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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  Would Do It Again - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JettaDriver - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I love this car even with its problems. For the money the Jetta is fun to drive, has good power and looks great. The car feels solid and well made for just $16K. Once I learned how to drive the car right, I had plenty of power. You just gotta know how to use those 115 horses. The issue I have with the Jetta: expensive to maintain, battery exploded at 24,000 miles, switch for air cond sometimes doesnt work, wheels covers and reflectors fall off, 3 front and rear wheel alignments, parts are expensive, VW service departments suck, options and add-ons are too expensive. Overall, I love this car.

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  Why did i buy one? - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By mstellaluna - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Once I saw the Golf, i fell in love with it. But the car has been brought at least 8 times back to VW for repairs. My car came with a broken light, a leak in the sealing around the rear window, and a busted alarm. The alarm took several visits to fix. Then the transmission as acting up. The car needed to red-line to change gear, the car felt as if it was forcing itself to move. The car is now has suspension issues. The suspension equalizer bar needed lubrification (why was it missing in the first place?),but still have the whistling sound coming from the front of the car after hitting some bumps. Please avoid.

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  Problemed Passat - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By wdr - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Fun car the drive and sporty. However, the Oil Pressure sensor has gone off 6+ times and they just keep replacing associated parts and have no answer for me. The O2 sensor has gone off 3 times in last three months. 20 day wait on replacement parts, that tells me alot about that problem. Am getting rid of VW and getting a Honda Odessey!!

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  Awesome - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By taleggio - March 7 - 6:36 am

  I love my Touareg! It had a few issues early on but were fixed as necessary. It is heavy and all wheel drive, so its tough on tires. I ditched my factory tires at 11k miles for a set of Nokian WR G2s and havent looked back. Really the best tire for the Touareg. I had an Expedition previously, so gas mileage wasnt an issue. The FSI V6 and V8 on the newer models are a significant improvement over 2004-2007 models.

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  Overall Great - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By yobagoya - March 7 - 6:10 am

  Went from a 2010 Suburban to my Passat to save a little on gas. Now I spend about $50 a month rather than $130, so that is a big benefit right there. Bought mine used for under $15k certified. I am 65" 255" and am comfortable in the drivers seat, but would probably have a hard time in the back seat. Have taken my family of 4 on vacation in this, and my 2 boys are tall as well. Everyone was comfortable. Great gas mileage and handling. When the turbo kicks in its like hitting hyper space. Took some getting used to, but very enjoyable to drive. Currently have 28,000 miles and not any issues. As with any VW, service is key. Run synthetic oil and keep up on the service. Since service can be rather expensive, would suggest if you are mechanically inclined to do as much as possible yourself. Just had a quote for a 40k service on the wifes Jetta and was almost $500, which you can do for about $150 in parts if you do it yourself. The big hit is NSG plugs which can run $15 a piece. How can you beat German ingenuity, they got it right for us tall people. I can not fit in comparable cars comfortably like Toyotas or Hondas. [non-permissible content removed]

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  2015 Jetta S w/ Technology - 2015 Volkswagen Jetta
  By davep15 - March 5 - 7:35 pm

  I recently bought a 2015 Jetta S 2.0 5 speed manual. My previous cars have been 2002 Z-28 M6, 04 GTO M6, and 06 GTOM6. I am used to performance, but I was looking for an economical car. After reading the reviews, I was expecting a slow as molasses car. I was surprised. This 4 cylinder is sprity. It revs effortless through the gears. This engine lives over 2000 RPM and it does have some acceleration power 2000-3000 RPM. I havent done any ful throttle runs though. Below 2000 RPM, the engine has no power. But run this engine as it should with RPM, and it is peppy. I have actually found myself very much enjoying driving this car and running through the gears.

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  Worth it... - 2011 Volkswagen CC
  By nick_ole - March 5 - 2:42 pm

  Ive owned this car for 4 months now and still find it fun to drive... For a 4-banger, it sure drives like a 6. VW sure has a winner in the CC. Biggest problems... Being a heavy set 6th guy, its a pain to get in/out of car. Other than that, its worth it. Im looking forward to taking it for a long trip to gage its comfort for long distance driving. Havent had it for too long, so reliability at this point is kinda moot.

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  An OK car, quite good for the money - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By lackluster - March 4 - 10:00 am

  After having owned the car for a week, my initial excitement is wearing off. The car seems slow to take-off, it seems you really need to mash the accelerator. The car feels large and sluggish, and the Monsoon sound system has far too much low-quality bass. In addition, the exterior mirrors produce an inordinate amount of wind noise at speeds in excess of 55 mph.

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  My Bug - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By AJBP - March 4 - 10:00 am

  Originally purchased this car for daughter, as it will be pd by her 15th dday. Beautiful car. A real looker. Silver/Blk rag. Fun to drive especially w/top down. We have had a blast in it.Have had several problems with mine though. Part craftmanship, part dealership. Lots of breaking parts!!! Overall, I like the car , just tired of it ALWAYS being in the shop!!

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  GTI THAT IS HOT - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By ALAN YOUNG - March 3 - 3:30 am

  BUILD QUALITY IS VERY GOOD BUT THER WERE SOME PROBLEMS AT ONLY 80 MILES THE COMPUTER FAILED AND THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVEABLE BUT THE DEALER GAVE ME A GAS C CARD AND A NEW A4 TO DRIVE AT NO COST TO ME AT ALL.IT TOOK 2 WEEKS TO GET THE PART AND I ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS BUT THE WAY THEY TREATED ME WAS 5 STAR.GETING PARTS ON VW CAN SOME TIMES TAKE FAST I HAVE HAD IT UP TO THE WORK OR WHO LIKES SLEEPER TYP OF AUTO THIS GTI IS THAT FAST.