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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  Best car in its class!! - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Nikola Karev - September 27 - 12:07 pm

  If you are looking for a regular, normal, everyday car that can get you safely from point A to point B, then look no further. In my opinion the Volkswagen Jetta is the best car in its class. This is not a sports car, this is not a BMW or Audi, so dont expect this car to pull out miracles. This is a regular "economy" sedan and it is probably the best compared to its other competitors (ford, chevy, Honda etc.). I have many reasons why I state this. First of all the car extremely reliable. It is probably the most reliable car I owned, and I own a lot of cars (BMWs, Fords, Audis and other VWs). I "trust" my Jetta more than any other cars I have. I use it almost everyday in any season, and I never (literally never) had any problems with it. Of course I do a regular 10k service, but thats it...nothing else. Compared to my BMW for example which is a "hassle" to own (I still enjoy it though, it is really the Ultimate Driving Machine). I find the Jetta comfortable enough, and fast enough for every occasion. I traveled the whole country north to south and west to east with my Jetta without a single problem. It is also great on your pocket (you wont feel the money you spend on gas)... Overall I recommend the Jetta to everyone who likes a reliable , economical and good looking sedan at the right price... If you are looking for a sports sedan, with 300+ horsepower and 4.0 + engine size with terrible fuel economy then the Jetta is not for you.....In that case open your wallet wide and go to another dealership (BMW, Audi etc.)...but dont blame VW

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  Retro design with minor flaws - 2014 Volkswagen Beetle
  By Patrick H - September 27 - 3:55 am

  Ive always been a Beetle fanatic since they came out with the second generation in 1998 when I was 8 years old! This 2014 Beetle was my 3rd Beetle since obtaining a license at 17 years old in 2007. I was obsessed with the car! It was a great color and loved the acceleration compared to my 2005 Beetle with only 115HP. I have driven so much in the last 2.5 years of owning it! I have racked up 70,000 miles in just 2.5 years! Yes thats a lot and I havent had any major repairs yet! Although im getting nervous for the water pump/ timing belt replacement that comes between 80-100k miles and the dealerships charge about $1k. Besides that I only take my car to my local VW dealerships for oil changes. The only problem Ive had with my car are the breaks. Even when I had my car for a few months they started to squeak when I would slow down. Especially during cold temperatures! Sometimes it gets very loud and my passengers are like wow you need new breaks already? I did take it into the dealership and they said they would have to send a request for them to replace it for free since it was still under the warranty. weeks went by and i never received a phone call. and summer rolled around so it made less noise and it didnt bother me. Before I knew it I was over the mileage for the warranty. Hopefully when i replace my brakes sometime this year the noise will stop. Another problem is my passenger seat sucks! Im assuming it broke somehow. When someone wants to get in the back seat i pull the seat forward but when i push it back, it goes ALL the way back and the upper part of the seat does not come forward like it should. I have to aggressively pull the seat back with all my force and my passengers are again shocked! Another interesting tidbit is i am a 215 lb male and i noticed either of the front seats if you are heavy, and tend to move or when you make a turn, the seats will squeak! Its kinda embarrasing if my friends are in the car. Also, I think my speakers really suck! I mean i know i dont expect the base speakers to sound like Fender, but I was in my friends 2011 Jetta and his speakers sounded way better than miles. I was surprised considering mines a 2014. The Beetle that I got happened to be one of the last 2.5L 5-cyl engines made.. a few months later they rolled out with the 1.8Ls. Like I said I havent had any major repairs or been stranded. I know I am getting close to 100k miles and i just get very nervous thinking about what i may need to replace. and since i am a student and work part time in California, money plays a factor. One thing i also dont like are the seats, they are in a way uncomfortable especially on road trips. I am 62" and i will get back pain. It feels like i am sitting on top of something. I dont really like it. The gas mileage is not too bad and not too good. I feel like this car shouldnt be your everyday car. But its mine. Its definitely fun to drive. I really wanted the turbo 2.0L r-line but i cant afford the higher gas grade or any major repairs in the future especially since its a turbo. One thing i did notice is that since 2010ish, VW has downgraded their interior quality by using cheap materials which makes it sad. One thing about the newer Beetle is that we all know its retro design, but when youre actually driving and holding onto the steering wheel at the 10 and 2 marks it really does feel like youre almost driving the older ones. not sure how to explain it but it may have to do with the steering wheel design/structure.

