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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  MY KIND OF A RIDE - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Nicky - June 16 - 10:00 am

  WELL MY FATHER JUST GOT ME A BLACK 2003 JETTA GLS W/MONSOON SYSTEM,POWER SUNROOF,AND HEATED SEATS.I LOVE THE WHEELS ON THE CAR. ITS VERY BOLD FROM OUTSIDE, AND THE INSIDE IS TERRIFIC. WHAT ELSE CAN YOU EXPECT FROM A COMPACT SIZE SEDAN FOR YOUNGSTERS.

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  Awesome Car - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By SGM - June 16 - 8:26 am

  Ive owned VWs over the years and this is by far my favorite. I liked it so much I bought an 09 w/auto 6sp. The 06 definitely likes a manual better to keep the power in the right band and it gets better mileage. The Trans works great and the clutch has held up well. Dont know about the 06 trans but the new 6sp auto rocks as well. As far as maintenance-just about every new car uses a belt not a chain-its quieter. It is expensive to replace most belts on any car. That is not a fair complaint on THIS car more than any other. Handling is excellent. The suspension might be stiff for some but it handles as well as my BMW. If you can find a nice low mileage used 06 with manual trans BUY I

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  Cars are defected - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tam - June 16 - 5:31 am

  I have had my 2013 Jetta for 6 months and I have experienced more problems than ever... The air goes from hot to cold to hot... this past weekend with the icing on the cake... I went to turn my car off and the key would not turn.. the key was stuck in the ignition. Took car to the dealer and was told this is not our problem and advised to disconnect the battery to turn the engine off, not true. Car ran for over 6 hours until someone figured out there was a fuse to shut the engine off This car is [non-permissible content removed]!!!!

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  As Advertised - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By RJDOZ - June 15 - 4:56 pm

  I normally do not rate a vehicle until I have 30K+ miles on it but I just had to share my pleasure with this vehicle with you. I currently have 8K miles on this SE with no problems. Im a salesman and Im on the road alot for my job hauling good size samples. Not as much room as my previous 4runner (which my wife now drives) but enough room to get the job done. Back seat room is larger than you would think and the rear split seats fold down flat which works well for me. Really a nice ride, fun to drive, gas mileage as advertised, and the 4motion has really been a champ in this tough Midwest winter. I drove about everything in this class but I kept coming back to the Tiguan.

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  The Bunny Is Back - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Billy - June 15 - 2:50 pm

  The VW Rabbis is very practical, fun, and has an easy ride. It feels lighter than the Jetta. While it has a relatively spartan interior, the fit and finish is excellent and it comes standard with all the necessities and then some. This car is very solid, with its German engineering and feel. I am very impressed.

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  Low Quality but cute - 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Ed Rooney - June 15 - 1:33 pm

  We purchased a 2008 "S" with automatic about 3 months ago for my wife, with the intent of passing it on to our daughter next year. I was reluctant to purchase this car based on customer reviews of previous model years. I should have listened, because this piece of junk has been in the shop 4 times to fix various squeaks and rattles and we havent even had the first oil change yet. So far gas mileage has been in the 22-24 mpg range, mostly suburban driving. While its within the EPA estimates, its still low for a car this small. Did I mention that it requires synthetic oil and a filter not carried at any quick lube establishments?

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  Economical yet Fun - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mike - June 13 - 11:20 am

  Bought the six speed manual in July and have put about 1200 miles on it so far. Got 41.5 mpg for the first 500 miles and 43 mpg for the second 500 miles (mostly highway but some stop and go). The car handles great and has good acceleration. I traded in my 2003 Passat and this car is almost as big as my Passat was. Not as luxurious as the Passat, but I didnt want to spend the extra money and I wanted the high gas mileage. Unlike a couple of the other reviewers, my air conditioning has been great (live near DC and it has been hot recently). Looks sharp - good head turning quotient.

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  One headache after another - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By rotaryfan - June 13 - 2:50 am

  Dont get me wrong here... VWs are excellent cars when they are running 100%. The problem is 99% of the time they are not running properly. Case in point here is my 2000 Passat 1.8T. After 5 years of ownership, I drowned thousands of dollars into repairs. Blown turbo, oil cooler cracked, brakes went soft early on too. The list goes on and on. Sludge had built up in the engine and finally, after 83k miles, the heater core broke. I will NEVER buy a VW again. This is the worst car Ive ever dealt with and I dont know why I kept it for so long.

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  2004 Touareg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Bill - June 12 - 2:16 pm

  Really enjoy the handling, the sound system and the performance of the vehicle. I had to relearn how to drive because it is not very hard to average 7 miles per gallon if you accelerate quickly often.

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  Passat is worth the extra money - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By sinner - June 12 - 10:00 am

  For anyone looking into buying a Volkswagon Jetta, think twice about buying a certified pre-owned Passat. They are a lot more of a car and the GLS model, like what I bought, have a lot of "standards" like 8 speaker system, trip computer, CD & Casette player, and more. The Passats handling, if you take my challenge and do a test drive, will sell the car.