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:

• 

  Not so excellent after 14 months. - 2011 Volkswagen GTI
  By magician2166 - December 7 - 2:39 am

  This is an update after owning GTI for 14 months. The car has a bad wind noise, which VW can not fix due to its design. Low-profile tires provide terrible ride and are easily destroyed over regular road imperfections. No potholes, replaced 2 already. Highway mileage is very mediocre due to the low ratio 6th. gear, which results in a constant high RPM. Interior panels rattle. Turbo lag is severe if A/C compressor is on. Engine consumes oil (1 qt. every 5000 miles). VW customer service is left to be desired. Headlights are alwauys dirty due to lack of the headlight wahers. Navigation screen is extremely small and very hard to see. Navigation system features are extremely limited.

• 

  Great Truck with Bad Acceleration - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By noodlezz - December 5 - 6:10 pm

  Overall, Im very happy with this SUV. I get a lot of compliments on it and it drives beautifully. I do wish I had gotten a V8 (pun intended!) as the acceleration of the V6 model is poor. There have been a few issues with the transmission where, at low speeds, it will knock. Ive also experienced a few weird electric issues, such as the radio ate my CD and the speakers make a popping sound when I arm and disarm the alarm.

• 

  Leaving is a bitter sweet emotion - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By scouserusa - December 2 - 10:44 pm

  Traded in 1 01 Malibu, for an 01 Passat. Im from the UK, and driven a new VW Polo..no problems, and loved the build quality. 64K at purchase, and no problems for a year. Then a CEL..which I ignored..found out to be a MAF sensor, then coil ignitor issues(recall), tie end rods, vacuum hoses, oil cooler went at 120K, and had to flush entire system. With premium fuel, expensive oil changes, brakes, annual coolant flushes, the constant worry of a blown head gasket or turbo failure was not far off. Excellent when new, but get sell after 5 years and dont look back. I was on first name terms with all the mechanics at the local garage. Do NOT buy a used Passat, simple advice.

• 

  An almost perfect car. - 2016 Volkswagen Passat
  By Milford Rick - December 2 - 10:05 pm

  The 2016 Volkswagen Passat is a prefect choice for those looking for a midsize sedan with a quiet, spacious cabin and a comfortable ride. This car has Roomy cabin , refined and quiet ride , powerful and fuel-efficient engines with top safety scores. The one problem I have with the car is the amount of frontal storage space. I dont if it was just my last car had extra storage space The car handles great and the touch screen system works well. Over all a great car I would personally recommend.

• 

  The Perfect Blend - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By bozaman - December 1 - 8:40 pm

  The GTI is a perfect blend of practicality and sportiness. Balancing the benefits of a compact hatchback profile with 4 doors (including ample room for real adults in the back seat!) and a sporty, fun-to- drive nature that encourages you to take the next corner just a little faster than you might normally make the GTI one of the preeminent values on the market today.

• 

  Does What You Need - 2013 Volkswagen Golf
  By bigal11 - November 30 - 6:49 pm

  34K miles. I love the agility and solid planted feel of this car. Made in Munich, much more substantial feel than my 12 Jetta. Great power delivery. Average 40mpg. Gets 48 @65, 39 @ 80, 36 in town. Prefer these cloth seats to Jettas "pleather". I have little to complain about except this DSG tranny. My wife thinks it is unsafe, and I cant argue much. Theres a 1-2 second lag before anything happens at takeoff which really throws your timing off compared to anything else youve driven. Also, Beware!! the $500+ tranny service every 40k miles. I really regret this purchase and would gladly trade it for the 6sp.

• 

  Ups and Downs - 2001 Volkswagen GTI
  By JT - November 30 - 9:03 am

  I bought the car in desperate need of a way to get to work, didnt really research it. The performance is good and bad. The turbo is great, very fun, but the engine sometimes jumps when I try to give it gas at lower speeds. Interior is cheap, Ive already had broken lights, switches, and compartment handles. Its also too easy to leave scratch marks on interior parts, just rub your fingernail and bits of black dust come right off. I only average at about 23 mpg which is pathetic. Note to all buyers, solve these performance problems with a manual, not automatic. Alternator keeps giving out at 40000 miles too, not sure about that..

• 

  I should have waited - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By J*** - November 30 - 2:00 am

  I bought my wagon 18 mo. ago and wish I wouldve thought twice. The wagon is cute and decent to drive, but it has its share of problems. The Mojave Beige is hard to see in certain light. I replaced child window locking switch due to malfunction. When we were hit on the passenger side at about 50 mph (guy blew through a red light when we had a turn arrow), NOT ONE of the safety features which I bought the car for, engaged. After a dealer check, they show that heated mirrors are functioning only part-time (but of course they wouldnt fix that while it was in the shop!) It has lost way too much in resale value. Over $10K!

• 

  Great mileage and fun - 2001 Volkswagen Golf
  By TomTDI - November 28 - 10:00 am

  The stock intecooler is a wee bit small and had saturated with heat, I live in Southern California, so I replaced it with an ABD aftermarket unit and have had great results. changed to a K & N filter and now the performance is better too. The automatic I have is good, but the stick version is really much more fun. Never has smoked and the other than the known recall issues the car has been very reliable overall but not as good as say a toyota. I will buy another one again, once they are available again in california in 2006.

• 

  Great Drive but Not Very Reliable - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By papertiger - November 28 - 10:00 am

  Plus - nice drive, solid feel & performance; Minus - contaminated fuel line; dead battery; electronic related failure (3 times)