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:

• 

  09 TDI 6sp Manual Wagon - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By red_scout - October 5 - 3:00 pm

  Love the car. If you want a sports car with great mileage, and lots of storage this is it. Ultimately this is the main car to replace our Caravan. Most like a second TDI will be purchased. My mom has bought the 10 Golf (Jetta) Wagon in with the 2.5l Auto. She loves it.

• 

  Fun Ride - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By chachi313 - October 5 - 12:40 pm

  This car is a great car to drive. It handles pretty nicely. Its shifting is crisp. Just be careful you could break 100 mph without even noticing.

• 

  jetta tdi - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By yenlo - October 5 - 10:00 am

  this has been one of the worst purchases Ive ever made.Multiple breakdowns(wheel bearings,fuel injection pump,fuel heater) at29000 mi.on this piece of junk 2000 Jetta TDI

• 

  I got lesss than i expected, way less... - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Frodzilla - October 5 - 10:00 am

  I have had this vechile for about 18 months. I have had to have the transmission worked on twice and it is still slipping. The power windows never seem to work right and tend to fall down when you are trying to close them. I am very disappointed in this car. If i wanted to purchase a car that was this faulty i would have bought a cheaper one. I love the way this car looks and the way it handles, when the transmission isnt slipping, but i wish i had known about these problems prior to spending $26,000 +.

• 

  Best fit for me - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By dirkh - October 5 - 10:00 am

  My favorite wagon is the Audi A4 1.8t (I used to drive the previous model). However looking at the passat, the GLS has all the options, important to me and it is 10k less than the Audi. If I wanted more options and 4wd I would definitely go for the Audi, but 10k is alot of money. The Passat drives great, has enough power and is very comfortable. Gas milage is great even with my drive style

• 

  Sad but true ...a lemon! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By falsetto - October 5 - 10:00 am

  I loved the car...but if not driven every day, the battery went dead. Fun at the airport!! After three battery replacements, five weeks in the shop,seven false we found it reports. The slippery factory reps. offered me a new vehicle and gave me $18,000 for my 8 mo. old GLX! That cost me $11,000 to drive 28k miles...when it would start!

• 

  stay away!! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By lori - October 5 - 10:00 am

  I owned a 10 year old car with over 100 thousand miles on it that had less problems than the jetta. In two years I have been in and out of the service department over 14 times...Air conditioning drainage leak in my roof, two dead batteries, coolant leak, all four breaks needed to be replaced, broken ash tray, broken cup holder, passanger chair motor broke, Passanger window motor broke twice, drivers side window motor broke three times, emmissions gas leak into cabin, emmissions workshop complication, etc... Need I go on? It may be a really attractive car, but it isnt worth the constant headache and time lost!! Just stay away!!

• 

  Oh yhea what a ride - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By hockey madness - October 5 - 10:00 am

  I have had my GLI for 6 months. What a great ride. The car loves to go fast. The car handles fantastic and has lots of passing power to spare. The GLI has a great look inside and out. What a cool feature heated seats!!!! This car is Sweet!!!! Take one for a test drive it is worth it.

• 

  Love my new Wolfsburg! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mcrowley1 - October 5 - 10:00 am

  This Jetta is a blast to drive. Smooth power from the 1.8 Turbo engine and gobs of passing power without even downshifting. Love the BBS wheels and sport suspension that came with the Wolfsburg, and the exclusivity is nice, too. Great build quality. I have owned many Japanese nameplate cars, and this is on a par with them. I would buy this again in a heartbeat!

• 

  Two month review - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Schiafone - October 4 - 9:06 pm

  After a 1,000 mile break-in period in town, we took our Jetta on a 2,000 mile round trip from Florida to the high elevations of North Carolina. We were very impressed with the guts of this diesel engine on very steep terrain. It had no problems passing uphill! The biggest complaint we have are the front seats. They are very uncomfortable! One of the best features are the back seats that fold forward allowing for plenty of luggage and our 100 pound black labrador. We would, however, like the seats to fold flat. The cruise control is somewhat confusing as it is right next to the directional signal control. So far our average fuel economy has been 36 city and 42 highway. Overall we are very pleased.