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:

• 

  Thank God for the warranty! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jkocourek - January 16 - 10:00 am

  While the overall performance of the car was great, the car was seriously lacking in quality and reliability. The life of parts and materials leave a lot to be desired - too many items repaired in only two years. Frustrating dealer experience and parts unavailability. Long-term quality/reliability of this model is very questionable. The two best days of my experience with this car were the day I bought it and the day I got rid of it.

• 

  Jetta GLS 1.8T: Great Car - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Nick B. - January 16 - 10:00 am

  I have 8,000 miles on my GLS and the car continues to make me smile every time I drive it. No problems at all. The design, engine performace, and creature comforts are awesome. Rest assured, the cupholders have been moved away from the CD and are now in the center. I got the cold weather package, monsoon CD,triptronic, and ESP. This car is most happy on a twisty country road. It handles like a much more expensive (read:BMW, Audi) car.

• 

  Thought about it. Decided no. - 2017 Volkswagen Passat
  By Andrew Graham - January 16 - 3:18 am

  Worst thing was the lag on take-off. The gearing of the transmission is really not right. The offered models make little sense. If you want the carplay option you have to pay for a sunroof, too! Or get the R which is unavailable. Not to mention how offensive the car sales process remains.

• 

  Bug of my Heart - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By briansfreehold - January 15 - 3:00 am

  I traded in a 1997 Kia Spotage for my cyberpunk green 2002 Bug and have had almost nothing but great luck with it. Of course after 30.000 miles any car will have some problems, like the plastic PVC around the bottom of the engine came apart as I was driving it on the freeway, and there is some hesatation with the automatic transmisstion (which was taken care of by the warranty). I stil just love this car. It may not be as cheap to fix and run as the old VW bugs but what is? Of course, the gas milage is sorly laking from what they said it was on the sticker. I get 23 mpg on the freeway. Bottom line, it still kicks butt over most of the other jelly bean looking cars that are on our roads now (BORING).

• 

  Golf 1.8T - 2001 Volkswagen Golf
  By niko - January 14 - 11:20 am

  Best car ever owned. Fun to drive, performant, quality interior, great stereo (upgrade option).

• 

  Yuck - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By walter clayton - January 13 - 11:20 pm

  Having come from four GMC Denalis (01 through 04) I thought I was getting a baby Porsche at a great price. What I have is a vehicle in search of a gear and with lousy torque. This V8 and six speed transmission acts more like a rubber band unwinding when you have to boot it at any speed above 30 mph. The sport selection helps some but it just wont get out of its own way. Lets talk about the wonderful auto lock that locks all the doors whether you like it or not; or how about the lag in opening the locks from the keyless remote. Finally you have to love the feature where you unlock the car remotely and it relocks itself about 30 seconds later. Whats up with that? Mine has no satellite radio and the ties were gone in 15,000 miles.

• 

  Wow...On a Whim! - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By littleman01 - January 13 - 3:36 pm

  I bought this car on a whim. My wife had just bought a Routan, and on a whim I asked about the CC. Four days later I was driving unsurpassed and unmatched luxury at 30K. Unmatched 2.0T. Unmatched Interior Styling (better than C Class, TL, and Lexus). Unmatched Gas Mileage. Best of all, unmatched rubbernecking as I drive by. Volkswagen definitely hit the nail on the head with the 2012 CC. I cant help but wonder why you would buy anything else. To tell you the truth, I love parking next to "luxury" cars and peeking inside to see what I am NOT missing. I figure it gives them a chance to see what they ARE missing.

• 

  I love my Jetta but.... - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jeff - January 13 - 11:10 am

  I love my 2001 Jetta, its really a great car for the money, rides well, reliable, and overall very solid. I dislike however how everything is so very expensive to fix. Any time I walk into the dealership its going to be $200 + in order for them to do what they need to do. I had a relay switch go out on my turn signal (recall), my trunk latch just failed (fixed myself for $40.00), check engine light has been on for about a year with no apparent problem, interior collects lint, side door arm rest is peeling, and the transmission feels like its slipping in second gear. I think for a used car you cant beat it.

• 

  06 Jetta TDI - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ScottysTDI2006 - January 13 - 9:40 am

  Hi. I recently purchased a 2006 VW Jetta TDI. I am reallly happpy with my decision to go VW. I traded from 2003 Acura TL-S , I have to say that I dont even notice the diffrence in power and but I REALLY notice in the 43-45 mpg of the Jetta! Also I learned that it even can use BIO-Deisel, and help the enviorment, but this fuel is not widely avaiable where I live.

• 

  Isnt necessarily aging gracefully.... - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By nrlucas - January 13 - 4:04 am

  I bought this car 1 1/2 years old in 2008 with 10,000 miles to replace my totaled 2004 Mercedes-Benz E320. I was over the cost of Mercedes maintenance and the Benz-Chrysler era reliability issues, however almost 5 years later this car has proven equally reliable, and because I cant find a good VW mechanic Im still stuck with dealer servicing. I have paid every penny for maintenance of what I paid for my Mercedes...only in a car that cost slightly less than half of what the E320 cost brand new. Its very comfortable, drives nice but there are too many odd failures that have happened to me over the years including having to replace the suspension and fuel pump at 55,000 miles