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:

• 

  Break all at once - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By farid - August 8 - 12:36 pm

  I was disapointed with this car, despite the low mileage (under 45,000 at purchase) it start to break starting with the engine mounts, axels, brakes, engine lights went on since I changed the spark plugs. The bottom line its not fun as advertised, I liked my old Corrola 90 with 130,000 miles on it better.

• 

  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.

• 

  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?

• 

  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).

• 

  Jetta VR6, the Wrong Purchase - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Natalia Samoilovich - August 5 - 1:06 am

  I bought my 2000 Volkswagen Jetta becasue I thought it would be fun to drive and extremely reliable. Boy was I wrong! Fun to drive it was, but terribly unreliable. Within one month of purchasing the Jetta, it was in the shop for electrical problems for the next 5.5 years. This car was in the shop every 3-4 months for 5.5 years. Once the warranty ran out, ouch, is all I have to say. For the dealership just to look at the car cost $94, and usually the repairs were never less than $300 at a time. The transmission had problems twice after 5 years of ownership. If you buy this vehicle, please be prepared to have a large headache. I would not recommended it to even my worst enemy. This car was a curse.

• 

  What a Piece of Junk - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Kristen - August 4 - 6:36 am

  Okay, this is all I have to say about the 2000 Jetta... what a piece of junk! I bought the car from an independently owned dealership (I learned my lesson from that) and the car was running great, Carfax checked out, everything... the next day after I purchased the vehicle, it wouldnt start. It needed new starter. I got that replaced, then three days later, it didnt start again. The sensors started wacking out on it. I took it to two other VW shops, they couldnt figure out the problem. I traded it in three weeks after purchase date for my 1999 Honda Accord, and I love it! It has no problems whatsoever! Dont buy a VW, they are pieces! I did the research, and they are building these things in Mexico! German quality? I think NOT.

• 

  Not so good this time either !! - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By 01YellowSlugBug - August 4 - 2:00 am

  This is my 3rd New Beetle. I owned a 98 and a 99 - both which had quality issues. I have been less than impressed with the 2001 as well. It seems that VWs quality hasnt improved much and its customer service needs improvement. I will not be purchasing a 4th Beetle or VW at all.

• 

  My Passat experience - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Sam in Agawam, MA - August 3 - 10:00 am

  There is not an aspect of this car I have not had problems with in six months of ownership. The original tires were awful (Goodyear) & the replacement Dunlops helped quite a bit. The wheel bearings, inner tie rod ends, ball joints, and transmission output bearings all needed to be replaced at only 50 thousand miles! The car is currently in the shop having the transmission removed on account of a worn gear that determines the speedometer reading. The engine knocks when hot, despite the new coil pack I installed on the car six months ago (the original was cracked.) I cant wait to trade this in.

• 

  Nether Buy Jetta - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Kira - August 3 - 10:00 am

  My car was in service 17 times in 2 years. Couple times they kept the car for 4-5 days, because they do not have parts (?!) and need to consult factory engineers (?!). Engine malfunctions, oxygen sensors, water pump, multiple electrical problems, security system failure - all "excitements" of going to service almost every month + endless hours in a way trying to get some answers from Vw service. With very appealing interior, its very poor quality makes this car absolutely unreliable. Please, do not make your life miserable - do not buy Jetta.

• 

  its all in the roof - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By ripped off - July 31 - 2:53 am

  Volkswagen put all of their dollars in the roof and put almost nothing in interior finish. My car listed at $34,000 and the leather in the seat ends at the piping on the side of the seat. Im not even sure its leather! The passenger seat has NO electronic controls. And there is no place to put my sunglasses. Its just poorly thought out. I can see paying a premium for the hardtop convertible roof, but give me some place to store my sunglasses. I should have paid attention to the things I thought a great car would offer as standard.