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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  125,000 Miles, Still Waiting for it to Go Wrong... - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By theahnzzz - October 22 - 6:15 am

  I have to say, coming from a Lexus to this car, I mentally prepared myself for a host of problems and maintenance issues after hearing horror stories of people owning Volkswagens and Audis. But to my surprise, this has been the most reliable car Ive ever owned. Change the oil, and the car is like brand-new again. I think that folks have issues VWs because unlike Japanese cars, you really should stick to the maintenance schedules otherwise I can imagine you have a lot of problems. This engine for example, eats oil so you really shouldnt go over the recommended oil change intervals. Having owned this car for almost 8 years now I can say that Ive only had a few things go wrong with it, there was an issue VW fixed under and extended warranty for a particular part. The 90K service was the only thing I ever paid for it, but that was the only major maintenance I have ever done on this car so far. It was about $2K for that services. $2K in maintenance over almost 8 years is not bad at all... This really is the perfect everyday car for young people or retirees without kids or for kids who have left the nest. The best thing about this car is that it is quick and responsive. The clutch travel is short and the torque means you have instant responses to input which means you can get out of tight situations in traffic, pass with ease, squeeze through cars and obstacles, take tight turns with stability and confidence, and you have enough space to carry pretty much anything in the trunk and more if you fold the seats down. The ride is rigid for sure, but refined in the same way. Its very comfortable at highway speeds, but the car seems to get a bit more frazzled as you approach the top speed the more and more you go above 115 mph or so. What I love most about this car however is that it thinks about practical things about the driver of the car and has little nuances Ive never seen in American cars or Japanese luxury cars. It, for example, will automatically engage the rear window wiper when your front wipers are on and you go into reverse. This is so you can see behind you (very thoughtful). It also allows you to lock the car with the remote before closing the door so you can get your groceries out and close the door without worry about engaging the lock button with your hands full. Besides that its got a great stereo and great xenon lights. Its such an awesome and well thought out car! The weaknesses of this car largely have to do with its size. Because its light, small, and quick, its not terribly great at being a car for all seasons and not my ideal car for the long road trip (especially if you have 1 or more passengers). The cabin space can feel cramped after a while and with me being 61" I cant ever get the seat low enough without seeming to stare through the top part of the windshield. Large puddles have a way or really slowing this car down and its not that great on snow. The major weakness of this car though I would have to say is the air conditioning. On really really hot days, 90+ degree heat with 90+% humidity in the D.C. area, it never seemed to get nearly as cool as you would want it. I guess it never gets that hot in Germany... who knows? But on days like that I always wish the air conditioner was better. The heating however is immaculate, with the window open on days of 50 degrees or less, it radiates heat automatically so you never feel cold. Having kids soon with more storage needs I kind of wish this car would start having problems, so I can have an excuse to get a larger car, but so far, it hasnt happened. Its really a great car, a masterpiece!

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  My dream car! - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Florida Nancy - October 21 - 6:36 am

  Ive wanted a Bug since they came out in 1998, but was scared away by the bad repair records. I finally couldnt stand my 03 Camry anymore (what a lousy car!) and traded it for my little silver Beetle. Its terrific and has exceeded my expectations. Dont be afraid of those earlier years bad reviews. The 2005 is perfect. And many extras are standard on this car.

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  Mixed Bag - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Paul - October 21 - 2:55 am

  TDI has great gas mileage, good power, heavy, road hugging solid car with good storage. Radio went out and that caused a parasitic drain on the battery for some reason. New radio cost $700 plus and while I could have lived without the radio the dead radio was actually draining the battery for some reason and this is a common issue. Fuse box went out and it should not have. The throttle box went out and it should not have. Those were all costly repairs. I had two glo plugs go out but I can live with that and understand that. I love it when it runs and it parks well in an urban area. Then there is the emissions issue which is by now well known and yes I feel deceived like everyone else. I was/am hope to get 300,000 miles out of the car given it is a diesel. I have 65,000 now but I do not know how the fix will affect the car. All in all.....I should have bought a Ford or perhaps a Mazda or Subarau

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  Great Car!! - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By bjbird2 - October 21 - 2:00 am

  This car is everything I expected it to be and more. I love it> Its had some reliability problems, but the dealer has been very good about repairs, offering loaner cars, etc.

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  if only they could fix it ! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By kcir - October 21 - 2:00 am

  Loved my new v8 loaded to the nines touareg... for the 859 miles it lasted. two weeks have passed since the SECOND problem with the air suspension has surfaced and the dealer has no idea when and if the car will ever run again correctly. new models with problems. nothing is perfect, but if the defective part or the ability to repair the car do not exist, it doesnt leave you with a lot of faith in the system. by the way, the 2003 jetta rental drives like a champ and no service lights have come on.

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  silent beaut - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By happydub - October 21 - 2:00 am

  whats not to like? classic subdued styling, the 1.8T engine, the 5-speed, and the interior comfort. I thought I wanted the V6 but after driving that and the 1.8 I went with the four; much better fuel economy than the V6 and just as much apparent power. good in snow despite the very average factory Conti tires. reliability might be a worry as its in the shop for a "check engine" light but thats it so far. avoid the tan interior if you care about how dirty itll get!

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  unreliable and overpriced - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Samson13 - October 21 - 2:00 am

  Except fpr great milage, the car is cramped, especially in the back, very expensive when compared to other makes with gas engine, very expensive to maintain and mechanically unreliable. Had trounle with whell bearing, glow plugs, trunk struts, rear brakes. Oil change and filter are ridiculously expensive. Apholstery is a lint magnet. The saving in gas does not justify the extra costs in breakdown and routine maintenance.

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  Just a Great Car and an Excellent Value - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Just Tim - October 20 - 10:00 am

  I have now had my Passat Wagon for 7 weeks and 2600 miles. At first I was a little leery of getting the 1.8, wondering if it would have enough power. After having had the car for 2600 miles, I would recommend the 1.8 highly!! The car is a blast to drive, the Monsoon sound system is excellent, and the comfort for me (62", 215lbs) is just great.

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  Not bad, but could be better - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Roo - October 20 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car because I knew it would lower my insurance and gas bills (coming from SUV) I drive 500 miles a week and my gas bill is $60/month. I have enjoyed my VW a lot, however...Dont park over a parking space bump or curb. I did this 3 separate times (and have finally learned from my mistakes) and it pulled my front bumper off. Just the other day, my passenger side window fell into the wondow pocket and I had to take it to the dealer b/c of a downpour coming. "This happens a lot" the VW rep said. They rigged it, but I have to go back and pay for them to fix it now that I am out of my 25,000 mile warranty.

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  Zoom Zoom!!! - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Evan Weiner - October 20 - 10:00 am

  This car is great. it has wonderful turbo power. mine did 0-60 in 7.1 seconds. there is a straight away across the street from where i live. thsi car is very luxurious and fun. the premium sound system rocks. its just a great car!