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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  convertable top - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By stu - November 9 - 10:00 am

  dont buy this car until vols fixes their problems with the new top. mine goes up and down but you cannot always latch the top at the windshield. they tell me to let it sit in the sun. not the best answer when it starts to rain and you cannot get it to close. dealership has no idea how to fix

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  Definitely Fun to Drive and Looks GREAT! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Scott - November 9 - 5:26 am

  I love to drive my Passat. It truely has the "fun to drive" factor. I have the 2.0L turbo/auto. The automatic transmission is a 6-speed, you dont see that very often. You do not need a manual when the auto. will let you drive in either manual +/- up and down shifting or just plain automatic. If that is not enough, you have a choice of a 5-speed sport auto. mode or a 6-speed auto. mode. The only problem so far was the 6 disc in dash had to be replaced. They had to send to Germany for a new one. I still have yet to get my CDs mailed back. Im very pleased with the balance of sport and performance and the feel of luxury.

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  Good Car - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Phil - November 8 - 5:26 am

  Bought the car new and have had very few problems. Replaced the glow plugs at 100,000, and fuel economy is not what it used to be ... but it still gets over 40 mpg. Great car on the highway or country driving. Feels like a sports car.

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  2007 4-Door GTI DSG - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By VWGTI2007 - November 8 - 4:40 am

  A practical sports car if there ever was one. Pros: great power, great room and comfort, lots of features. Cons: Some rattles, could use nicer radio display.

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  great fun, BUT! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jeff S - November 7 - 10:20 pm

  Good items: firm ride, great handling, Nice interior, quality fit and finish, Nice leather touches, good fuel economy at highway speeds. Bad items: a bit of turbo lag, scary if you pull into traffic, noisy front end from tires and all the mechanical stuff, feels cheap, expensive repair and maintenance, I love the car, its loaded from 06, few like it on the road, gonna keep it and treat it like a fine lady.... Jeff

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  Great Value & Fun to Drive! - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By S.Fong - November 6 - 10:23 pm

  I searched for a replacement car for quite awhile and having been out of the new car market for years, I was shocked to see how much technology has changed and how much I have been missing. The newly designed Volkswagen Jetta captured my interest and heart right away with its snazzy new style, front grille and tail lamps. But moreover, it was the interior comfort and quality that was noticeable compared to the competition. The car is a blast to drive, it has power and zips around to make it fun and enjoyable. I felt the overall value for the quality and integrity of the car made it an obvious choice for me. I realized I didnt have to bust the bank to get a great new car.

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  12,000 miles and going strong - 2011 Volkswagen Routan
  By fairest - November 6 - 10:26 am

  We purchased the 2011 Routan for our summer driving season. This van has been great for us. The navigation and ent. system are very easy to use. It is also nice to have the various electronic access points in the rear seats. We drove the van 12,000 this summer and cannot be disappointed.

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  Review - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By beatriz roldan - November 5 - 3:30 pm

  Safe car, fun to drive, beautiful to look at, lousy on gas, strong response when needed, beautiful interior design

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  Love VW but it is not Reliable - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Paul - November 5 - 1:46 pm

  This car was great until it hit 60,000 miles. The O2 sensor, vaccuum hose, turbo valve, strut mounts (poor design as they always break) all needed replacement and the check engine light is still on! We also replaced the window regulators but VW was nice enough to offer a good faith warranty. The locks dont always work on every door and the temp gauge works when it wants to. Overall this car is a headache but I love driving it when it works. The engine is awesome... too bad the quality of the car stinks and it is not reliable! I am not sure if I would buy a VW again.

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  Like vehicle, hate the reliability - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By CW - November 4 - 6:30 pm

  I had a major FUEL LEAK on my passat just outside of the warranty period, I was disappointed that VW would do nothing to offset the $600+ cost for the repairs, not to mention they had no interest in learning about what caused this serious safety issue. Gas was spraying from a high pressure fuel line directly on top of the engine! I also had a cv joint fail, oxygen sensors fail and now my check engine light is back on again! Other than reliability issues this car is fun to drive and is affordable to buy but terrible reliability. I wont buy another VW until they are able to make reliable vehicles, there are plenty of options for fun to drive vehicles that wont need all the repairs