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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  What I love, what I hate - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By kogan - April 26 - 3:36 am

  Jetta fulfills promise of feeling the road w/ tight cornering & great acceleration. During 1st 900 mi.had to replace spark plugs. Too much red in dash at night make finding things hard. AC may not do the job in summer heat. Heat on floor takes too long during cold weather. Black cloth interior show EVERY speck of lint. Sun visors too short. Cruise control sputters when resuming speed. Cant figure it out. Rear visibility could be better. Keyless entry fob needs to be more intuitive.

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  Great car unless you use reverse - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By sanfrandan - April 26 - 1:33 am

  I really like this car with one HUGE exception-every time I back up my brakes screech. It is not a small squeak but a loud, embarrassing screech. When running errands I have to purposely look for parking spots where I will not have to reverse. Really inconvenient. The dealer says it is normal which I find unacceptable. I see on other forums other VW users are experiencing the same issue. This will be my last VW and I cannot wait to unload this one when I can.

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  Good car, lots of little problems - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Justin - April 25 - 2:26 pm

  Based on the criteria above, I gave the Jetta 1.8T a good review. Overall, this is a very nice looking and fun car to drive. There are, however, a lot of little things that frustrate me. The check engine light comes on a lot. I read the code, and its a problem with the coolant temp sensor. Not a big deal, but still. The interior rattles a TON. Pretty disappointing for a car of this caliber (read price). The gas mileage is okay. 25-26 mixed, 28-29 hwy. Now in winter its 23mpg. Cost of maintenance is high. The ride is pretty stiff. On smooth roads is like butter. On anything less than smooth, you feel every bump (and hear it via the interior rattles). Not as worry free as I would like.

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  passat - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By ghjmgkgffg - April 25 - 10:00 am

  great car for having fun. has lots of power when you are trying to get into another lane. good braking, especially when you are in need of braking suddenly. Even good horse power in automatic. gets to 60 miles per hour in a considerable amount of time.

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  Love/Hate Relationship - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By ExOfficio - April 25 - 10:00 am

  This is my 4rth VW. The new Golf is by far superior. But with VW you are either lucky or poor. More often than not, the latter. While I love many things about the Golf, this will be my last VW. In 1st year - 5spd needed to be completely replaced due to a mftr defect in the 5th gear. Had to battle VW 6 mths with dangerous tranny (wouldnt go into 1st+5th gears -I had to start in 2nd!). Many other problems during the 60000 miles so far. Fun to drive but at what price. Love car but hate reliability. I had it shipped directly from Germany hoping it would prove more reliable than my previous VWs. Some who have been luckier than I, but more who swear they will never buy VWs again.

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  Loaded German Luxury for 26K - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jayjay78 - April 25 - 10:00 am

  before I bought my Jetta i was looking at the BMW 325i. Compared both and for everyday use the Jetta drives just as nice as the 325i looks great, fun to drive and great power from the Vr6 with a super smooth Trany, there is no other car out there the size of the Jetta with the looks, price, features, and the German feel with a V6 for this price

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  I wish someone warned me about the water - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By vw driver - April 21 - 2:00 am

  I owned a Jetta, now a passat. I loved it until the water began to leak in under the front and rear floor carpet. When I researched this issue it seems it is a long known defect/issue for these cars. I know two people who had the same problem, and found hundreds of others on line. My new car now smells like a old wet rug. Other than that love the car, but that is quite an issue to get by. VW claims not to know of it but replace pollon filter to address the issue.

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  GREAT for tall folks - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Burke - April 21 - 2:00 am

  Im dont agree with what some others have said. I am 68" and 260 lbs. and I fit in the passat with ease. i actually could move the seat up and still be comfortable. The head room (without the sun roof) is amazing. incredibly fun to drive, and the 4 cylinder turbo is great. no need for the V-6. This engine has plenty of power and better gas mileage. and I love driving the manual. However, I did have to take the car into the shop with a small computer problem, but I was in and out in a very short time.

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  great looks but no room - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By el - April 21 - 2:00 am

  I have been driving this car for almost a year, its awesome on gas mileage/looks/performance...unfortunate ly not a car for a small family of 4. I cannot fit 2 child seats in the back without cramping both front passengers against the dashboard...had i known about this space limitation would have think twice before buying

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  Beetle - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By addkev - April 21 - 2:00 am

  Love this car, it is so fun to drive and everyone stares.