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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  Becareful - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Liquidsoul - June 9 - 2:00 am

  This car has great performance right out of the box. The torque right off the line is amazing. But VW should raise the reliability and stiffer suspension. The car has too much body roll. And with in the first year, my auto shift knob has jammed as well as both of my windows fell off track with in 2 days of each other. The service is always horrible, i have to wait a week and a half to 2 weeks to bring my car in.

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  More wrong then right - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Warchild - June 9 - 2:00 am

  The Cabrio is a fun car. Granted, its not fast or roomy, but its been fun when it wasnt being repaired. Two trips to get the side mirrors replaced when they stoped defrosting. Two trips to get the exhaust rehung when the mid- muffler section fell off. A trip to fix the broken cd changer and another when the latch on the top failed. Yet another trip to have the interior door panels replaced. Engine stumbling has forced me to take it to the shop for the third time in a week. Even after all that I can still say I like the car. The lack of quality is the real bummer.

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  New 2001 VW Passat - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By bp1020 - June 9 - 2:00 am

  Great car with no problems for the first 18 months. Drives and rides great. Plenty of power without the extra cost of the V6. I have the leather package, but without power seats. Seats are still very ajustable and comfortable. I drive 4 plus hours in the car on a regular basis and find it to be very comfortable.

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  I Love My First Dub! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Thom Rowe - June 9 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Passat 1.8T, 5-speed manual for 4 months now. I think its a great ride - fun to drive, easy to take care of, and it looks great. I have fallen in love with the German engineering.

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  Disappointment - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By greg woods - June 8 - 12:50 am

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  we want a 280 or more 6 - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By cornwall - June 7 - 10:00 am

  handling is outstanding glad I live in a area where hills and curves keep me very happy Pulling power in all 6 gears is outstanding. comfort and ride is great for a car that handles so well! brakes, just what you need to feel safe, they Stop on a dime.

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  Get Up and Gone - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By ihctrux - June 7 - 10:00 am

  I bought the 3 door hatchback Golf TDI and have been getting over 51 mpg average in highway driving. Thats with the air conditionner running and at speeds of about 72 mph average. This car develops top torque at 1900 rpm and so is fast off the line and extremely economical to drive. It meets my standards for economical yet competent top end driving as it gets more than one-half its horsepower rating (93) in miles per gallon and will quite easily go faster than 1x that same horsepower rating. Most cars cant come close to meeting this horsepower-based driving standard and with most drivers driven by high horsepower ratings alone, they likely never will! Bravissimo for the Golf TDI!

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  Highway to mountains - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By clemmy - June 7 - 10:00 am

  I spent months looking for the perfect blend of "go any where ability, performance handling and speed, towing capacity (business expense), front leg room, and all with a luxury interior. No other vehicle comes close in the price range. The Touareg is every bit the vehicle as the Cheyene S for about $17,000 less. Cant wait to trade mine in for the V10 Diesel.

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  Gorgeous Car!!!! I hope it lasts - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Tony V - June 7 - 10:00 am

  I bought a silver 01 tiptronic with leather interior (the only way to go in my opinion) and it is like no other car I have driven...or seen for that matter. It looks like a much more expensive German car (I got my beauty for 16K) and it drives like no Japanese car you will drive. The looks are unmatched. Who wants to drive an Accord?! EVERYONE has one!!! Drive a VW. You wont regret it.

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  All that AND a bag of chips. - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By YuppieMe - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Great vehicle, Ive even gotten my staunch BMW neighbor to trade his precious X5. Even though its not classified as a "Luxury" SUV, it made me trade my RX330 for it. It may be the price of most Lux. SUVs but it came with FAR more gadgets and gizmos than my RX, and was just about the same price tag. Its fun to drive, and reasonably peppy for a V6. My expirince was great, from the test drive, to the sign & drive. I would have liked a V8, but after a test drive, I didnt think the V8 was worth the extra cash. Besides I got a loaded V6 for what would have been the price of a base V8. I love it, Its rugged when you want to be, and refined when you have to be.