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:

• 

  My former dream car - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Scott - January 22 - 10:46 am

  I wrote a review titled "my dream car" about a month and a half ago. Ignore it! I sold this vehicle last week because of the multitude of problems. I had it in the shop 17 times in 10 weeks. You read that right, 17 times in 10 weeks. I litterly had the car 4 days a week because the dealer had it the rest of the time. I am now $1,162.16 in debt just from fixing the car and I am 19 years old. It was my worst nightmare. I replaced 2 ignition coils, the alignment went out 3 times, spark plugs, window cables, oil changes, O2 sensors that "a squirrel ate" through. Oh and VW did not cover it because it was not a defect in the car. Just for the sensor it was $320.00!

• 

  Great interior room for a small car - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Wild Blue Yonder - January 21 - 10:00 am

  I am always amazed at how much stuff I can get into my Beetle. Just pop down the back seat and load up boxed up computers, office chairs, you name it. This weekend I bought a bistro set with a table and two chairs...all pieces fit in just fine. I also carted home a rocking chair in it...in fact I tried fitting the chair into my Mazda 626 and it did not fit...had to come back home and get the Beetle.

• 

  Still Smiling... - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By FDCapt2 - January 21 - 4:20 am

  I picked up my 2006 Volkswagen Passat 3.6 a week ago, and havent stopped smiling since. Ive had many cars in my life, and this is one of the best. It has such a great feel when driving and is very, very quiet. I realize that having a car for just a week leaves the oppurtunity for things to go wrong, but I really dont see that happening with this car. Each day I find something else unique with this car, like the little snowflake that flashes next to the outside temperature reading to help you remember to be careful of black ice, etc. Also, the stereo system from Dynaudio is one of the best youll ever hear. All in all, I really think this is an amazing vehicle.

• 

  Best Hatchback ever!! - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By rcm - January 21 - 2:00 am

  This is my 3rd new body style GTI (99 0r newer). I love it. Powerpacked, loaded with luxury and safty features. Awesome warrenty, 5,000 mile sevrive intervals, and good customer service. I would recomend to anyone looking for a fun/safe to drive $20,000 car. No better car for the $$.

• 

  First and last VW - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By King Richard - January 21 - 2:00 am

  This car is the worst I have ever owned. The CD player does not work on the left channels and has been to the dealer 4 times and still does not work. The windows fall down in the door and cannot be rolled up without repair. VW has extended warrenty on windows but will not honor previous repairs. This is the first and last VW I will own!!!!!

• 

  JETTA 1.8T - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By LENNY - January 21 - 2:00 am

  VERY FUN TO DRIVE, QUICK AND HANDLES WELL. WINTER PACKAGE COMES IN HANDY WHEN COLD. NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR DUE TO WORKMANSHIP OF DEALER.

• 

  GLB - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By gary leblanc - January 21 - 2:00 am

  cramp in the back seat cramp in front seat to let backspace for back passenger. front bumper will break if you hit hard snow in winter...protection panel under motor falls apart in winter...this is a really bad design to reduce noise and protect components (compressor, belts)from snow. If you live where you have winter...be prepare to pay for broken plastic parts around bumper...car is to low. Window will fall from tracks...You will freeze driving to the dealer to get this fix.

• 

  Great Wgn! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By D.P.B - January 21 - 2:00 am

  This is one of the most fun cars to drive, ever. It has tons of cool features, an awesome warrenty, and it just plain looks cool! Great mileage and dependablity.

• 

  Best Bang for the Buck - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Todd Earnest - January 20 - 8:33 pm

  This is my second Volkswagen Jetta TDI. I dive a ton and the uncompareable fuel mileage is nice on the wallet. I visit the gas station about half of the time as I would be doing if I had a gasoline engine.

• 

  Volswagen Jetta TDI - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ernie - January 20 - 1:26 pm

  The Jetta TDI is a fun car to drive. It gets excellent fuel economy, 37-48 MPG. I havent hit that imaginary 58 MPG yet. I love the styling and handling.