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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  2007 Jetta 2.5 L (5 speed M) Review - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dave Havriliak - February 19 - 2:40 am

  Simply put, this is a car of great compromise. This is my first VW. I wanted to reduce my operating costs due to rising fuel prices in the middle of 2006. Therefore the Jetta was considered. I am really glad I got one. It will be used as a commuter car that will get 100 miles per day put on it. As of today it has about 8,000 miles. I am getting 28 MPG (mostly freeway 72 MPH average with cruise control and regular unleaded). I use Mobil 1 synthetic (0- 40 wt) oil. Although the 5-cyl. engine lacks a little torque in the low RPM range, the 5 valve head runs pretty decent if you need to put your foot in it (above 3,000 RPM). I am 6 1", 205 lbs and find the Jetta to have great comfort.

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  car for daddy - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By olly - February 18 - 2:00 am

  Cheap and easy to repair, lot of small problems - locks, airbag cable, drains but no expensive repair. engine and gearbox not killable. big fuel economy (small engine), very comfortable. The only 2 things i dont like; the exterior sound on highway and I have the impression that i have a truck engine with no power but noisy.

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  car for daddy - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Olly - February 18 - 2:00 am

  Cheap and easy to repair, lot of small problems - locks, airbag cable, drains but no expensive repair. engine and gearbox not killable. big fuel economy (small engine), very comfortable. The only 2 things i dont like; the exterior sound on highway and I have the impression that i have a truck engine with no power but noisy.

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  Who even knows? - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Sevs - February 17 - 4:06 pm

  After already going through one Touareg, Im onto the next. My 2004 was replaced under the lemon law due to transmission problems and I received my 05 this past May. After driving the car for 3 months I noticed hesitations and horrible clunking noises during up/downshifts. The transmission in this car is downright scary. I have pulled out into intersections with plenty of time and the car hesitates and then takes off like no other. It is almost like the transmission has to think for a few seconds before it does anything. Sensors and warning lights going off at all times for no reason and horrible OEM tires. So far so good with the 2005, but stay away from the 04s.

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  Zippy, roomy van - 2001 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By Cheech - February 17 - 10:00 am

  I have had VW vans in the past. I liked them for a bunch of reasons. The 01 Eurovan roomy and very comfortable, even traveling with my family of seven. Its already been said, but the Volkswagen Eurovan is decidedly different. Its shaped like a box where others are round and bubbly. It has a significantly higher driving position. It also offers unique options, such as rear-facing second-row seats, pull out beds, window curtains and a camper body. All that plus a few peace signs make this van easy to own.

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  Heard the Sirens, Smashed on Rocks - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Hvns11 - February 13 - 1:33 pm

  Read all these reviews before I bought new in June 02. Now have 23K miles on it, fun to drive but you pay for it in atrocious dealer service (or lack thereof), constant stream of recalls, and cost of ownership is ludicrous ($75 to change a headlight--at my mechanic, not dealer). German engineering = great ride but poor electricals (radio dies, ignition dies, Homelink dies, etc). Turbo has a lag no matter what VW says, power eventually kicks in but you have to think 2 car lengths ahead. No way this makes it to 140K miles like my trade-in (94 Galant). Now Im off to look for a replacement, too bad for only 2 yrs old and 24K mi. Nice room for driver (Im 63") and front passenger. Live and learn.

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  Fun, Reliable - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Volks Driver - February 13 - 10:00 am

  I have the base 2.0 liter, GLS, 5- speed. No problems except for the power window holding clips, which were replaced under warranty. The car is fun, stylish, economical and reliable.

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  problems - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Cookie - February 13 - 10:00 am

  gas door quit working twice; drivers window rattled and was fixed; next day, same window shattered mostly in the door; left windows almost close but back goes back down; weve spent more time at the dealers than we had hoped we would; makes you wonder what is going to happen next time;

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  The Good and The Bad! - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By thayes82 - February 10 - 12:13 am

  I have had my Routan for exactly 30 days. On day 28 I was traveling with a friend and 5 kids. The transmission acted up and wouldnt go out of first. We were stranded in small town. Mind you my van only had 1050 miles on it. Anyway, the good is VW roadside was Awesome, they picked up the van delivered it to the nearest dealership and are fixing it now. They gave us a rental so I am impressed with VW service. They are replacing the valve body on my van and hopefully there will be no more issues. I love my van and am very hopeful nothing else goes wrong and this was just a fluke!

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  drain plug broken by VW dealer - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By markp46 - February 8 - 5:22 pm

  I took my 2010 Jetta TDI into the dealer for the 50k oil change. They broke the drain plug. This dealer blamed both the dealer who did the 40k oil change and VW for a defective drain bolt. Neither party would accept any responsibility or offer any assistance. The shop that broke my car did offer 50% towards the $600 repair bill as they needed to replace the oil pan. VW after doing nothing did ask me if I was satisfied with their service. Dear VW Im not satisfied and I will never purchase another VW product. Avoid VW. If they will not help on a minor issue that had nothing to do with wear or abuse do not expect VW to step and help if something major goes wrong.