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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  I am very, very impressed. - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By klance - January 5 - 10:00 am

  The Jetta looks great, runs great, feels incredibly solid and is amazingly quiet on the highway due to the low RPM of the diesel. It uses so little fuel, my average being 46-49 mpg, that I often forget when I last filled up. Suspension a bit soft for my liking; added Neuspeed/Bilstein Sport suspension, 205/55HR16 sport tires and rims, and now Im in absolute driving heaven. Smmmooth transmission! Interior reminiscent of high-end luxury imports, stock stereo kicks butt. Aftermarket performance and body styling options are endless. Before I bought my first Volkswagen, driving was a chore. Now I come up with excuses to drive. Driver Found.

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  The Real Deal - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By The Pirate - January 5 - 9:56 am

  Had the car for two weeks and put just over 1,500 miles on it. Snow in NE kept it in the garage a few days. Had one small glitch with sensor in the exhaust system, which was fixed right and on time. Since then shes been perfect. Ride is firm but supple. Seats are super supportive, great on long drives. Steering is fantastic. Engine and trans are THE BEST. Very torquey diesel and DSG really suits it well, a great combo. The negatives: heat in a diesel is a long wait; heated seats make up for that. Control knobs for heater are smooth/slippery to the touch. The pillar between front/rear window is huge. Takes some moving about to see around them. All in all a great long range cruiser!

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  Fun Sedan - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Coness - January 5 - 9:13 am

  Test drove VW Passat, CC and Nissan Altima before purchasing. Clearly the Passat and CC were smoother rides, but the Jetta definitely out performed the Altima in terms of performance and features. If the Jetta had some of the cosmetic features the Passat or CC had, itd be a perfect car. Then again if it did, whod buy a Passat or CC?

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  Try and buy it - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Yves - January 5 - 4:06 am

  I have tried almost all of the new 2006 sedans in the same price range. The Jetta was the last one. So I try the Jetta 2.0T...after 5 miles my decision was made. I cant get out of this car. This car is just the deal of the year. Almost all the new techonology is made for the driver. The engine is superb and brakes are powerfull. ESP is very helpfull and it is a great safety feature, and the DSG transmission makes you feel like a super driver. The interior is well designed and comfort is like many other pricy cars. I have had no problems with my Jetta. People that rate this cars build quality and reliability less than 9 should list the problems they had. Facts talk better than imagination.

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  Love My Passat! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By alana_711 - January 4 - 10:40 pm

  The Volkswagen Passat is a great car! its fun, safe, comfortable, handles great, and overall is a great deal :).

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  Fun to drive, drag to fix - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dan - January 4 - 6:50 pm

  I owned a 2001 Volkswagen Jetta, my friend owned one and my parents, and wife had a VW Beetle. All were fantastic to drive, super peppy. However, in the five years I owned it, the check engine light was off for only five months. Something was always wrong. Only the coil recall made it not driveable, but all of the issues were annoying. Its brakes needed replacement after 15,000 miles. Its arm rest broke two times once by a valet and once by friend (one screw is a dumb design). This car has a high clearence compared to Hondas. My wifes 02 Beetle 1.8T also had all same engine problems and more. The Jetta is expensive to fix. I spent $900 fixing it once only to have check engine come back on three weeks later. All that and on lease turn in they still charge you $250 for check engine light that is never off.

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  2001 Volkswagen Passat GLS - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By mia D - January 4 - 6:26 pm

  I am the 1st and only owner of vehicle. The car has had problems early on and at least one recall for an ignition coil. The check engine light keeps coming on and wont go off. I have had several repairs made to remedy problem and it still will not go away. Dealers just keep trying different things. The low oil pressure light came on and I had to make a $500.00 repair to get the intake valves replaced. I had the O2 sensors replaced. Camshaft sensor and adjuster replaced. Pretty soon I will have had to replace the whole engine. I also had front brakes and rotors replaced. Repairs on this car are very pricey. I even had a problem with water pooling in the back on the floor. Very problematic.

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  Beware the first model year of a VW - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ORDuck - January 4 - 8:00 am

  Ive had this car with Package 2 for about 3 weeks. Stereo made front doors rattle something fierce. Developed buzzing noise in dashboard. Took to car wash this weekend. When air drying portion hit the front doors I thought the panneling would come off it rattled so loud! And, the next day I discovered that it retained water INSIDE the back doors. Oh, and the outside mirrors make quite a wind noise at speed.

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  Buyers Beware - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By Remorseful Buyer - January 4 - 6:06 am

  I bought this car brand new in 2002. At first, everything was great. Good gas mileage. Sporty little car. Great for zipping around town and did well on road trips. However, it started having all sorts of problems after about 18-24 months, beginning with the "small" and annoying (head lights constantly burning out, display lights inexplicably going off and coming on, airbags needed replacement without ever having been used or the car being in an accident). Then, around 65,000 miles, the check engine light was constantly on. Then, the transmission blew and it needed a new timing belt, air sensor, alternator & more. It has cost me thousands to repair and has become a money pit.

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  Goodbuy and Good Riddance - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Daffodil - January 3 - 9:50 pm

  This is a darling car if you never have to actually go anywhere. Oh how I wish I had read these reviews before buying. It is cute; it gets good mileage. Mine had a sunroof, good stereo, heated leather seats, and a nice little growl in the engine. It was a commuting dream car but what is the point of all that cuteness and fun if it is in the shop all the time? I still sigh when I see them on the road, but I pat the dash of my trusty Toyota and keep going.