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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  Turbo, inter-cooler and oil pump all died - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By zebrafarm - January 19 - 3:12 pm

  I owned a 2013 VW Passat TDI for 8 months. I bought it with 13K miles & traded it in at 29K. At the 29K mileage the turbo went out & I limped home which was only about 2 miles away. The VW dealer had it towed in & it took 10 days for them to complete the repair. If the car had not been under warranty the repair cost would had been $6000+. The parts alone were $3500. The mechanic at the VW dealer said, " We found metal parts from the turbo in the inter-cooler and oil pump, so we flushed the engine & we hope that cleaned it out". At that point I knew I would have to get rid of the car. A design flaw like that will kill an engine & cost $9000+ without warranty. Very poor design engineering!!

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  Fun to drive - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By cantwaittodrive - January 19 - 9:56 am

  I love driving the Tiguan. I was worried about the 4 cyl performance (had a 6 cyl previously) but this vw shifts seamlessly and still has plenty of power. The ride is super smooth and I love the exterior styling. Test drove the Ford Escape and Mazda CX-7 and the Tiguan beats both hands down. Feels like a solidly built vehicle, corners nicely and the controls are easy to access.

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  Great Car For A Great Price - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lee - January 19 - 2:10 am

  Wow! This car is very fun to drive, has lots of power (I have 2.0L Turbo). Handling is crisp and the ride is very smooth. The interior design is much more than I would expect for car at this price point. Anyone looking for a car in this price range needs to test drive one of these. German cars are not only well thought out, they just handle better. Heated seats are great in the winter. The car even does all right in the snow, where the traction control makes a very noticeable difference. There are also several well thought out innovations to the car which make simple things more convenient.

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  GREAT CAR!! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Matt - January 18 - 4:53 am

  I just got my car, it was a lease return that was turned in early. I got a great deal and the car has everything I wanted. I had a 99 Jetta and decided I wanted something newer. This car is awesome and i would recommend. Ive been reading that people are having problems. And Im sorry you are, because I had my 99 forever and had nothing wrong except minor repairs.

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  Im Still a VW Girl... - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By attaymik - January 18 - 1:33 am

  I wrote a review when I first bought the car in December 2005. Its got 8,200 miles on it now. I had a check engine light come on and the mirror on the drivers side went out, both were taken care of promptly. Ive owned eight cars since 1989 and every one of them (two Accords and one Maxima just to name a few) had repairs that had to be fixed. There is no exception here. The turbo lags a little in D, but is right on the money in Sport mode. This car is still a blast to drive. It gets great gas mileage and has so far been reliable. Ill check in again when it hits a year. Thank goodness I can use 89 gas and not just 91!

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  Hate It - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By hateit - January 17 - 8:16 pm

  I have had nothing but problems with my 2001 Volkswagen Jetta GLS Wagon and VW dealerships and care for my car. Every month there is some new problem. I definitely would not recomend this car, or company to anyone. I have never seen such poor preformance and quality, from the vechicle to the people who sell and work on them.

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  Great for the Money - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Joe - January 17 - 2:33 pm

  For the money, the 2006 Jetta Value Edition is a great car. I bought my 2006 Jetta slightly used and knew that I had made the right choice. As I look through the ratings of other cars I just laugh. GM is really funny. None of its vehicles should get a 5 or higher except for the Vett. VW makes good cars because they are drivers cars. This is the second VW for me and they keep getting better. For me the 2.5 has plenty of power because I have never had a very powerful car so it hard to compare to, unlike the editors that drive a $100,000 car with 800 horsepower. Of course the Jetta isnt powerful, but compared to other vehicles in its class it is good. My wife has a Saturn ION. Yeah, I cant wait to get rid of that car. Cheap plastic.

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  Horrible - 2006 Volkswagen Golf
  By Bill - January 16 - 9:20 pm

  it is the ugliest car that I have ever had. It rides horribly, and it falls apart easily. I have never had a car this bad.

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  The Best Car Ever - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By love my jetta - January 16 - 10:56 am

  I cant say enough how much I love this car. I bought it used and got a great deal on it. I drive my Jetta about 156 miles per day and I have not had one issue at all. The check engine light came on once but that was my fault because I didnt close the fuel door and someone took my gas cap. I have done quite a few "improvements" to the car, adding aftermarket things like a new head light fixture to have projector lights and new rims and tires. I got the windows tinted and changed the tail lights to the new 2005 version as well. I have added XM radio to the car and have done a few interior updates. I really cant stop. I think I am looking every weekend for something new to put on this car.

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  Woooooo-whoooooooooo!!!!!!!!!! - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JENNIE - January 16 - 10:00 am

  In one sentence, The Jetta rocks! Although I have the bottom of the line Jetta (GL), it has been fun to drive and a great reliable car. This puppy has taken me on numerous road trips in comfort and style. In its seventh year with me the biggest problem Ive had is replacing the A/C... and the smallest problem Ive had is replacing the O2 sensor on a couple occasions. As a whole I would definitely recommend this fine piece of German machinery to anyone!