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  My best car yet - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dab - September 26 - 10:00 am

  My 05 TDI has 112000 miles. I purchased it new. It gets up to 60 mpg but averages 45 mpg. Im 6, 250 and find it very comfortable and fun to drive. Maintenance is expensive but I never had any major problems. I also had a 04 Passat TDI but only got 30-32 mpg. Would love to have another Jetta TDI like mine.

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  Blown Engine - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By ET - September 26 - 5:40 am

  Owned since Jan 2004. New off ship. Just had to replace engine at 43k. Cost $15k. VW of America and Germany no help. Constant electrical issues with car. (think that was the reason for the blown engine--faulty warning system). Poor gas mileage, tire wear, dealerships will admit they are a problem. Check VW LEMONS on the net to see how many problems with the Touareg. Springfield Imports in Missouri were zero help. I have had 4 VWs but never ever again. I think the people that say how great the car is want to convince themselves they made a good decision. I admit it. I made a dumb mistake paying about $50,000 for the Touareg.

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  Quirky litle car - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By hermann_g - September 25 - 11:00 pm

  Convenience features leave me a bit unimpressed, considering the high cost. Mostly manual seat adjustments, no steering wheel audio controls, and a really annoying radio electronic lockout feature. With diesel fuel now up to 30% higher than normal gas, the fuel economy advantage is questionable. Given a 30% price diff, if you get 45 mpg, a 35 mpg gas burner costs you pretty close the same. You need to use an expensive specialty motor oil. Clean diesel? I can sniff a tiny whiff of diesel exhaust as I am driving, so folks with respiratory issues may want to pay very careful attention to this during a test-drive. (Maybe some residue on the engine that will burn off eventually.)

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  Lemon - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By 1998 new beetle - September 24 - 10:36 pm

  This car has been a lemon since we purchased. We have spent over 22 thousand dollars in repairs. As we speak the car is broken again. We spent more in repairs than we paid for the car. I called the corporate office for Volkswagen, their comment was that they could do nothing about. The car has been broken down ever few months apart from the lat. Each visit is always 1 or 2 thousand if not more. I would not take another one of these cars if it was given to me.

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  First VW!! Awesome Car - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By cbar71 - September 24 - 1:25 am

  Toyota convert and love the fun, features, and value this car brings. Feels like a really high end vehicle. Well planned interior, smooth and quiet ride. Great value for the SE package.

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  Very Satisfied Owner - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By WCM - September 23 - 7:03 pm

  I am very pleased with the comfort and cabin space. Handling is very good for a sedan; it has handled snow and ice well. Controls are well designed and thoughtfully placed. Fuel consumption is about what I expected. My Value Edition has the necessary safety features. The electronic key and parking brake are nice "impress the neighbors" items. Its acceleration is very good for its size and weight. The transmission sometimes is not as reponsive (i.e., start from stop moving rapidly to reach highway speed on uphill grades) as I would wish . Climate control is very satisfactory. The truck is large. Overall I am very happy with this car. It is fun to drive.

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  Save $10,000 over a Volvo - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By flheat - September 23 - 6:43 pm

  When I orginally was looking for a new car, I also considered the Volvo C70. This car drives so much better, the interior is more luxurious (very much like the Audi A4 cabriolet I traded in). My Eos is equipped the same as the Volvo is about $10,000 less. The design of the car continues to amaze me, from the sunroof, to the gymnasics the roof performs when it goes up and down. I got a manual and I think it pairs up better with the engine than the DSG.

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  Dont Buy!!! - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ssg91 - September 23 - 4:20 am

  I bought this car for the purpose of getting great MPG. Although you do get good MPG you spend so much more money in maintenance that are you farther behind. My car has 162,000 miles on it. The dealership says the dual mass flywheel is bad, Alternator pulley is bad, Axel, and a few other things. If I would fix everything that the dealership says needs to be fixed I would spend more money than the car is valued at on kelley blue book. If you have this car, sell is as quickly as possible before it turns into a boat anchor.... I am getting a ford fusion.