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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  The Bug - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Stuntman - January 12 - 3:43 am

  VW Beetles are great cars. They are solid and fun to drive. Handling-wise the stock H rated tires crimp them a little, but upgrade to a Y, or Z rated tire and WOW she handles better then my Toyota MR2. Drivetrain-wise the gears are perfect for the power. She will scoot up to 60 in about 7-8 sec (manual 2.0). This is a heck of a fun car to drive on a windy road. It gets great gas mileage, 30-32 mpg highway.

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  Touraeg Luxury SUV - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By mikes - January 11 - 10:43 am

  Ive owned my Touraeg two years and am completely satisfied. Other than its poor gas mileage, this truck is exceptional. It handles like a sports car, has a very firm, comfortable ride, has superb acceleration (with V8), has one of the highest towing ratings in its class, has the interior finish youd expect of a luxury car, interior cabin noise is phenomenal, and the stereo rocks. Plus the body style is one of the sharpest.

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  A Wolf in Passat Clothing - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By Tex Murphy - January 11 - 9:23 am

  The B6 model sports numerous improvements over the B5 models, most notably, an insane 280HP v6 that uses as much gas as the outgoing B5! Now thats just obscene! The electromechanical steering mechanism is perfectly "weighed" and is precise, secure and responsive. The Acura had a more pronounced body lean, and the steering wasnt that good. The interior is a good blend of luxury and German pragmatism. The buttons are intuitive, and the console is not as cluttered as the Acuras. The Passat won out over the Lexus 330 and Acura TL. I thought my wifes B5 kicked, but this one blows it away in every aspect save for color.

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  Buy this car! - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By 23hammer - January 11 - 9:07 am

  I purchased this car to be my daily drive on my 100 mile daily commute. Running at 70 mph, I can get over 50 MPG in this car all day long! The car is amazingly quiet, comfortable, and nimble. I am enjoying the 6 speed manual immensley. The low end power provided by the diesel is amazing and really fun to drive (which was not expected in a diesel) The car feels like a much more expensive car on the road and you could litteraly hear a pin drop at 70 mph. The build quality is wonderful and best of all the car is built right here in the USA! Way to go VW, I hope many more people put this one on thier list!

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  Yet another fine volkswagon - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By dubbtrack - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Once you own one your bound to return to them. This car is the best i have owned. I have already had the 1.8T Jetta which is a fine car but this one is just the best.

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  Not the car they used to be - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bpamps - January 10 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a VW Wolfsburg back in 2001 after a very good experience with an older Jetta. The 2001 Jetta has been nothing but problems. Nother major went out but very soon after the 2 year warrenty expired my cruise control went out, mechanical problems, breaks went out, not to mention a recall that fixed a problem. When I got my breaks fixed I asked why they went out so soon. The mechanic said when the vehicle was assembled, the breaks were not put in right. As far as the cruise control, I was told that it was a junk part that was assembled (but I still needed to pay for it because it was not under warrenty).

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  Fast Fun Trouble - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By kate_9999 - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Love the ride...its a zippy little car and fun to drive, but Im selling it as soon as possible. Its out of warranty and given the amount of problems that occurred within the warranty Im not willing to risk my pocket book any further. Problems...headlights going out (cost $80 to replace), gas cap door broken 3 times, ignition key broken 2 times, rear brakes needed to be replaced at 20K...get real I dont ride the break, A/C problem $900 for a new fan, several recalls, hatch never worked correctly, service slow and youre waiting a month. Dont buy this car its fun but not worth the hassle.

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  Simply the Best - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By marek - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Great car to drive on the Dallas Texas interstate. Easy and fun to drive and loads of safety features.

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  More than my moneys worth - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jasonf - January 10 - 10:00 am

  As a long-time truck driver the size of the wagon has taken getting some use to. I have now learned that bigger is not better! The Passat Wagon is fun to drive, safer than my trucks and all-in-all a very good value. Despite the age of the line I believe this vehicle to be one of the best looking wagons on the road. I actually feel I got more than what I paid for with the luxury, looks and performance the Passat provides.

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  The best cars - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By patrick miller - January 10 - 10:00 am

  this is my secound vw, i love the cars. i have zero problems with mine. they are a lot of fun to drive and to have.