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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  Be very careful! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By MJK - November 26 - 7:13 pm

  I have always wanted a VW. About six months ago I totaled my car so I was in the market for a new vehicle. I found a beautiful 2003 VW Jetta with 49,000+ miles at Carmax. It seemed like the perfect car. Given the fact that it was a 2003 with almost 50,000 miles I decided to buy the Carmax warranty. And Im SO glad I did! A month after I bought the car the windows and door locks would only work when it seemed to be hot outside. If it wasnt about 90 I couldnt roll the windows up or down! And never mind being able to lock the doors! Shortly there after the air conditioning stopped working. Throughout the less than three months that I have owned the car, aside from everything

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  This car saved my life - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By skappler1 - November 26 - 4:51 pm

  I loved my Volkswagen Jetta, bought a new 2012 SE with Convenience and Sunroof. It was a dark, rainy, and foggy night and i was traveling at around 40mph when i failed to see a stop sign and went right through an intersection. My Jetta was hit on the left side causing both driver and passenger side airbags to deploy. The vehicle then struck a tree and spun around once again before coming to a halt in someones front lawn. The car had immediatley shut itself off, activated the hazards and unlocked all the doors. My friend and i both walked away from the incident. The police all had agreed that had i not been in a car as safe as the Jetta, my friend and i could have both been easily killed

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  Style Over Substance - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By AK Jetta - November 26 - 12:36 pm

  We really liked the style and the roomy interior and trunk. However, we had several problems including: driver window failure; body trim falling off; radio controls quit working; turn signal lever stopped working; throttle body had to be replaced and other mechanical issues. This all happened at various stages of our eight year ownership. The first few years went smoothly and the car now has 92,000 miles. I probably would not buy another Jetta, but this one made it through three cross-country trips, including one to Alaska.

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  My First Car - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ashh - November 26 - 10:00 am

  I got this as my first car in 2007. It was a 5 speed stick shift with about 185,000 miles on it. I loved it from the start. Radio sounded awesome, seats were comfortable, plus it was super fun to zip around in. Almost 35 miles to the gallon. Almost 4 years later and less than 800 dollars into it, it had 216,000 miles on it and still kicking! Slight exhaust leak, and new struts needed, but only major problem was a leak in the radiator. The only reason I gave it up was to trade in for an SUV for the twins coming soon. Overall, absolutely loved this car!

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  Great Diesel - 2010 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Don - November 26 - 10:00 am

  This is an excellent SUV diesel which has exceeded my high demands and expectations in every respect: Power, comfort, style and reliability. I have 20,500 miles and virtually no problems have surfaced. Eventually I will probably buy the newer model, but I plan to keep this for many more years because it is so well-executed and realized. Dealership support for the routine service has been exemplary. It is superior in most respects to my former BMW X5 and is more evocative of the Sahara than Wilshire Blvd--a good rugged simple feel with less "look at me!!" attitude than the BMW.

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  keys - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By captainandrea - November 26 - 10:00 am

  Just inherited an 07 Passat which is a lovely car but dont know if I would have chosen to purchase it. The first ordeal was the keys had been lost and the car had been garaged for 2 years. It took 3 trips (of 120 miles round trip) to visit the nearest dealership to get "keys". First I ordered a little black plastic thingy that had to be programmed to the vin# ($67) to open the car - no keys found inside. Then I had to order the outer remote key ($130) THEN I HAD TO TOW THE CAR to the dealership to have it programmed all together!!!!!! The entire ordeal took one week and cost me more than $500!!! SO DONT EVER, EVER LOSE YOUR "KEY"!!!

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  Fun & practical ! - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Martin - November 26 - 10:00 am

  Ive always been a big fan of VW. The Jetta TDI is great to drive, sporty, yet allows to pack loads of stuff for the family. Thought the fuel economy of the TDI would be a bit better - youll have to do very conservative driving to do the 1200 km per tank they advertise! Biggest dissapointment: Comfort. I havent been able to find a comfortable position for long driving, and my son is only 59" and he has no head clearance at the back. I think the seats in the Golf are much better. Overall, it is a great car (cant beat the VW handling...) for sporty driving. I just wished theyd come up with better seat configuration.

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  Driving a dumpster - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By shastanova - November 26 - 9:39 am

  I love the way this car drives but its a piece of junk. Interior must be made from recycled bottles cause everything breaks. Armrest, glove box, cigarette tray, overhead light switch, control for sideview mirrors, window motor, headliner, doorliner, speakers and more. Outside falls apart also, side markers have water in them. headlights are foggy. paint job is crap. Grille vents fall out. Antennae rusted and fell apart. Engine is only good thing. Everything else sucks. Had to put in new turbo$2500, 2 timing belts $1450, fix A/C $750, Pvc valve and intake $700, Glow plug relay $300, Window motor& regulator $750. Drive it of a cliff before you spend all this money. all this before 130,000

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  Sleek Baby! - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Tony - November 26 - 8:30 am

  Amazing car. The performance/luxury/value equation on the CC Sport (or Luxury) is very high. The amount of style (beautiful inside and out), performance (sub 7 sec 0-60 with the manual), fuel economy (30+ on the hwy and 24ish around town), and standard features puts this car in a class by itself. It really stands out on the road in a sea of forgetable family sedans. The get up and go has really surprised me; you find yourself over the posted speed limit in no time and the power delivery is so smooth, you would never know this is a 4 banger. Build quality is top notch and even the standard radio is solid. The one down side...the steering is a little too light. Otherwise, well done VW!

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  Breakable - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By SS - November 26 - 7:10 am

  I have had my 1999 Volkswagen Beetle for six years and I have had to replace a little bit of everything. Everything that can go wrong with a car has. It is fun to drive a Bug, but it has so many blind spots.