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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  A Lot of Pep in the Engine - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By chadfoo - July 22 - 9:40 am

  The Rabbit is an oustanding vehicle that is built solidly. It has great engine performance, a suspension that absorbs most road bumps, and it glides on the highway at high speeds. You get many standard features that are optional in most cars at this price. The hatchback is very versatile and spacious. I negotiated the price down to $16,000 with auto trans only. Consumer Reports bottom line price was $15,760, so use that as a reference. Its power steering is something else, its turning radius perfect. The gas mileage could be better, but with the engine they have included that is shared with the Jetta and Passat, it might worth the extra money spent on gas. The 6-speed transmission automaticly shifts smoothly. I highly recommend this car.

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  I dont like VWs. - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VW mistake - July 22 - 6:13 am

  Once I get one thing fixed another thing goes wrong. In 6 months I have had to tons of things done. I will not tell anyone else to get any vw. I had an Audi before this Audi is owned by VW what happen VW?

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  Great Car - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By J Kenney - July 21 - 10:00 pm

  The Passat 2.0T has plenty of get up and go. With all that pep it still delivers of 27 mpg. The seating is one of the most comfortable midsize cars I have been in. On the road it handles well. It is a fun car to drive. I have driven it over 2,300 miles in 6 weeks.

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  2018 VW Atlas R-line - 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
  By Ronald Jr Desir - July 21 - 3:59 am

  This is one if the best looking SUV on the market. Acceleration is great. Off-road this SUV is outstanding. Cargo space is unbelievable. The adaptive cruise control and Apple CarPlay is worth every penny I paid for this car. The one complaint I have is with the rear view mirror. It doesn’t look good at all. It is too small. It looks like they forgot about the rear view mirror and decided to take the Jerta’s Mirror and installed it on the Atlas. Other than that, the car is wonderful!

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  FamilyOfFour - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By FamilyOfFour - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Reviewer: Perspective is that of a family looking for a fun but reliable car. Although this is a pleasant car to drive and is very nice for the family we have gotten to know the dealer much to well for having a car with only 50K miles on it. VW covered most items but the dealer service is awful. I would absolutely NOT recommend as a long term car. Do NOT buy used ... you are due to find many problems. See list below. Bad: Acceleration. Reliability: Side Mirror motor, cup holder (twice), airflow vent control, rear sear pasenger window, door misaligned, pulls to the left slightly ... dealer will never admit it.

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  Love the Golf - 2001 Volkswagen Golf
  By Rickss77 - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle. Fun to drive and great on gas. Looking forward to moving up to another VW.

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  Like an Audi A4, but faster and cheaper - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tk1 - July 21 - 2:00 am

  So far soo good. Corners well, good suspension, and very quick. Lots of practical touches.

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  5 years passed. Still Love it. - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By AndyM - July 20 - 7:30 am

  1999 VW Passat. Love it. Love it. Love it. After 5 years/70K still looks like a new. Since B5 was designed its body style become classic and has been cloned by other auto makers. Havent had ANY serious problems with it. One year ago replaced original battery and tires. Soon will have to replace breaks. Other than that - just regular maintenance were the only major expense. Its a pity some other people here had bad luck with their Passat.

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  Passat wagon-love it - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By amelia - July 20 - 7:06 am

  I have been very happy with my wagon, with basically no trouble.

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  Excellent vehicle! Love the car. - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Shel - July 19 - 7:40 pm

  I was leery about the purchase. Never owned a foreign car. I average about 47 mpg on the highway and 41 in the city. I have no complaints about the car. I love it and the fuel mpg!!