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:

• 

  Few Problems - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Syomau - June 7 - 10:00 am

  I did experience a few problems in the first few months of ownership ranging from having to change the drivers seat cover to a few rattels all of which were fixed in a timely manner. Other wise Great car.

• 

  Awsome - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By missfrenchhorn - June 7 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE THIS CAR

• 

  One great "fun loving" car! - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Dawn Morton - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Comfort beyond any expectation. Smooth riding and reasonably responsive. Absolutely no driver fatigue over long distances. Wind noise is minimal with top down. Build quality is exceptional for a car costing so little. Has very "solid" feel". To our surprise, we enjoy this car as much for long distance driving as we do for around town transportation. We own two Mercedes and a GMC Yukon. We love our Bug the best!

• 

  VW BUG CONVERTIBLE - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By pjones - June 7 - 10:00 am

  The only disign problem I have with the convertible is the windows catch on the roof when the doors are opened.

• 

  Fun But Too Many Electrical Issues - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By CHOP - June 7 - 4:06 am

  My first VW. Purchased a 2006 Certified Passat Lux edition. Fun fast performing car. Mechanically sound, modern styling and dealer service was great, but in just under 2 years, Ive had it in the shop about 12 times to fix electrical annoyances. Ive owned BMW and Mercedes; for some reason, Germans cant get the electrical right. Also, alot of squeaks in cold weather. Gas mileage is great, but spent too much time at the dealership.

• 

  Great engine - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By greg2877 - June 6 - 8:56 pm

  I gave this little car 4 stars for the engine only. It is very sound and will last forever, if you keep up with the regular oil changes. I bough the car 2 years ago, and had to do zero repairs for the engine. The inside is a different story. The only thing solid for the car is the engine and the steering wheel. A lot of the inside is made of plastic and actually, under the hood, a little tongue comes out to open the hood, and that broke off, so now I have to magician my way to open it. Its tricky but can be done. The inside is breaking. The sunroof,door handles, locks, and glovebox. I would say, the inside would cost me around $1000 to get fixed. If I do the work myself.

• 

  WOW! - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By JERRY - June 6 - 10:33 am

  Ive waited five years for a VW Hardtop Convertible that looks like a "guy" car. Mine is Black with 18" wheels and has a really aggressive look to it. The car is flawless. Every time I retract the roof it draws a crowd. The roof, as I understand is not designed by VW, but by another company who specailizes in the Hard-top market, making roofs for Audi, Volvo and Mercedes. VWs is the only hard-top convertible that has a sunroof. This car is fast, numble, and most importantly - safe! I love this car. By the way, get the Sport Package. Being able to shift the gears with paddles on the steering wheel really makes this car drive like a sports car.

• 

  My First "New" Car... - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Greg - June 6 - 8:26 am

  This is my first "new" car. I also own a 1965 El Camino, and have been looking at new cars for three main reasons: 1) safety, 2) comfort, 3) gas mileage. This car was the only one that I was looking at in the $20,000 range that had full side curtain airbags for the driver, passenger, and rear seats. The bucket seats are very comfortable for long driving periods, and the cars estimated gas mileage is 22-30 mpg, though I find myself getting about 24-26 mpg on regular-unleaded. This is not my dream car, but for a college student who has a shallow wallet the price for what your getting is defiantly superior to comparable models.

• 

  2003 vw gti 1.8t manual - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By gti4 - June 5 - 9:25 am

  i have this car since 05 and now has 175k never had any issues if u take good care will take good care of you. this is very good quality vehicle best one so far i owned and i had few BMWs Mercedes but nothing compares to this baby.parts are same price as for any other vehicle if not cheaper now if u do some basic stuff your self will save you money.

• 

  German Engineering at Japanese Pricing - 2009 Volkswagen Passat
  By skyhawk182 - June 5 - 8:03 am

  Admittedly have only driven the car 6K miles, but must say, am more than pleased. Well thought out with ever so many clever features that make car seem like it knows you. Sweetest engine Ive driven - excellent power due to great low end torgue via turbo charger. Rides like on rails, yet seems like larger luxury ride. One needs to keep an eye on options (can escalate pricing rapidly) and bargain aggressively - with that in mind, pricing is quite attractive and competitive.