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:

• 

  good looks but bad service and engine - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By gtidude03 - February 9 - 2:00 am

  master cylinder went out at 15000 miles the clutch was sticking from the time i got it. the dealers kept telling me nothing was wrong. sounds like a diesel when until it is warmed up. climate control went out at 25 k miles.

• 

  I should have bought one years ago! - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By boatdznr - February 9 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my 2003 4dr.Golf TDI automatic new, nearly a year ago.I now have 19K miles on it. The TDI has excellent power. We use it like an SUV. Half the time we are hauling kids, and the other half of the time we have the rear seats down and have it loaded with supplies. Im 61",it has legroom to spare. I drive this car hard, lots of stop/go, on/off, when on the freeway its always 80 mph. Even with this torture, I get a combined 31 mpg. The value of many cars more than twice the price.

• 

  Expensive to service - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Pet sponge - February 9 - 2:00 am

  Handles well. The seats collect fuzz- balls, however with a little work and a pet sponge they can be removed. Rubber interior parts peel. Weve replaced the door handles twice and now the armrest is peeling. By the way the armrest also broke it wont hold position. Some of the interior lights work sporatically. The regular sevice maintenance is expensive. The 50000 mile scheduled maintenance costs about $375 and cosists of mostly checking things and replacing plugs, air filter, a tire rotation and an oil change. Good news is my windows havent yet fallen out.

• 

  SMOOOOOTH........ - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Nick Rx - February 9 - 2:00 am

  Just purchaced Touareg after much research, and I am happy to say that It exceeded my expectations. The V6 has plenty of pep (even with 5 passengers) and the transmission shifts smoothly. The car handles smooth and has a great turning radius..The dash looks like an airplane at night..Just came out of an Infinity QX4 and there is no comparison in room and luxury.. Upgraded stereo is awesome..Good job VW.....

• 

  Great car - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Buzzzz4 - February 9 - 2:00 am

  The 2002 Jetta 1.8 Turbo is an excellent sedan. I love driving it, however it can be a little sluggish when stepping on the pedal. It seems like it takes a second to kick in. Also not a car if you are expecting a child. Not a whole lot of room for a car seat.

• 

  Worst car (of 8 new) weve ever owned - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Clint_ - February 9 - 2:00 am

  Performance is great. Fit and finish are impeccable. Reliability is deporable. This car has been towed eight times and spent 43 days in the shop for unscheduled maintenance. Clutch failed with same problem four times. We were charged $1000 for a new clutch which failed as I drove away from dealer! Yet they still expected us to pay for it. They only caved in after I promised to dispute credit card charge. After a dozen calls, VWs single response has been to offer $150 of dealer service.

• 

  fastest car I ever owned - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jbaril - February 9 - 2:00 am

  Mines tornado red with black leather, moonroof, monsoon, the whole shebang, I think. I know the point of the GLI was performance, but I must, having had 2 Passats and a New Beetle, I miss the trip computer and fog lights. Still, its quick and agile, and the sport seats are comfortable. Its a nice car and it kicks butt!

• 

  WHAT AN AMAZING CAR!!!!!! - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Kevin Daniel - February 9 - 1:16 am

  This car is such a great value from the finely tuned engine to the feature filled interior. The Sports Edition (SE) includes amazing leather interior, ipod adapter, six Cd changer, heated seats,power windows and locks, sunroof, and a/c. The engine is a 2.5 liter 170 hp 177 pound feet of torque german engineered work of art. The vehicle still gets around 30 mpg and delivers a punch of power for a 4 cylinder. The exterior styling is very appealing and is designed in a very aerodynamic way. This car blows away others in its class like the camry, accord, and altima and still remains cheaper than all of them.

• 

  Awesome - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Alecia Riley - February 8 - 6:46 pm

  I love my Touareg, this is the fifth VW that I have owned. I have moved up a little bit each time. I started out with a Beetle and now own a Touareg. I love to drive it. People stop me all the time and ask if they can look in it. They cant believe that VW makes a SUV that look that good and has so many options standard. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a SUV.

• 

  GA$$ GUZZLIN - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Mrstr8up - February 8 - 4:16 pm

  Nice car overall, very nice handling will impress and compare with the best, but the gas mileage is so bad my wife and I both prefer to drive out Acura MDX. The mpg is better. Thats bad when a SUV has better gas mileage. Other than that, nice riding car. Very nice