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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  New 2011 Touareg - 2011 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Michael - August 8 - 2:00 am

  My last 3 trucks were two Land Rover Discoveries and then the LR3. I was ready to trade in after five years and surveyed the landscape of real trucks - LR4, Sport, Armada, Infinit - you name it. I drove the Touareg and decided to go for it. It has good truck sensibilities, but drives like the Cayenne. It is comfortable and more economic than the 11 mph LR4.

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  Great Car - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By DrBYU - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Fun car, very reliable.

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  Disapointed - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By Uber - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Drives and rides well for a minivan. Motor and transmission seem OK. This van has had many recalls and just stopped tonight all the lights / electronics went out and the motor died. We drifted off the road - it restarted. It already rattles / fan belts squeak Drivers side window doesnt work. DVD screens block rear view mirror. Feels cheap. AC really isnt cold for a brand new car. Something is wrong with the tuning the fuel economy is not nearly what it is rated for. VW put lipstick on this pig. Do more research before you buy one.

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  Best one yet! - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Scott C. - August 8 - 2:00 am

  This is my third vw. And bye far the best one yet! Ive been leasing vdubs for the past 7 years and have been very happy.I picked this one up in July and Im thinking about buying it at the end of my lease. Its fun to drive,and has plenty of power and I really like the way it looks,and another cool thing about this one, all I have to do is put gas in it for the next three years cause vw has a great promo, free service! I will never get tired of the looks I get. People stop you all the time to ask what kind of car your driving. If your thinking about a new car I think you should put this one on your list of cars to test drive.

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  Great SUV - 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By joefrank64k - August 8 - 2:00 am

  I was looking to downsize from my Audi Q7, but I really grew to dislike the MMI interface for the radio/nav, so that ruled out the Q5 as well as the BMW X3, with its similar iDrive interface. I saw the Tiguan at the LA Auto Show last year and really liked the interior, both the layout and touchscreen nav. I had heard that the 2011 was going to have some updated features so I waited, and I am so glad that I did! I love this SUV...roomy, quiet, great tech thats so much easier to use than the Q7, the interior build quality is easily on-par with Audi.

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  German is not always quality - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Former Jetta Driver - August 8 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car brand new and after 5 years put 60000 miles on it. Service intervals cost an arm and leg. Quality is terrible. Car was cupping tires, the electrical in left door failed, lights burn out randomly, paint peeling of interior buttons and radio. Speakers stopped working. Do not buy VW, this is not the same German car it used to be years back. It is the biggest piece of junk. The dealer always makes excuses when there is a problem and blames it on wear and tear or customer fault. This car was terrible. It only had 57000 when I traded it in to get rid the junk.

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  Great Rabbit... Cant wait for the 2008! - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By jm - August 7 - 6:00 pm

  I test drove all of the subcompacts that are available. I test drove them all, and came down to the conclusion that I would rather have an inexpensive car with a 6 (not 4) speed transmission, an upscale interior, a more powerful engine that can actually pass on the highway, more interior space, more comfortable seats, and better handling. This car is also much, much safer than the other competitors, especially with all of the massive SUVs out there now. We have had absolutely no problems with this car after almost 5000 miles! I would definitely buy another! My wife likes mine so much that she is going to take mine and I am going to trade in her 2005 civic for a 2008 rabbit 4dr automatic.

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  Another one with "Oil Sludge" issues... - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By lonzom10 - August 7 - 1:10 pm

  Ive owned this car for over 2 years and it is in constant need of repair. The AC has went out twice, the Coils have had to be replaced, the front axles replaced due to the boots cracking and now the infamous "Oil Sludge" problem which VW says they will not cover even though all but 3 oil changes were completed at the dealer and I have provided them copies of the other 3 receipts. After looking online at all the other 05 1.8 turbo owners with the same problem, it would appear that the issue was not resolved from 04 to 05. Needless to say I will never by a VW again. What can we as a group do to address this issue with VW?

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  Interior falls apart in 2 years - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By Krista - August 7 - 12:23 pm

  First, the car drives great and has good gas mileage. I purchased a VW based on its reputation for quality. After owning the car for almost 4 years, I am not sure how VW got this reputation. The interior begins to fall apart after 2 years. I live in Florida so the heat could be part of the problem, but many other manufacturers have managed to make a car that withstands the heat. The interior fabric on the door is coming off. The plastic melts and scratches. I am extremely disappointed and will never purchase a VW again. My friend has a VW Bug and she has the same issues (and more).

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  Absolutely amazing car for $250/mo w/ no money dwn - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Balki Bartakamoos - August 7 - 10:47 am

  The more I drive it, the more I like it. The overall design of all of its functions was very well thought out. Its not a sports car with a ton of boost, but be in the right gear and its plenty quick, handles great, is comfy with plenty of storage, great electronics connectivity and controls with apple software support, and a very quiet interior 2x better than any car in its price range. Its really like theyre giving them away. I cant possibly imagine a better car for the price. I feel bad for the people paying all that extra money for the GLI as theres no way its that much better than the sport and for many thousand dollars more, I highly doubt it even compares once a month when you have to make the payment. Maybe Im just bias coming from a soul crushing ford focus, but I also have a racecar and this thing is a great time for a daily driver.