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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  A BIG lemon! - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By KMAC - December 22 - 2:46 pm

  My parents bought my bug for me when I turned 16. I was so excited when I got it! But soon I started to hate it! So many things have gone wrong such as I have had to get a new clutch, thermostat, headlight, taillights, window motors in both Windows, plastic parts in the car are always breaking and etc. Taking it to a VW dealership is crazy because they charged me almost $400 just to look at it not to mention that the parts are very costly too! Overall its a cheaply made car! I would not recommend this car to anyone else!

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  Not a Satisfied Customer - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Margarita06 - December 17 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a 2003 new beetle in Dec. of 2002.I rated this car so low because there was a malfunction in my vehicle that caused it to "melt down"&almost caught on fire.This happened after a year of driving my car.After taking it to the dealership, they said that because the"melt down"is considered a fire, it voided the manufacture warranty.My insurance co.determined that the cause of the incident was due to a manufactures defect.After reporting this to Volkswagon America,I was told that there was nothing that could be done.I was not satisfied with the reliability of the vehicle and there is a chance that this can happen to other customers.

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  vw fuel system nightmare - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By jeff - November 3 - 2:23 pm

  it took me 5 minutes talking to VW Cert Tech to realize he was going to throw parts at the problem. Most expensive first. The fuel system is different but not rocket science. i can not have my car going down, and my CC broke that faith twice.

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  NEVER AGAIN - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By NEVER AGAIN - November 2 - 11:26 pm

  I bought this car about 2 and a half years ago. Nothing but problems, after 3 months my water pump blew. I should have got rid of it then. My radio nobs have fallen off, my arm rest broke, the seat adjuster broke in half, the value drops about 75% after you drive it off the lot and its so uncomfortable . Last week I lost the only key the dealership gave me when I purchased the car. Most dealerships can cut you a new key off of the vin right then and there. Not Volkswagen in order to get a new key you have to drive to Layton (30 miles from my home) show them proof you own it then they will order you key and then you have to tow your car to the dealership. price of key 200.00! Ridiculous.

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  What a TDI, think again - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Say no to TDI - November 1 - 3:20 pm

  I purchased a 2009 Jetta TDI in June of 2009. I put a lot of miles on cars & I have put 36875 miles on this one in less than a year. It has been in the shop 2X for engine problems. First time it wouldnt start or even try to start. Had it towed to the dealer, they said there was nothing wrong with it. Its in the shop now with 2 bad fuel injectors, a bad fuel pressure sensor and a clogged DPF. I told the dealer many times that it would run rough, but they said there was nothing wrong with it. Luckily I had bought the 60k mile extended warranty, it covers everything except the DPF, & it was not covered by the extended warranty or the Federal Emissions Warranty. Wish I never bought this car!

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  Dont Buy One - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By Eos - October 25 - 10:13 am

  I have had my eos since jan 2007 and have had a lot of problems that the dealer has not been able to fix. The first was a leaky drivers side window. Which still leaks but not as much as it use to. Then it was the car bucking on acceleration, still have that problem. Everyone that gets in my car feels whip lash and tell me to get my money back if the dealer says they can not fix it. Now winter problems are Frost on the inside of the front and back windshield.. Yes inside the car... And if it not cold enough for Frost I will get condensation on the same front and back windshield. I have to take a credit card to scrap the inside Windows on a brand new car.

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  Throttle body problems - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dawn - October 20 - 5:53 am

  Problems with throttle body within months of purchase. Car on third throttle body. Extreme loss of power on freeways and uphills. Two near accidents. In last 4 months, it has been in an authorized repair shop 5/6 times with thousands of dollars worth of repairs. Contacted VW corporate 5 times. Never asked for new car or rental for inconveniences, just requesting a safe reliable car (like mine). V. disappointed with VW customer service more so than vehicle.

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  Even the service manager agrees - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tcb - October 15 - 2:43 am

  This car has been the worst vehicle I have ever owned. The electrical system has had to be rewired, the starter replaced, the computer replaced, and the windows have been repaired numerous times. Even the service agrees that they are all common Jetta problems, hes just never seen them in one place.

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  Poor car - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Dale Mayhall - October 13 - 8:10 am

  The VW convertible would not shift into overdrive in cold weather for the first twelve miles. Windows squeeked against top. I had to visit the dealer twelve times for repairs in less than a year. I sold the car two days ago.

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  No More VW for me! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ali - October 12 - 5:16 pm

  I really dislike my Jetta! I bought it brand spanking new with four miles on it and its been a headache from day one. Ahhhh, the list of problems (and these are all in the first two years) includes a check engine light that never turns off, the glove box door fell off twice, the arm rest broke twice, the button to open the trunk inside car wont work, the drivers door wont lock with the remote, the drivers window motor broke five times, and all of the other window motors broke twice EACH! My windows broke so many times that VW repaired them even after the warranty expired. I will honestly never buy another VW. Its a cute car, but it is put together with spit and everytime something breaks it is EXPENSIVE. I am looking to trade it in real soon!