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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  Like to Worry About What Will Break Next - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Not happy - January 20 - 7:53 pm

  My VW Beetles air bag sensors keep breaking, making them inoperable. I have had this problem repaired twice, the automatic top repaired three times, window regulators, clamps and motor repaired for a total of four times, and seat release replaced twice. The radio hisses, never fixed as it is a "design flaw." All of the windows rattle so badly the car sounds like it is falling apart at times, never fixed "design flaw."

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  Yikes - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By chris72 - January 20 - 7:23 am

  I bought my Jetta wagon. Had fun purchasing and driving it. Left the dealership with 25 miles on it. 12 days later, at 540 miles the car beeped, red light flashed, air conditioning blew hot air. The needle on the temp gauge went to 260! all the way to the right. VW road service came. Towed the car to dealer. Needless to say, the thrill of the new car is gone, and doubt has set in. Until then I loved the car. Now I worry about reliability and high repair costs after warranty wears out. Dealer handling it well, just a disappointment to me that the car had problems before I even got my license plates.

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  Pretty Good. - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Cali to Mass - January 19 - 1:46 pm

  As my first real car, I lived in Orange County and bought it @ 66,000 miles Certified. Two car accidents. One cross country trip from California to Boston. One winter later it has 105,000 miles on it! GULP! But its fared pretty well. Ive had a few minor electrical issues, and an engine leak but after the terrible VW Customer service honored everything it was alright. After putting over 105k miles on a 5 year old car it still coasts the highways SO SMOOOOTHLY. I need brakes done shortly, first time since 66,000 miles. Just got my timing belt done and ready for more. Good Car considering everything Ive done to the poor thing.

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  Great commuter! - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bicicleta - January 19 - 10:00 am

  Love this car so far.... 10K miles @ 50 mpg... commuting at speeds to 80. Plenty of power - cant believe this engine hasnt gotten more press. Wish theyd import the Passat diesel again. The Jetta is just a little small for my two 6 tall sons.

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  Couldnt Be Happier - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Passatowner2 - January 19 - 10:00 am

  No wonder Consumer Reports has picked this as the best car in its class for several years running. Quick as a Maxima, rated safer than a Volvo, quiet as a Camry, handles almost as well as a BMW and rides better. This is my first VW. I have owned Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, GM, Ford, and Chrysler. This car is the best.

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  shaking while at high speed - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By passatvw - January 19 - 3:40 am

  I owned Volkswagen 2006 jetta it was shaking so I traded it for 2007 passat it driving me crazy I had new tires and balance done but car shakes stearing wheel its not shaking but whole car does, I think for new car it wasnt supposed to shake, it feel like hitting car jumping as soon as it gets to 40 mph, ,can anyone tell me if it has same problem with volkwagen, overall car starts fast like hell, and when I put cd in I wait for ever to start, it doesnt start in 20 min or more, ,and dash board sounds so annoying, like, it fallin apart, let me know if this is normal for Volkswagen since both jetta and passat shake while driving, jetta had good cd player,

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  2006 Beetle - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Beth - January 18 - 12:40 am

  This car is so much fun to drive and unlike the VW Beetles of the 60s and 70s, it is built very solidly. It has a lot of power to go up hills and I feel very safe driving it. It also has enough room for my 62" husband to feel comfortable in.

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  You wont regret it... - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By GTIShawn - January 17 - 3:20 am

  If you are in the market for a fun to drive, practical vehicle that is built well and even has a distinct air of luxury about it, this is the perfect car. The DSG is not the silver bullet it is sometimes made out to be, but it is quite excellent. Having a transmission that performs at the level this performs at is certainly rare for a car in this price range. I expected it to be fun, and fast, and well made, but I did not expect it to ride as smoothly and confidently as it does. This is a car that comes as close to doing it all as you can find at this price point.

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  Outstanding Car - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By BDietz - January 16 - 11:10 pm

  This is the second Passat we have owned, buying our first in 1995 and trading it on this one. The 2004 model (late year model is identical to 2005 model in appearance and specs) is a major improvement over the 95, though we loved it as well. In another four years or so I look forward to trading for the then current model of the Passat. This is the fourth VW we have owned over the last 35 years, having put at least 100,000 miles on each of them and over 200,000 on a couple (including a 1981 Rabbit diesel LS).

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  Never Again - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By douglas23 - January 15 - 11:56 pm

  Just bought a 2005 2.5 liter with 68k miles and suffered a catastrophic engine failure. What a piece of junk! And no help from Volkwagen America. What a crappy company.........