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:

• 

  WOW - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Lindsey - April 30 - 9:40 am

  After seven years of driving a Chevy Cavalier, the 2006 Volkswagen Passat 2.0T feels like driving a Bentley. The interior is so roomy and luxurious even on the 2.0T package 1 model. The turbo engine is great on gas mileage and really has some kick. The only problem is that this car is going to get me a ticket, I dont even know that Im driving 80+ MPH, it just wants to keep accelerating!

• 

  Comments after 1 month - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Bob - April 29 - 11:40 am

  I typically wait at least 6 months before I write a review on a vehicle. But I got bored and decided to write one on this car after having it only a month. This is the second German-built vehicle Ive owned (1982 Scirocco was the first) and told myself I would never own another one again. My wife has owned a Jetta (2001) and loved it. We needed to find a car for our daughter, who just started college and this seems to be a smart purchase. Ok...enough of that. First off, after putting approximately 500 miles on the car, the check engine light came on. I went to the local auto parts store to have the code(s) downloaded. It’s something to do with the air mapping system…after 37,000 miles. I did some research and found this is common problem with this car. Check out codes P0491 & P0442 and do your own research. I also found out that most German cars have volatile memory built into the computer. So disconnecting the battery to clear the codes will not work. I though it may have been a gas cap issue so, I disconnected the battery for 10 minutes and reconnected it. In most cars, this will clear the computer and the light will disappear. Not in this case. You have to have a scanner remove the code and auto parts stores will not do this. On with the review… INTERIOR: Im a 6-2" 240lb 44-year-old male that drives a full-size SUV because I like elbow room so, small cars are not my thing. The cabin in this car is actually pretty roomy. The back seats had decent leg room with me in the driver’s seat (14-year-old 5’6” tall behind me). The front seat positions are decent but, the seat adjustments are sometimes difficult to find and adjust. Thats not that big of a deal for us since only my daughter will be driving the car. If multiple people will be driving the car, that may be an issue. I drove the car 400 miles the day after I bought it and the ride was quiet and comfortable...which surprised me. At 75 MPH the cabin noise was barely noticeable. We had the sunroof open…which took a while to figure out to operate it, and the mesh visor that pops up cuts the noise down a little. The instrument cluster is easy to figure out...if youre use to driving German cars. This car came with the synthetic leather that I actually like a lot. It’s easy to clean and appears to wear decent. The rest of the material in the cabin is nothing to write home about. There’s not much storage inside the car but, I’m used to having ample storage that’s in my SUV. The biggest issue I have with the car is the “entertainment system”. Yes it has Bluetooth but connecting to it is a pain. The touch-screen is nice but, is very basic. I’m an audiophile and the system in this car is lacking in everything. Granted, I purchased this car used and who knows what the previous owner did to it. Like using voice commands? 9 out of 10 times I used the voice command in this car…it didn’t work. I don’t know if it just didn’t like my voice or what. Gave up on that and told my daughter good luck. If you have small kids…don’t give them the keys! The key fob has a “switch-blade” key that pops out when you push a button. I’ve found myself playing with it and could imagine what a 4-year-old would do with it. EXTERIOR: The exterior styling is "OK" and if it wasnt for the front-end fascia, it would be on the edge of boring. The panels fit good as most German cars do and the trunk is large. Windows and sunroof seal tight. The stock wheels are typical for an entry-level car. VW…come back with the Electric Blue paint! Not much more to say on that subject. DRIVETRAIN: I was impressed with the acceleration and the handling. The car shifts smooth and zipping up and down the foothills of Georgia is fun. This Jetta is fun to drive and sticks to the road well. I had the tiptronic style shifter in an older car I had and never used it. It’s the same with this car. Overall I’m happy with my purchase.

• 

  Never Again - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Tiffany - April 29 - 9:36 am

  My husband got fooled into buying this vehicle. We have had nothing but ongoing problems. We had a warranty, and unfortunately nothing was covered. The interior was falling apart, water pump went out, air conditioning broke, so on, and so on. The problem with these vehicles is that you CANNOT fix anything. You have to take it to a Volkswagen dealer. They have so many electrical problems that it isnt worth it. We traded it in, (for a Toyota) and didnt get anything out of it, but at least we have a reliable vehicle. Never again will we make the mistake of purchasing a Volkswagen.

• 

  Diesel is the best! - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By nobluescreen - April 29 - 4:03 am

  In the 80s you could associate Diesel with words like smelly, smokey, slow, and loud. Not true anymore! This car doesnt smoke at all! Ceramic glow plug virtually eliminate the wait-to- \start. Unlike a gasoline engine, there are no spark plugs, plug wires, distributor, etc. Less to maintain! Diesel has more potential energy in it than gas does, so it takes significantly less diesel fuel to get the same amount of released (useable) energy. Fuel economy gets better with time, I have about 1500 miles on mine and I am getting an average in the mid 40s with about 75/25 hwy/city. This car surprisingly has plenty of pickup. You cant hear the motor that much during highway driving.

• 

  Passat 05 review - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Chad - April 28 - 7:56 pm

  Although I have had my passat for a short time, I cannot help but express my most positive experiences with the vehicle. The safety features, the room in the rear seating area, the comfort of the drivers seat, driving this car is alot of fun. Having the option to use the 5 speed shift like a manual or leave it in automatic mode, they both can provide some great acceleration.

• 

  My 2nd Review, 3 years later - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By flyjetta - April 28 - 2:33 am

  I did my first review in 2002, ony had a few problems. After replacing my MAF (they are cheap in price, because VW recognized they are a faulty part), had my O2 sensor replaced under recall, I had to get my temp sensor replaced. Now, with 64k, it seems to be pretty reliable, still waiting for my windows to fall, luckily they havent, those would be covered under warranty also. It burns oil like there is no tomorrow, but overall, it seems that the replacement parts are more reliable. I have a VW mechanic as a friend and he says that the new sensors that get put in hardly ever come back. Hopefully that is the case, other than that, it is still an attractive, and maybe now a reliable car.

• 

  decent car, good value - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Joeeeeee - April 27 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this this 1997 white VW Jetta GLS a month ago and I am pretty pleased with the car. I had to fix some minor problems such as the brakes and the wheel alignment but those are typical repair costs. This car doesnt have good acceleration as an automatic and is frustrating if you want to cut lanes on a freeway. However, once you hit the gas pedal, the pickup speed more than offsets its poor acceleration, as I dont have any problems hitting 90-95 with this car.

• 

  Love the car except the window problems. - 2001 Volkswagen GTI
  By Jim Swizzlesticks - April 27 - 2:00 am

  hey. I got my car a while back. I do love the thing. I have a problem with the windows though. First I had to get the window regulators replaced. I guess plastic was used to build them the first time. NOW the sunroof is acting screwy. I had to pop that little emergency panel and crank it two inches that it didnt cover on it;s own. Aggravating. The rest of the car is sweet though.

• 

  excellent jetta - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By xoashyxo - April 27 - 2:00 am

  this is a wonderful vehicle and i wouldnt change it for the world.

• 

  Great Car with some minor problems - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Pulsar - April 27 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car after considering the Vibe, Matrix, and protege-5. They all cost about the same if you add the options needed to bring them up to the GTI standard equipment. This car replaced a 95 Subaru Impreza 2.2 wagon. The interior of the GTI is great, I wanted leather but the local dealers didnt have it with the luxury package so I went with the moon roof and monsoon instead. Ive had one big problem that seems like a common one for the GTI/Golf/Jetta/Beetle family...The passenger window supports broke and the window fell into the door frame. It took the dealer 3 days to fix this since they didnt have the parts.