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:

• 

  Nice Little Car - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rick - May 31 - 3:30 pm

  I bought my 2001 Volkswagen Jetta GL brand new and Im still happy with it. The styling is awesome, materials first rate, and design well above the others. After owning this car and its features and design you get sort of spoiled. I love the struts on the trunk and front hood, daytime lights, how all the buttons light up at night, the auto locks, dual lit vanity mirrors, etc. However, it is as others have said, built in Mexico, so some parts are painted and will peel away after a few years. The paint is the same color as the plastic, so you could always peel all the paint off and be fine. Some things are expensive to fix and youll be in the shop at least once a year. Still, this car has served us well.

• 

  great car, but quality issues - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By B5 passat - May 27 - 10:00 am

  Ive only had it for a year but now its developing a few issues. It seems that if these great VW ideas actually worked....it would be worthwhile The collapsing side mirrors failed to work, the door handles have always been a problem (even since the 95 passat!), the coil pack has again been a longstanding issue with problems, and the worst issue so far is an intermittent starting problem. I am forced to sell the car simply because its too costly to own. If this were an M3 then I could somewhat reationalize the cost of repairs

• 

  Coco Grey Beauty - 2005 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By Mr. Adams - May 25 - 5:33 pm

  This is a great full sized luxury car I wish that the gas milage was better. This car has more standard features than the Mercedes S-Class and the BMW 7-Series. When it comes to comfort If I am not driving I am in the back seat where I can really stretch out my legs. I like owning a car that is unique and not seen very often. Since I have had my car I have only seen 3 Phaetons on the road and this makes the car special.

• 

  Fun to drive! - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mike - May 24 - 11:23 pm

  Traded in my 04 Jetta TDI for the 09 model. Had put 103K miles on my previous car. This one seems to be more refined, I had door rattles in my 04 model that couldnt be found by dealer. Torque on the 09 is crazy! Very fun to drive. At hwy speeds, expect ~40 Mpg. If you slow down to 55 ;), you can get 50 Mpg. The MFD display is neat, as it tells you instant and average economy. Love my TDI - and get better mileage when I use B15 BioDiesel! (Ethanol users, eat your hearts out!) -Mike

• 

  Treated Me Right - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By IAHAWK - May 23 - 12:00 am

  Almost 65,000 miles and no problems. I must say that this car has treated me right. Im amazed by some of the other negative reviews I read in here. Either they had lemons or just didnt treat their car right. I followed all the recommend maintenance and the car has treated me right for it. As much as I like this car I have out grown it and because I feel that VW has made a huge mistake on the new Jetta, I will not be buying another one. I would recommend this car to anyone that is looking to buy used. Especially the VR6, this is a very solid engine and I know can and will run for many more miles.

• 

  Hell on wheels - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By altour1980 - May 21 - 6:30 pm

  Bought this car used @ 16,000 miles. was great initially. after one year, had to have the catalytic converters replaced, the emergency brake engaged itself, and had to be towed to the shop, just outside of warranty for that, it started doing it again. The AC unit is not blowing cold air in the second year of ownership, the coils were replaced, and now the check engine light is on but of course they tell me that its something else and has nothing to do with that even though the car was just fine before they touched it. went to change a fuse and the whole electrical system freaked out! loved this car but my gosh whats next? UNRELIABLE and cant wait to be rid of it!

• 

  Mixed Bag - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By fsf - May 21 - 10:40 am

  Like a lot of other reviewers, I find my 01 Jetta really fun to drive. It handles very well and has really good pick up. I can zip around the city easily and never worry that it cant handle the demands of city driving. However, durability is a problem. The 3-year, 30,000-mile warranty is a giveaway that VW knows there are issues. During the first two years, I got several notices about recalls. Though I didnt have to pay for the dealership to fix whatever needed to be fixed, it was still a pain having to bring it in and wait around. Since then, I have spent thousands fixing small and big things. Prepare to spend a lot of money on upkeep. For my next car, Im going with a dependable Japanese vehicle.

• 

  2007 VW Rabbit - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Coder157 - May 21 - 5:23 am

  Overall I enjoy my VW Rabbit. I love driving it. The only thing I dislike about it is its gas mileage.

• 

  Love my 03 GLS 1.8T, with reservations - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By phxtalisman - May 20 - 10:00 am

  After looking at Mazda Protege, Mazda6, Nissan Altima, and Honda Civic, I decided to buy the 03 Jetta GLS because it was true sports sedan. The 1.8 turbo gives it great accelaration and the sports/luxury package with the 18" allou wheels and performance tires provides awesome handling... although the tires generate a little bit of tire roar on some pavement types.

• 

  Uneven performer - really poor quality - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By jisla - May 19 - 10:00 am

  After eight years of driving two different Odesseys, I made the mistake of leasing a Routan instead. Two factors drove my decision: a desire for change, and economics. I can only criticize Honda for their very boring color schemes. And the Routans final sticker price represented a small advantage. But long-term use revealed the Routans true colors. It is at least 30% less fuel-efficient than the Odyssey. That translates to a higher per month cost. Whatever I saved at purchase was an illusion. Most importantly, the Routan is plain cheap. It is a clunker: over bumps and engaging into gear. The power side doors lock up and the transmission frequently sticks in low. Dont get on a Routan!