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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  No Fun Any More - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By No Fun Any More - January 7 - 8:10 am

  I keep hearing about how great this car is, how long it will last. But I dont think my bank account can hold out that long. Initially, I loved this car, though I had little things go wrong. And the service is expensive (just to reset the engine sensor!). Now more and more major things are going wrong and I cant wait to unload it. What a disappointment, cause its fun to drive and gets good mileage. But not reliable... makes me nervous.

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  DO NOT PURCHASE THIS CAR - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By xoirishlollyxo - January 6 - 11:00 pm

  Since purchasing this car three years ago I have had nothing but problems. I had to replace the clutch @ 110k, the automatic locks stopped working and worst of all-it started to flood and no one can figure where out its coming from! So poorly designed they have the comfort control module under the drivers feet, obviously where water can get into if the car is leaking. Water has gotten into the comfort control and has effected the entire performance of the car and it stopped starting. I had to pay $2k to have the module completely redone and found out the passats have a problem with leaking through the sunroof! These repairs should have been covered as it is obviously a manufacture defect!

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  gti in audi clothing - 2001 Volkswagen GTI
  By andys review - January 6 - 12:26 pm

  So far so good! This car took me a while to get used to because Im so used to driving second generation gtis, but I really like it now. Not as much fun as the 1st and second generation gtis but but smoother and better all around. Very roomy and handling is up to par. The vr6 is such a nice engine. You move a lot faster then it feels. Definitely a much more solid feeling car. Fuel is pretty good if you baby the car. Easy to drive slow and exciting to drive fast! In my opinion it has an Audi feel to it and the cabin is pretty quiet. This glx model is loaded and I love and use every option. Im very happy with my purchase!

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  07 Jetta VP - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By J - January 5 - 7:33 pm

  I bought the Jetta thinking it was a German car that was pricey but worth the money due to the materials and workmanship. I am incredibly disappointed. When I picked up the car the keyless entry didnt work and the radio had interference. The dealer to date is unable to fix the radio. It sounds bad enough to drive me crazy and not terrible enough for the VW people to care. They replaced the radio once and it still is not fixed. Even worse I had to visit the dealership 7 times to have them keep trying to fix it. That is not including the 8 times for them to fix my keyless entry. I have only owned Hondas until this VW. I will never buy a VW again.

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  VW reliability ad makes me wan to scream - 2009 Volkswagen GTI
  By cla - January 5 - 4:56 pm

  34,000 miles on my 2009 GTI and 2 intake manifold replacements - done under warranty - Time for car shopping!

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  Over priced with all short falls - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By jarnold - January 5 - 10:00 am

  Good, not great overall. GPS is accurate but has very poor software, lacking information that most other software(DeLorme) offers at a very resonable price. Buy a palm and software from DeLorme for less than half VWs cost and get ten times the information. Problems with rear seat belt and tricky back seats to lay flat. GM is much easier. Go with V8 not V6, more money but much more satifaction. Both engines get poor mileage, under EPA rateings. Premium fuel. Been back to dealer several times, still needs work. Very poor trade in value. How did so many people mistankenly decide this was a supposed outstanding vehicle?

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  a Lemon - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By sierra - January 5 - 10:00 am

  I found it was fun to drive. Very nice interior, I was very happy with the car. Started having problems with suspension, wheel bearings, etc. Total of days in the dealership has equaled approx. 4 months. Egineers from volkswagen have not been able to fix problem. I left the car in the dealership to fix since July 22, 2004, still in the dealership; they have not been able to fix. It is my understanding they had two other cars with the same problem. I am in the process of returning under the "Lemon Law".

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  Love my VW! - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By schmoopy - January 5 - 10:00 am

  Purchased a used 2003 GLX Passat with 34K mi. It was a big change going from a SUV, but I love it. I did a lot of research and got a great price. I havent even had it a week yet, but am very happy. If you are looking for a car in this class, you must check it out. Great value for the luxury feel compared to other cars in the class. Lots of bells and whistles. Drives very smooth. Very fun to drive in the city and a great highway ride. Took a little time to get used to the way the gears change. Wish it didnt need premium gas.

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  Love at First Sight - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By D. Jones - January 5 - 10:00 am

  I shopped around for other cars in my price range, but fell in love with the Passat at first sight. Ive received many compliments on this car. The Passat is a total package for great looks, safety features, performance, and reliability. My Passat has nearly 10k miles without any problems. Its fun to drive and handles well in the snow. Im a first time VW owner and love this car!

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  What a great Auto!!! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Snubby - January 5 - 10:00 am

  What a great car...For the last twenty years I have owned nothing but Mercedes, and one Subaru Outback bought this year that I quickly got rid of (what a piece of junk)and replaced it with this Jetta. Only 1,000 miles on it and all is functioning well. It is so fun to drive and I think they are made better than the MEBE I was thinking of buying.