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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  My New 2007 Rabbit - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Rabbit Girl - July 15 - 12:10 am

  Going from a 2003 Jetta 1.8T with 180 hp, my new Rabbit is a bit of a change. The peppiness isnt as much as my previous Turbo Jetta and the tires are not very smooth. Its ride is a bit noisy with the 5-cyl engine. Other then that, it isnt too bad for the price. It is better than a Japanese vehicle, despite what they always say about reliability. The Rabbit has it.

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  M.T. Driver - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By country drivr - July 14 - 8:00 pm

  This car is actually my mothers car n we drive n use it everyday. This car has been reliable to us for 4 years n still running strong.we love this car its fast n comfortable especially the W8 engine. I admit getting oil changes are alot but weve learned 2 do our own oil changes. Looked at other reviews n saw many complaints guess were lucky.

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  Beetle - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By alicat715@aol.com - July 11 - 5:16 am

  I thought this would be a fun, cool car and I hate it!! I cant wait to get out of my lease. Its cute...and thats about it. Every perk about the car is cosmetic. It looks nice. Thats about the only thing I like about it. The cup holders are small...only can use one. The engine is small--NO power. I had an 8 yr old ask me, "Bugs are slow, huh?" b/c there is no power. I should have got the turbo engine...I might have been a little more satisfied.

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  2000 beetle - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By jmass - July 6 - 10:43 pm

  Aesthetically fun car and very fun to drive. Durable exterior. Some pieces of interior are not very well-made, cup holder not well-engineered, sensors on dash not always reliable. Recent vehicle emission recall was issued.

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  Flashy! Flashy! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ellissteven - July 4 - 10:00 am

  I love this car! I got it new with only 6 miles on it in april of 2004 when i turned 16. And Trying to be responsible with the turbo!!! After a minor problem with the sunroof switch there has been no problems since. Love This Car Gotta Get 1!!!

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  Jetta fun- but bad front suspension - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By turbohack - July 4 - 10:00 am

  Love the cars performance - really quick out of the hole (watch that red- line - tach revs-up really quick). Handles nice and I love the sunroof. Moonsoon stereo so-so. Right front suspension clunks on a left turn over a bump. Two weeks and three tries cant find the problem. I want my Jetta back - w/o the clunk !

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  Close but No Cigar - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By Finch - July 4 - 2:50 am

  The Gold GL TDI is fun to drive, gets great fuel mileage, and has a reasonable price. I want to keep this car forever, but the electrical system is lacks reliability. Ive had two airbag sensors needed replaced, one air bag, O2 sensor, thermostat, and a fuel pump. All of which were covered under warranty, but this leaves the question of keeping the car after the warranty has expired. If I had to pay for these things it would be the worst experience Ive ever had with a car used or new. Im at 49,000 miles now and cannot decide if I should keep the car or not.

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  Its Never Gonna Die - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By knoxgrassdealer - July 3 - 5:00 pm

  I bought my 1.8t 4dr in early march with 100,000 miles, and Ive put it through the works. Im 19 year old so Im not the slowest driver, the second day i had it i crashed the hell out of it. Im not sure how but the air bags didnt deploy, and i was able to drive away with ease. I had to replace many parts including doors, windows, wires. Very easy work considering the dept of it. Since, Ive put over 8,000 miles on it and my girl friend had smashed more windows out lol. But overall whenever i get more money Im definitely gonna consider buying another one. Excellent performance, Decent fuel economy, Kinda small, Big trunk! ;) Great car..

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  Fun car....but there are issues - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By kris - July 3 - 8:50 am

  I bought my 06 after a ton of research. I really love my car, its fun to drive and i get pretty good gas mileage. Ive had a TON of issues with my dealership, so dont go to Fladebo in Irvine CA. Also, my car kept overheating and my temp light kept flashing red. It took 4 days for the dealership to fix it and the entire coolant system had to be replaced (thankfully it was covered by my warranty). My top gets stuck sometimes too, and wont go all the way down. Surprisingly good trunk and passenger space. My husband is 62" and has lots of leg room. The car drives pretty well, but it can be really bumpy. By far one of the best convertibles for under 25K.

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  Drivetrain to die for! - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By JimboTheFed - July 2 - 2:00 am

  Yes, it has hardware issues: door latches, power window alignment, ignition keyswitch (recall issued), electrical gremlins... But even with all that, I love this car! But I am an engineer and tinkerer, own the Bentley repair manual, and dont mind pulling the door panel off, either. 179000 miles and climbing 30K+/year. Well grow old together. Drive this car hard and it will NOT ever smoke - the computer craves to be driven!