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 Passat 1.8T Sedan - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Cuppy the Pirate - July 22 - 8:30 pm

  Dealer advertised as a "Certified Pre- Owned VW". When I started doing the paperwork to buy, I was informed that it wasnt certified and it would be an extra $800. With good experience on my 2003 Jetta 1.8T, decided to take the plunge anyway. My mistake. I bought the car with 42,000 miles and it now has 54,000. At about 50,000 miles, the CV boots were broke ($400 plus) and now at 54,000 the water pump cut loose. Whod have thought a nylon impeller would not withstand about 200 degrees and hydrodynamic forces any longer than 54,000 miles. Not what I expected from "German engineering". Other than the hole in my wallet, it is fun to drive, roomy, and has timeless styling.

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  Beauitful, yet HUNGRY - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By newatlantaguy - July 21 - 2:00 am

  After test driving many other SUVs in this class, the VW Touareg lurred me to the bargaining table. It drives like a charm, and the options I added, (navigation, parking assistance, xenon lights) make it a pleasure to drive. Though, Im less than pleased with my need to refill the tank weekly, with an average mile per gallon of 13-14. Overall though, I dont regret my purchase, just double think my routes!

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  They aint like they use to be! - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Waterford - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Interior upholstry impossible to clean. Interior door handles peel - very poor quality of rubber coating. They dont make them like they use to.

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  Punch Buggy, MellowYellow - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By NancyB - July 21 - 2:00 am

  I love my VW! It is stylish, fun, comfortable and cute. It has enough room for two adults and two small kids, as long as luggage is not a priority but it isnt a car for a long trip for other than two. The back seat is too upright but there is plenty of room in the front. The fit and finish is excellent and the top is tight and dry. Overall, it is the most fun car I have even owned.

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  UltraPhun - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By oedipus - July 21 - 1:30 am

  This car is all about fun. Itll stick a grin on your face as soon as you turn the key and listen to the 3.2L VR6 engine come to life. Forget the GTIs of recent years. This thing means business and VW didnt disappoint. Gone are days of throwing on a GTI badge only to lift the hood and find a underpowered 2.0-liter inline-4 or having to resort to the utilitarian Golf, which, to give it credit, is not billed as a roller coaster ride. The German engineers got together and figured out how to revive the GTI/Golf name, and they called it R32. This car rocks. It handles with aplomb and the engines high-torque output connects anywhere on the powerband. What a thrill!

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  No Complaints Here - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By jcw24fan - July 19 - 2:40 am

  Ive had my Passat for over 8 years, have nearly 100,000 miles on it, and have almost nothing but good things to say about it. No ball joint replacement (apparently a common problem), no clutch problems, no major problems of any kind really. Minor problems have included emissions and radiator leak. Nothing else but standard maintenance (oil, tires, brakes). My only complaint is the difficulty in getting to the oil filter to change the oil. It requires that the front facia be unbolted, and several screws have broken off in doing this. Otherwise, Im very happy with my car, and will consider VW again in the future.

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  My First New Car - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rick - July 17 - 1:46 pm

  I bought my 2002 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 1.8T brand new because I wanted a reliable car that I did not have to worry about how the owner before me had cared for it. Well, this was a huge mistake. Even though this car is fun to drive it was the worst car I have ever owned. In the first year the transmition was replaced along with the fuel pump radiator, radio, hvac, and power window switch. I tryed to do the lemon law thing but the same thing had to happen three times in 18 months. during year two my car needed another tranny, more window regulators, and had a fire, yes a fire. I was driving down the road and looked in my side mirror to see that it was on fire (shorted out heated mirror). I had $24,000 worth of warranty repairs made on my Jetta! At 48,000 miles I traded it in on a Honda. Thanks for nothing VW.

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  Lemon of the year reward - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Disgrunted - July 15 - 7:53 am

  I loved this car - talk about an exciting ride! Hit the gas and it flies. However, in the 2 1/2 years that we owned it, it spent 58 days in the shop - that averages out to 1 day for every 500 miles, some stuff minor, others major. Two visits were 3 weeks long because they would fix one thing and another would go bad. 4 rearends, a catalitic converter, multiple relays - parking brake, heated seats, radio etc., We actually traded this off while it was in the shop for another long visit. 500 - 200 miles between visits. Oh and the brake calipers were bad, this happened on its last visit - not really impressed.

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  Dont buy this car again - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By lily - July 15 - 2:00 am

  It was good to drive within the 2 year warranty. The trouble appeared immediately after the expiration of the warranty, firstly the engine check light without any warning, then is the secondary air pump started to make noise every time I start my cold. It became worse over the time. Recently the vaccum hose was broken and I have to tow the car to the dealership. Do not mention I have took vacation off. The trouble did not stop, now there is some more troubles related to annoying noise. Anyway, the car is in the garage every two months. The dealership are not very nice either.

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  clueless transmission - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By reslender - July 15 - 2:00 am

  from a dead stop car is unsure of what gear to be in and you cannot get a smooth start. if letting off the throttle to make a turn or go over a speed bump, etc., it hesitates after you reapply pressure to the gas pedal, almost like its thinking. then it suddenly goes into gear and snaps your head back. excellent on the road, horrible around town and in stop and go traffic.