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 MPG ever - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Robert Clark - November 3 - 10:23 am

  First of all: it is a German car - precise, exact, and yes, well built. Then it comes the MPG. I am taking weekly pictures of the dashboard of 50-54 MPG. I also fill at the same pump, same results. Mine is a diesel, but it drives like a gas, and contrary to public perception, there is no smoke, no noise, and it has a lot of pickup. I will keep this car until the doors will fall off. The MPG pays off every day...

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  VW TDI - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By Mahmoud Itani - November 2 - 2:00 am

  I am very pleased with VW Golf TDI

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  Awsome - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Greg DiCesare - November 2 - 2:00 am

  I put on 1,500 kms per week and this vehicle now has close to 17,000 kms. Trouble free and the 4Motion, especially here in Canada really comes in handy. -20 celcius this morning, just get in, start and go. The heated hides are a nice touch as well. I love this car...way more than the 02 Maxima I had previous.

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  Love my 3.6 - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Halavais - November 1 - 3:00 pm

  This is my second new VW, and I am very happy with it. I was considering a number of other cars (the TL, a Lexus, an A4, and a BMW), but this one was easily the best, especially if you, like me, want a little bit of extra room. Its gotten a lot of compliments in terms of looks, but really it is a wolf in sheeps clothing. Fun to just drop the hammer sometimes. As an aside, I drive mostly on highways, and at, um, excessive speeds :) and my mileage is a bit above the 26 MPG listed here.

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  2007 Volkswagen GTI - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By chris - November 1 - 1:00 am

  I have had a GTI for many years, including the MKIV and recently the MKV. The 2.0T motor is extremely powerful, much more so than the 1.8T was. The DSG transmission makes a world of difference.

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  Happy new owner - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By flyerbry - October 30 - 11:33 pm

  There is no such thing as the perfect vehicle as every design is a compromise but the Jetta TDI is unique in that it gets terrific mileage while being fun to drive. The rush of turbo power from the diesel is very satisfying and the range makes filling up almost fun. For those with bluetooth issues try a different phone; address book works on some and not on others. Mine is Windows Mobile 6.5 and it works fine. It will pair with up to 7 phones and the most recent paired phone gets used first so pair the main drivers phone last. Steering wheel controls available on the TDI are great and cooled (large) glove box and AC plug in back seat are a nice touch.

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  Last VW Van was a 65 - 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By Florida Bob - October 30 - 1:06 pm

  The new VW van still has enough of the qualities that made the old vans so much fun. Its big with a lot of usable space but it is still small enough to park and move in traffic. The VR6 is the best thing that ever happened to this car. It has adaquate power and is smooth and responsive. Handling is great for a van.

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  2006 Jetta TDI Automatic - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Kent - October 29 - 8:50 pm

  The more I drive my Jetta, the more I like it. It is a fun car to drive. It handles more like a flat cornering, tight handling sports car, which I like. It isn’t noisy but you can hear the motor purr when accelerating which is fine with me. It has plenty of power for normal driving, cruises easily at 60-70 mph, and accelerates at those speeds. This car never seems to labor at any speed, maybe because of the DSG automatic transmission. This is a 6-speed transmission with a sport mode and a paddle shifter if you desire to shift at your own shift points.

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  Manual + Diesel = Fun & 40mpg - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By greg-dc - October 28 - 2:00 am

  Want to drive 300mi on HALF a tank of fuel. Just go order one -- its worth the wait. Expensive? At 15000mi/yr the difference between 20mpg and 40mpg is $1500/yr ($125/mo). Oh, did I mention the German fit & finish and amazing handling? Worried about driving a diesel? If you drive a stick, dont be. Youll quickly learn to use and love having the maximum torque at 1900rpm instead of 5000 (like a Honda). We test drove an automatic, and it felt sluggish. But isnt $125/mo enough to learn to drive a stick?

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  Da Bomb - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jdog00700 - October 28 - 2:00 am

  Really Sweet and cool. cool heated seats and sunroof. Beats honda civic, dodge neon......anyday