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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  Its a great car for the price. - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By jmfos - September 3 - 3:03 am

  Its a great car for the money. 2010 sport includes touchscreen radio with SD card slot, ipod(option), blue tooth w/voice control, rain sensing wipers, auto lights, auto dimming rear view mirror. DSG is new this year and is cool. At slow speeds(i think), when you turn the wheel it lights up the outside in the direction you are turning the wheel. Its not the Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS) in the VR6 but its kind of cool. You have to test drive it. It drives so much nicer then the Japanese cars. Plus its so much more refined. If you go test drive one, bring your checkbook, because you will want to buy it.

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  Bad News... my passat sucks. - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By sandywong28 - September 3 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my Passat for 1 yr and its been to the dealer more times than my old crappy car. Engine light on, engine spudders/shakes, daytime running light went out on me twice. Hmmmm, what else. I lost all power in the car - the power windows/locks didnt work. This is all within the first 5 months Ive had it. Then a month ago, the daytime running lights & headlight went out again. Now, its in the shop again because of engine problems. This time its going to stay in the shop for 2-3 weeks to repair the ignition coils (so they say). The most annoying thing is that the car creeks like crazy! My suggestion - pay the extra money and get yourself a BMW!

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  Bad news... - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By sandywong28 - September 3 - 2:00 am

  Ive had several problems with my 2002 Passat GLS. Within the first 5 months of owning it, I brought it back to the dealer 3 times for repairs. I lost power (power windows/locks, interior lights didnt work), grinding, engine shook violently. And now its back in the shop for engine problems....again! This time, the repairs are going to take 2-3weeks. Unbelievable.

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  Great mid-van - 2000 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By Loueeeeee - September 3 - 2:00 am

  We have owned two Eurovans. The first van was and 1992 and fairly good. It was reliabe. However, this one was slugish. Our 2000 has been outstanding. Except for the air-conditioning, we have had absolutely no problems. In addition, this Eurovan is exceptionally quick and fun to drive. It may seem impossible, but the big ole Eurovan is more agile than some cars I have owned. We are a 5 people family and highly recommend this vehicle to anyone; a great van

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  Couldnt get any better - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By rob sweat - September 3 - 2:00 am

  After owning several ACURA/HONDA products, (and having my friends follow my lead and purchase several Honda/Acura products) I have made the switch to VW. Tons of character, thoughtful ergonomics, plenty of room, tons of torque, and impressive build quality lured me away from the "Rice Burners". My best friend just bought an RSX at a 5,000 dollar premium. Too generic. The VW GTI 1.8T is awesome. You wont be dissappointed.

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  Love my Jetta - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By xochimahuac - September 3 - 2:00 am

  Have had my Jetta for 2 and a half years now, and it has always been great. Even in the accident where the other car was totalled, my Jetta protected me perfectly and was able to be fixed. Still runs great and feels very safe. Only strange thing is it consumes so much oil.

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  Poor Electrical System - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Duder - September 2 - 4:50 pm

  We purchased our 2000 Volkswagen Beetle new in November 1999 and traded it in today because we need to make room for our new baby. All in all I would say that owning this car was a positive experience and I would be happy to continue driving it if we didnt need more room. Our biggest complaint is the electrical system. We had to replace the mass air flow sensor at least once per year and the trouble lights on the dash would come on and turn off for no reason. The cost of unscheduled yearly maintenece was high, at least $800 per year. We did not consider another VW because of the electrical problems. Were gonna miss you little buggy. We all had some great times together and I loved smokin those Hondas just as much as you did! Sorry bout all the curbs.

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  fun but could have been better - 2008 Volkswagen R32
  By AJ - September 2 - 2:53 pm

  The R32 is quick and fun to drive, but I expected more improvements over my 2004 R32. I think the 04 had a better exaust and certainly got better mileage. The seats seem cheap compared to the 04 which had stitching on the R. It just seems VW did less than was expected after having an 04. Maybe the GTI has gotten far better and the R32 needed to excell even more. I also had an 20T GTI with DSG. Compared to other cars the R32 is above the crowd.

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  2012 Passat SEL Premium - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By lighthouse2012 - September 2 - 2:35 am

  I purchased my 2012 Passat on April 22nd. 1. Infotainment unit was replaced after 2 visits to the dealership. 2. Infotainment continues to not function properly. 3. Driver side door rattles and squeaks upon opening and closing of door. 4. Steering Wheel is not aligned to center. 5. Strutts replaced due to loud noise upon turning left or right at high and low speeds. 6. The dealership has yet to resolve other issues.

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  Excellent All the Way Around - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Shana - September 1 - 5:33 pm

  I bought my 2002 Passat used one year ago. It now has 41,000 miles on it. I chose the Passat because I did much research beforehand and wanted a car that held its value better than what I was used to with the cars Id previously owned (Mazda, Ford, and Buick). I was so sick of trading in and seeing the trade in value of American made cars. My research showed that German made cars hold their values better than any other. I wasnt going to make a haisty decision though and did much research on the Passat. Im very happy with my choice. I recently had it appraised and the value is holding at what I gave for it. How many cars do that a year later with 14,000 more miles? My Passat is a stylish, fast car and I have had no problems with it at all.