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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  Nice car, but....... - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By ath - October 25 - 10:00 am

  I like the way the Golf runs & drives, however, mine has a nasty habit of opening its windows and unlocking itself when its parked overnight! Im not kidding! Tried 2 dealers, they have no idea. One thought someone might be doing it to me. In that case, its an easy car to steal, because you can open it up without anyone noticing. I will not buy another and regret buying this one. An otherwise good car ruined by a small, but critical defect. I wish someone would take it. Itll probably get vandalized first, though, since I cant keep it locked up!

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  Do your research - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jmr - October 23 - 1:53 am

  This jetta has been my dream car for forever, until I purchased it. A month after I bought it would no longer run due to transmission problems. I took it back to the dealer and demanded they fix it, which they did. In the past year I have replaced 2 mass air flow sensors, the main computer for the car, countless other sensors and recently the fuel pump. If you are interested in a VW you better do some research to make sure its a good fit for you. Jettas are cute and fun to drive, but if you get a bad one its going to be a money pit. Also, they are expensive to maintain, my oil changes cost around $70. Make sure you are prepared for all the comes with being a VW owner before you get one!

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  2000 Jetta - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By SpotsChicago - October 21 - 10:00 am

  My favorite car Ive ever owned so far. Id keep it indefinitely (unusual for me) if the gas mileage was better. Id return to VW if they can get the mileage up!

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  04 was a bad year - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Lars - October 21 - 8:10 am

  We love the way our Touareg rides, drives and handles, but hate the reliability, and gremlins in the electrical system that we have experienced over the two years we have owned it.

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  VW New Passat GLS V6 - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By jbaril - October 18 - 2:00 am

  good car; far more interesting and attractive than Accord, Camry, Hyundai. Probably just as good as Audi A4, but less expensive.

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  Wish it was bigger but love the features - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Colorado Mtns - October 16 - 2:26 pm

  I came from a Land Rover LR3 to a 2009 Tiguan. Love the same features of the Land Rover, but disappointed about the room inside. I have (2) dogs and cannot fit much else except them. Also cannot get over the fact there are no armrests in the middle, having to use the console seems odd. Also just ran over a nail on one of the tires and have to have it replaced. The 18" Pirellis that are on the Tiguan are on national backorder - odd sized tire as well. Not sure if they are good snow tires from what I have researched on the Pirelli website. Gas mileage not what I expected, only averaging 21 mpg on the highway. Overall not quite sure I made the best choice. Should have stayed in my LR3

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  Minor things turns into STRESS makers - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jettajason - October 16 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my Vw all of its life. I also had to get the windows reinstalled with the "metal clips" instead of the cheap plasic ones that Mexico put in. That was the first trip to the shop June 02, second time was last year...transmission seemed to start slipping, they reset the trans computer and was running great for 4 weeks and started it again,went to the shop about 3wks ago(9/04)to get oil changed and complained about the brakes making a loud squeeking noise, (tech said nothing wrong) still doing it and it feels sometimes like it sputters when I put it in drive,(tech found nothing wrong as well. Power seat ate its plug for the motor,going to the shop tomorrow for the 8 things on my list

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  2014 Jetta SE 1.8 - 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
  By reminder - October 16 - 8:29 am

  Picked up the car just before Thanksgiving. Covered 800 miles thus far. Handles well, but not a sports car. Has that tight feeling of quality that German cars are often described as having. New turbo motor & the return of the independent rear suspension is the main reason I selected the Jetta over a 14 Mazda 6. The power of the new motor works well being mated to the auto trans. Engine is extremely smooth and revs freely. Transmission is quick to up-shift in pursuit of MPGs, but also downshifts quickly if you need to pick up the pace. Interior is clean with simple controls. Heated seats have been handy with the vinyl seats and the cold temps in my neck of the woods.

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  I love my TDI - 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Aron - October 14 - 7:54 pm

  I bought this car with less than 20 miles on it when I traded in my 2002 1.8T Jetta GLS with a 5 speed manual. I just passed the the 73,000 mark, and havent had any reliability. Unlike my old one, my current Jetta does have plastic trim on the doors and trunk hinges that rob trunk space, neither are the end of the world. It also isnt quite as fun to drive. It does, however, have a great build quality and provides a better overall driving experience. The seats are more comfortable, and there is little more refinement in handling which more than makes up for the slightly less sporty feel. Both mean I can drive longer without feeling fatigued. The manual gearbox feels just like my old one, but with one extra gear. It is still fun to drive and more so than any other hybrid or diesel in its class (according to car magazine reviews). Before I had the emissions fix, which only had a slight impact on my fuel economy, I was averaging close to 50 miles per gallon in warm weather with mostly highway driving without even trying. If it was pure highway driving in warm weather I could get above 50. The cabin and trunk are larger than my old Jetta, and it looks and feels more like a mid-sized car than a compact. On the occasions when I carry more than one other person, there is a lot less complaining about space. At $25,000, what other car is as fun to drive, spacious and fuel efficient my Jetta? The interior and exterior styling has been criticized by many, but I actually like it better than its competitors. It is understated and doesnt scream "look at me" like a narcissistic teenager. As for creature comforts, it still has an impressive Fender audio system, Bluetooth, heated seats, sunroof, rear view camera, heated outside mirrors, and a soft touch dashboard. I dont need all of the other "techy" stuff. If I were to do it again, Id by the same car. Im sold on VW for life. The only reason I didnt give it five stars is because of two slight, intermittent noises: a squeaky noise when the air conditioning fan is set to "2" and a rattle in the dashboard. The latter may or may not have arisen after I hit a deer a few years ago.

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  Has been great! - 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By eldaino2 - October 11 - 8:40 pm

  My wifes 08 beetle has been pretty great. its a fairly smooth riding car (an impressive feat considering its based of the mkIV platform and thus has a torsion beam rear suspension) and is a a great long distance cruiser. the stock tires are not the greatest and in typical stock fashion has grown loud and tiresome, but the car itself is very quiet, peppy with great low end tq, and style my wife loves.(and i actually dont mind it either.)