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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  Nothing But Problems - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By JJP143 - September 12 - 10:00 am

  I have had nothing but problems with my Passat....After taking it to the dealership for service 7 times now since I bought it for numerous problems I am now looking into Lemon Laws as Volkswagen keeps insisting that "The car is working to manufacturers specifications". What a joke!! I have had it in for service 3 times on the same issue and the dealer cannot fix the problem...Not the quality I expected from Volkswagen nor for paying the amount of money I did!

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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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  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

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  2003 Passat Wagon - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Al - September 9 - 1:50 pm

  This car looks good and drives well but it lacks in reliability. It burns oil and is plagued with recalls. This is the second VW I own and again to be disappointed.

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  Anybody Want to Buy My Passat Wagon? - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By poskarp - September 9 - 9:10 am

  Although purchased used, this car was great until it reached its fifth birthday. Over the last five years this car has nickeled and dimed (or more accurately $500 and $1,000) us to death, especially with the pesky check engine light that has been diagnosed at least three times. Ive put more into this wagon over the last five years than I did for my last two Toyotas which had double the mileage. So much for my European love affair, Im going back to the orient where my cars have been reliable to over 150,000 miles

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  Cheap design all throughout - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Judson Miller - September 5 - 10:00 am

  I found the Jetta to have a sharp look. But looks arent everything. The Jetta seems to be made of cheap plastic parts all throughout. Everything seems to be falling apart. I had the car for all of 3 weeks before the engine had a catostrophic failure. Total bill: $4,000. One word...Cheap.

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  Cant even think of ALL the repairs! - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By aliz - September 4 - 2:56 am

  I bought this car over 2 years ago and have found nothing but problems! The heater core valve, the shifter broke, brakes, recalls, and many other problems. The knob for my mirror fell off, the power locks no longer work correctly. Every time I have needed to get something fixed, it has cost me over $1,000. Future VW buyers, BEWARE! Tried to start my car this a.m. and it wont even turn over now! This car (since I have owned it) has been well maintained, all oil changes, tune ups etc, and this car still wont run properly. After reading all of these reviews, I am EXTREMELY worried about what the current problem is. I cant wait to get rid of this money pit!

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  Bummer - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jsmcars - September 3 - 11:26 pm

  This car loks good on paper. Turbo, BBS, sporty suspension atc. I have had NUMEROUS electrical problems. Currently my turn signals dont work, moon roof doesnt work, check engine light goes on and off even thought there isnt anything wrong with the engine, all this started happening the same day. All in all, I have had fun with the car as far as the drivability goes but satisfaction is in the details. I am in the car business and now know that VWs arent worth much on trade due to all the predicted problems and I wouldnt drive/buy another VW. Acura TL will be my next car and I will trade this car in and get KILLED on the trade.

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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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  Disappointed in my Passat - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Bernie - August 31 - 6:10 am

  I cannot wait to squirrel away enough money to replace my car, with a non-VW model. I used to be that person that would defend VW and my car selection, but no more. After three recalls, multiple ignition coils going out, faulty electronics and the bottom panel of my car falling out on the freeway, I am done with this car. Not to mention it is a boring sedan. There is nothing outstanding about this car, aside from my repair bills.