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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  My 2000 Silver Jetta GLX - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By RayJetta - August 6 - 5:50 pm

  Ive had quite a few minor issues which meant numerous trips to the dealer, but they were very nice and especially accomodating (they would arrange a VW for me to drive, etc) I love my jetta

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  Dream Car, Turned Nightmare! - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By chiquitadog1 - August 6 - 4:28 pm

  This was my moms dream car, but it has been nothing but a nightmare! The electrical is always goofy, fast blinker, check engine light always on & 6 months after buying, drivers side window wont go down and come back up to the hood seal automatically - a problem Ive heard about from every convertible owner. Another problem Ive heard from every Beetle owner, the water pump either breaks or leaks. The transmission is this cars biggest downfall. After owning it for 1.5 years the transmission would get very touchy, stuck in gear, hard shifting, funny sounds, esp in stop & go traffic or when trying to go after coming to a stop. Finally went completely out while after stopping at a red light.

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  jetta that is junk. - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mikey - August 6 - 8:23 am

  This car drives like a dream when it decides to run. I have had so much trouble trying to keep this thing running that I would never buy another. I had a 1968 beetle that never let me down like this car. They are Nice to look at but you never know where you will be stranded. I bought this car for my daughter but will not let her drive it for safety sake. Not even the Volkswagen dealers can fix these pieces of trash. I still owe 2 years on this thing so if I get rid of it I wiil be a lucky man.

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  Really is Great for the price of good. - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By 2011jettaowner - August 3 - 2:15 am

  I purchased the car as a company car replacement and have really enjoyed it so far. I have yet to have any problems and after reading all of the reviews in the car magazines I hesitated to buy the car. It was my first VW and all I kept hearing is how they cheapened the car. I did not look at the "S" model just the SELs and I was impressed with what you get in this mid-size feeling car. It has more seat room than the Impala it replaced and all the features are really great. The car is fun to drive and feels really solid. I asked everyone I saw driving a VW whether they would buy one again and without a doubt they said they would. Very loyal customer base.

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  Excellent desing, questionable quality - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By Karaya - August 2 - 1:43 pm

  Bought this car after happily driving 95 Golf for 10 years, so this 10 Golf has very big shoes to fill. The car looks sharp, feels very comfortable and very confident on the road. It has just right amount of power not to be sluggish and not to waste fuel at the same time. What I am not so exited about is workmanship quality. It does not live to the hype so far. First, there was annoying air hissing from the door, because the rubber seal does not fit well. The dealer had to tighten the door lock. Then the b-pillars trims started crackling and clicking at ~2k miles. Other people on WV forums also reported water draining issues from the doors. I really hope problems stop here.

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  Nice for Finances During Gas Craziness. - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By melly82 - August 1 - 10:56 pm

  This is a fun car to drive with good fuel economy during bad fuel times. You have to watch for little things, like the gas and coolant caps, that can cause you some grief if not screwed on properly (Ive learned several calls later to my delearship, "this light came on..."). Overall I would say this is a very good car for the money and I feel safe and cool driving it.

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  Great Car with some annoying issues - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By teaton1 - August 1 - 2:02 pm

  Bought in May 2011 in Wisconsin. Brought the car to Central Europe where we now live. Very comfortable and tolerates the many bad roads in our region with aplomb.

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  VW GTI - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By altimateimports - July 30 - 2:13 pm

  Overall, this is a great car. The engine is smooth and powerful. And the car feels very solid. A little too much performance is sacrificed for comfort.

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  looks good but poor quality - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Henrylin - July 29 - 10:00 am

  my passat has had numerous parts and quality problems (>10) since ive owned it

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  Davydee - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Davydee - July 29 - 10:00 am

  Nice size, excellent performance, 25 mpg avg. Great car until coil packs and mass airflow sensor failed at 35,000 miles. Dealer returned car after repair. Car failed again within 175 miles. Car has now been with dealer some 9 days awaiting parts. VW of America support is poor. Buy extended warranty if available.