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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  99 Passat - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Craig D - February 11 - 7:00 am

  I have been very happy with this car. I drive a lot since I am in sales. I get good HWY mileage 28 to 30 MPG. Very good looking car. Leather seats holding up well. Outside of timing belt replacement, I have only had one other major repair expense in 2 years I have owned Passat. Keep good tires on it.

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  Needs Better Build Quality - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By fyrepower - February 11 - 2:13 am

  I decided to make a switch from Japanese vehicle to the 2006 Volkswagen Passat 2.0T after all the glowing reviews. Most have been spot on, but I must say Im very disappointed with the build quality. The interior materials have a very cheap feel to them (especially the audio / control dashboard). I also hear small rattles coming out of dashboard and doors everytime I hit small potholes. Otherwise the car is a joy to drive.

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  King of Hot Hatches - 2009 Volkswagen GTI
  By Henry - February 10 - 10:36 pm

  Very fun to drive. Handles amazingly well on windy roads. Braking is good enough. Great engine noise. No turbo lag whatsoever. Has all the power you would ever need in a front wheel drive car. Love the horseshoe wheels, though I got the 17" ones since I parallel park so much (already have some marring). I had a 08 Rabbit before and all the little improvements are completely worth it. Im nervous about the resale value and long term reliability being a VW, although I like this car so much I cant see parting with it while it still runs. Plan to have it for a long time. Very easy to park in the city being a small 2 door hatch.

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  Nice Car - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By Jeff - February 10 - 9:06 pm

  I traded in a 09 Jetta tdi, and 07 Rabbit and bought this 10 Golf tdi and Eos. We have a 09 Jetta tdi Sportwagon. The Golf is very quiet and unbelievable on economy. We have 3500 miles on it and its best is 54mpg, with an overall average of 48.5mpg, and this is winter here in Wisconsin. Once fully broken-in during the summer we could see close to 60mpg. This is much better than the 09 Sportwagon which is getting at best in the mid 40s, but that is still not fully broken-in. The Golf has plenty of power and great handling for a front wheel drive car.

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  Better Than the Rest... - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mjmorty - February 9 - 8:26 pm

  For the money you cant get a better car. Solid construction. Coming from a Honda, Lexus, Acura and Audi background I can say without reservation the German cars are far superior to the Japanese automobiles. People complain about the pops, squeaks and rattles that accompany the Jetta; my car only makes a small noise from the center console. All cars have interior noises at some point; my mothers Lexus and fathers Acura make quite the racket and theyre 3 and 4 years old, respectively. This trim level is the most I would spend on a Jetta; the GLS and GLX models are great and all, but when you start spending 23-27K, its time to start thinking Audi or Passat.

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  Love My Jetta - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Franco Lopez - February 9 - 4:43 pm

  I love my new Jetta. All I have done to it is add a small Bazooka to have some punch to the music in the car. It drives great and feels like a tank compared to other Japanese cars that I had test driven prior to this one. To show me how well built it was, the 200 lbs. salesman hung himself on the door for 5 seconds, and the door still closed perfectly! He said: "Dont try this on a Honda." I thought that was funny. I love the Tiptronic automatic transmission and the sports mode, which gives me a pseudo-manual feel of a sporty driving experience. The rigid suspension helps in this as well. After test driving several makes and models, as soon as I drove the Jetta I knew that was my next car.

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  New Owner - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Rabbit Driver - February 9 - 3:20 pm

  This is my 5th VW, and I have to say Im quite impressed with this generation, especially the 2008-2009 with the 170hp engine. The Rabbit offers a GREAT value when compared to its competitors. Where else do you get 170hp, a slick interior, climate control, power everything, alarm, etc, starting at $16K!? The answer is nowhere. Its no wonder the Rabbit, and its high performance brother the GTI win nearly every compact car comparison. People who complain about the gas mileage are comparing it to 4 cyl cars making 100-130hp and very little torque. This is a 5 cyl making 170 hp and 177 ft/lbs. The MPG is really on par with its power output and price range.

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  Super bunny comes to US - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By DJCampy - February 9 - 2:00 am

  About a year ago I was all set to purchase a WRX, until I drove it. Low quality interior, paint and turbo lag left me feeling flat. Dont get me wrong its a nice car but not nice enough. It wasnt so much beter than my 1998 Jetta GT that I couldnt justify the $26k. My buddy (who has a 2001.5 GTI VR6 which I liked a lot but it was front wheel drive) told me about the R32 and gave me some european mags covering the car and I was immediately sold. I went down to the dealership and put down the deposit and began my wait. Six months later I took delivery of my black R32. I took it easy on the car for the first 1k miles (to break it in) then the fun began.

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  Japanese for me - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By No Good - February 9 - 2:00 am

  Just like all of the other reviews here on Edmunds - drives and looks great with poor build quality and reliability (2002 model). In two years I have had it to the shop 7 times, including 1 tow. Lots of rattles from the dash and vents, broken radio and window motor, frozen doors (it snows/rains in Germany, right?), wouldnÂ’t shift out of park so I needed a tow to the dealer and now I have noticed the burning oil at 27K (smells like a 2-cycle motor the first 10 sec after starting in the cold). Average 24mpg with 70% highway driving.

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  Never stranded, but always annoyed!!!!! - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By IhateEngineLights - February 9 - 2:00 am

  I like the car. It is decent for milage and gas and getting me from A to B. I do not like going to the dealer to drop $160 so frequently to get a new Oxygen sensor. What the heck is that all about? Why do I have to see my obnoxious little engine light on **SO** much???????? It is too bad you can return cars, because I would have out of shear frustration.... Too new for these problems!!!!!!!!!!!!!1