my 530xi, and by every measure, it is MUCH more refined and luxurious than that car, at about 35% less cost. Styling inside and out is superb, and just about every time I get out of the car someone is asking what it is -- no one can believe it is a VW. Absolutely stellar for the price, or even several thousand more. Anyone considering any of the German/Japan luxury marks should take a look at this, you will be utterly amazed.

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  Love to drive it, but tired of problems. - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By SunBear - October 19 - 3:40 am

  When I bought this car, it had about 60ish thousand miles on it. Has transmission problems, doesnt like to go in reverse or it slips around the third gear. (Automatic). And VW wants 3k+ for a replacement! Even rebuilt ones online are over 1k. Replaced the water pump twice, the timing belt once. The headlights have both gone out, and take forever to replace. We have done all of the work at home, to save money, and it is a pain to do work on it, things are hard to get to. Car burns oil Recently replaced the starter and battery. I love driving this car, I can take corners at 45+ with no problem. The CD player it came with never worked, and my seat heater stopped working- but its a sturdy car

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  Our First Volkswagon - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rey - October 19 - 1:03 am

  The car has 1400 miles and has been a hoot to go through city driving. We average about 35-36 mpg. We have yet to really put it on the highway for a long haul, but we will next week. We have gotten as high as 38mpg, but hope to see some 40+mpg. The car had marks in the paint due to shipping, but was corrected by the dealer. The radio sound is great and the seats are most comfortable. I love coming to a light and leading the traffic with this little jewel. This is really the wifes car, but I drive it when I am with her. The mileage does drop 1-2 mpg when using the air conditioner. The panoramic moon roof is really neat and does not feel hot inside with the sun screen shade covering.

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  A winner - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By fahrfromgroovin - October 18 - 9:13 pm

  Ive had the tig for a week. What a joy to drive! Tiguan just won the highest safety rating in crash tests. Amazing acceleration for a small SUV. If you like German styling, engineering. Dont wait. This vehicle delivers