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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  Wonderful, wonderful car – Best Ive ever owned. - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By nick_89 - November 16 - 7:27 pm

  I am staggered by the negative reviews, because that in no way been my experience. With 90,000 miles and counting, I have only had to replace two light bulbs and a brake master cylinder – thats everything since I bought the car in 2005.5. The highway MPGs are consistently above 35-36 without any effort. The car is incredibly comfortable and handles very well for a FWD car. I frequently take it up to the mountain for snow activities without traction tires or chains, and it takes is like a champ – trucks look stunned when I pass them effortlessly. Incredibly safe, reliable, and cheap to own and run – Ill certainly buy another one (I have my eye on a TDI SportWagen).

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  Great car, but it has to go..... - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By ISPRO - November 15 - 8:53 pm

  I got this vehicle three years ago, after owning an earlier Passat. The car is great to drive (a "poor mans BMW"); driving and maneuvering at speed is effortless. But now, it simply has to go, and the reason is reliability. One time the trunk lid decided to unlatch at the most inconvenient times, such as speeding down a highway. The radio controls blistered. The instrument panel said "steering column defective" for no obvious reason - took replacement of the entire steering column and circuitry to fix it - covered under warranty, but still ...

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  German Engineering at the price of a KIA - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By jclaeys - November 15 - 4:22 pm

  First Volkswagen product purchase...absolutely flawless car. Very smooth and Quiet, excellent sound system. Looks larger than it is...same size as Honda Accord....too "vanilla". Drove Ford Fusion, "felt sloppy" and cumbersome. This car is a great value. And you should be able to negotiate the MSRP with 10% off. No longer use Costco program....you can do better yourself, as Costco is just another"middle man".

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  And I thought it would be nice - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Jennifer - November 15 - 1:53 am

  I bought this car and initially loved it! That is until two weeks later my ENTIRE computer system went out. No radio, no odometer, nothing. I took it to the dealership they fixed it. Maybe three months after that my windows started to break. They wouldnt roll back up. So once I again I took it to the dealership and they fixed it. Then the computer system went out again. This time I had no alarm and no DOOR LOCKS! Talk about needing to get it rushed in. Nope, I had to wait two weeks to get it fixed. My last problem was the radio. It went into safe mode and the passenger seat belt wouldnt fasten. Sure they fixed it, but it sure is a hassle to get to a dealership and just leave your car for two days. Overall this is a poor quality car.

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  Glad it is sold - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By Don - November 15 - 1:10 am

  I owned my GTI VR6 for three years. I was disappointed by the gearbox (the ratios are too close - rev limits too easily), but generally happy with engine/transmission. Stock tires were harsh and gave poor handling. Electronic gadgets mostly disappointing: one touch up/down windows frequently malfunctioned, auto-dimming mirror had ghost image of headlights, climate control hard to shut off, and the rain sensing wipers used the wrong interval in certain conditions. The audio system was much better than in my previous Passat though. The interior materials were of average quality (thin leather, cheasy plastic levers and knobs on seat break easily). The car was nimble with its short wheelbase, but the suspension was harsh and sloppy in manuevers. It rattled like mad.

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  Its a great car for a great price. - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By gtiGuy - November 14 - 6:53 pm

  I love this car. VW wants drivers, theyre not joking, its definitely fun to drive, but its also nice to just ride in. Quiet, responsive, practical, there is little wrong with this car. I find myself gunning it out of corners almost non-stop, the engine note is addictive, the acceleration is smooth and predictable, handling is precise and well-mannered. A tad too well mannered actually, and there is a smidge of torque steer under heavy acceleration, but its to be expected with a FWD vehicle. My one problem, potholes, if you hit a pothole in this thing it sounds like the axle broke off, my old Mazda rolled through potholes, I dodge them in the GTI.

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  so far it is great - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By swb1509 - November 14 - 6:36 am

  This TDI is great. The road dynamics are excellent and the build quality is truly remarkable for the price. It has not needed fuel yet and has over 500 miles on the odometer. The manual transmission is one of the best I have ever had, since I have never owned an automatic I am a very experienced with how a manual transaxel is supposed to feel. I test drove the DSG and althouth it seemed fine I was afraid it would be the only thing to eventually break since I keep a car for about 12 yrs on average. If you get a Jetta make sure you get the TDI It comes with most of the options. Love it

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  VW makes fun cars - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By pat - November 14 - 4:03 am

  My 2002 Volkswagen GTI is my second VW, my first being a 2000 Jetta... The progress between these vehicles is impressive to say the least. And going turbo is a lot of fun as well. My only beef with the car is that I had to make some modifications to get it where I wanted it to be. The European versions of this car are not restricted by strange safety and emission laws. So once I had this car chipped and tuned, changed the piping and suspension, I was extremely pleased. It rides wonderfully and Ive never had to take her in for fixing, just slight improvements. If VW could find a way to lighten the vehicle and put better piping and supsension it from the factory, I think theyd sell more of these cars.

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  I loved my car, but it was unreliable. - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vdub4lyfe - November 14 - 2:42 am

  I got a jetta turbo. the timing belt blew, then the tranny went out. i sold it cheap and bought a bug. I loved the jetta. I would buy another one, but i fell in love with the bug. make sure you check the history with any foreign car. especially make sure the timing belt was changed before you bought it and that the oil has been changed regularly. And dont let the VW dealer lie to you and steal your money.

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  Thought it was the perfect car - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By krunky - November 14 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car new and thought that I would have it forever (see favorite features). At 35k mi, I began to question if itd last over the log haul. 40k mi service/ inspection was bad. Rear brakes shot, LED brake light out, etc, etc. $1500+ in total repairs. Always kept up with the service, so I had a majority of the work done. When more problems started to appear, high cost and poor service were not encouraging. Decided to trade it in for a used 4WD Toyota Truck. Doesnt handle as well, but it is much more rugged/ durable. The Golf is a great car to operate, just a pain to maintain. Too much time and money for a daily driver.