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 GERMAN Automobile - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By United4Life - September 12 - 10:00 am

  Best German automobile. Excellent drive and excellent overall.

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  Nice car - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By bullis1 - September 11 - 7:43 pm

  Good overall car, gets good mpg on the highway 30+ with the VR6. Fender sound system real good. No Xenon lighlights on a car that cost $36k. Navigation is extremely slow. Trunk extremely deep.

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  No Regrets but not perfect - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By navitor - September 11 - 3:16 pm

  We owned our Passat wagon for almost 5 years and 52,000 miles. Overall this has been a good car. My wife loved it for hauling around our first child for the first 4 years then I got it when we put her in a Honda Odyssey for hauling our two kids. I used it as a commuting car into Houston from the burbs or to the park and ride. The car has a nice tight steering feel and great suspension. The overall ride quality is very good. I think the instruments are good and not too complicated which I have often read. The engine was good but the car felt a little underpowered at times with the AWD. I would generally recommend this car.

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  Over Priced Niche Car - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By fuscia - September 11 - 11:50 am

  bought used in 2002, Im so disappointed. Ive literally watched my car disintegrate around me. Im a fastidious car owner and keep my cars clean. Ive had electrical issues, the interior has been disintegrating since the day I bought it used. The window switches break, the weird rubber dash coating scratches easily, the vinyl interior is coming away from the door, hatchback wont close properly,fog light bracket broke,water pump melted, the suspensions shot after 7 yrs normal driving, speakers are starting to crackle after normal volume levels, the emergency brake rusted thru within 3 yrs,the brakes stick and wear the pads down. The car is meant to be looked at not driven on a daily basis

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  BAD CAR! - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By sm - September 11 - 2:06 am

  Do not buy a VW. I cannot wait to get rid of this lemon. I bought this brand new back in 2000 and have had nothing but problems. Although they are not too major, they are annoying and cause a lot of anxiety. About once or twice a year my car decides not to start AT ALL and leaves me stranded. It will be running like a beauty one day and completely dead the next. Electrical problems galore, peeling door handles, plastic parts break, etc., etc., etc. Fortunately my father is a mechanic otherwise I would be seriously in debt up to my eyeballs. I actually feel guilty trading this lemon in!! I am getting a Honda or Toyota next time. This thing has been recalled more times than I can count!

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  2005 Passat - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By drcar1 - September 10 - 10:35 pm

  To be honest I havent had any problems with my 2005 VW. It has worked great, it is fun to drive maybe too fun....I get a lot of speeding tickets in it and Ive been pulled over several times going like 5-10 over so maybe it looks fast too!? As for everything else I get regular inspections on the car and it works great. Just have to take car of it. Take it to the dealership at least once a year to run diagnostics and youre good to go.

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  Best Wagon on Market - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By vooch - September 10 - 1:50 pm

  25,000 miles on my car - mostly driven in and around New York City - Awesome MPG 35+ on highway ! and decent in City. Not the slightest issue with build quality, this is a 1st rate car - Id put it side by side Volvo - Merc - Saab and in every way it beats them hands down. It has huge cargo capacity - the wife and kids love it. My sold my last Passat (1996 wagon) at 190,000 miles - after 11 years it still looked perfect -

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  VW is my God!!! - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ghodd - September 10 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for about 2 1/2 months now i purchased a black used 5 speed Jetta with 64,838 miles on it...i know its high mileage but i havent had any engine problems yet..the fuel economy is perfect, the only problem i need to get fixed is minor. My right passenger window i think the motor burned out so i have to get a new one, AND sometimes when i lock my door with the lock button on my key the car locks but the drivers side door the actually lock its self doesnt lock but it engages the alaram so i have to unlock then lock it again..but that only happens sometimes..its not a big deal.

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  Driver Found - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tony - September 9 - 6:46 pm

  I beat the crap out of this car on a daily basis,driving it all over the Tri-state area and it has never left me stranded.Just keep up with the maintenance and they are all go! Repairs seem to be easy to do.Most of them I can do in my driveway.Could you expect anything less from a Peoples car.

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  What a Dissappointment - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By RDFreier - September 9 - 4:26 pm

  Had problems with the car from the start. Engine would just shut off while driving 60 mph on the highway. Wife had many close calls with that until they found the problem in the programming. Then car leaked water into the floor of the back seat. VW said it was the sunroof drain. After over $2k in repair charges problem still not fixed. Battery died, car sat a little and leak filled the floor. Ive got bad mold smell, VW cant fix leak and Ive basically got a junk car as I cant afford to replace the interior. What a piece of Crap. Should have listened to my little voice that said VW has reliability problems. Dont buy a VW