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:

• 

  Drawbacks Wouldnt Have Changed My Mind - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By Jano - February 6 - 12:40 pm

  Letting the clutch slip out into first gear proves to you that the R32 is a torque monger. Accelerating hard out of 1st, revving to 6K, will only take you to roughly 20 mph. Into 2nd gear (revs only drop to 5K) and the car blasts you to 40 mph. A shift to 3rd is necessary to get you to 60 under 6 secs --and theres not much left in REVs before having to shift to fourth and beyond. Cruising 80 @ 3200 Cornering is great. If youre switching from a regular sedan then the R will impress. If youve already got torsion bars and a lowered ride, then youll look to improve the Rs cornering. The hatch fits my road bike without having to remove my rear wheel. The rack fits my longboard

• 

  A Lot of Bang for a Little Buck - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Justin - February 4 - 6:03 am

  We bought this car with 5000 miles on it for $17,000. It came with 19" VW wheels and was packed with all the great equipment the Wolfsburg comes with. We cannot believe how amazing of a deal we got. No problems at all. The blue lit up dash interior is great. The heated seats are fantastic and I am 6 tall and the car fits me perfectly. The turbo is smooth as well as the transmission. Plus the 6 disc/satellite radio system is amazing! I love this car!

• 

  Dont buy this if its cold or snowy - 2009 Volkswagen Passat
  By gheater - February 2 - 11:50 am

  This car cant move in 1" of snow. Brand new tires put on 11/12, and i cant make it up my driveway, or my small hill to my house. I had a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am that did this with zero problem with more snow on the ground. Also, the windshield wiper motors will freeze as soon as its under 20 degrees outside. Not a great feeling when the wipers dont work and its snowy/icy. Car is great in the spring - fall. Or get one in Arizona. Pissed that a German company makes a car with such bad performance in cold weather. Will trade it in as soon as possible.

• 

  no complaints just drive - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Razorback - February 1 - 10:00 am

  I have had this care for less than 3 months and already have about 10000 miles on the vehicle. The car itself is fun to drive and I have had no issues as of yet. I drive throughout nw Arkansas and the River Valley with my position at Tyson Foods. Great fuel efficiency and quiet interstate ride.

• 

  Terrific Hot Hatch - 2009 Volkswagen GTI
  By Gnslngr - January 31 - 9:50 pm

  Looked for a car that had the utility of a four door hatch and was fun to drive - the GTI beats almost every other car on the market in the Fun-To-Drive category. There are some great forums for this car and some cool mods you can put on it. Im getting 30 mph even when I drive it like an F1 car. Fun, Fun, Fun til my wife takes the GTI away......... Oh, yea - dont forget the Launch Control. Its a blast with the DSG and makes the car, with the paddle shifters, the coolest little hatchback on the planet.

• 

  Great highway car - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By ctf60 - January 31 - 5:58 pm

  This is an amazing highway car; 36 mpg at 55 mph on a level is achievable. The cruise control makes travel effortless. I have had this car for two years now (currently with 79,000 miles). The styling inside and out is eye-catching (my wagon is glacier blue......wow, it looks better than most every vehicle on the road). When I first bought this car used, I had trouble with the check engine light. Was very erratic in my choice of fuel (sometimes Id use 93 octane, sometimes 89). VW recommends 91 octane. Since then, I havent varied from this and the past 5 months have not seen this light come on. Suffice it to say, that the emissions system of this car is very sensitive.

• 

  220,000 miles in a VW TDI - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tim T - January 30 - 8:26 am

  I know not why there is not greater availability of these cars...they provide good performance, are extremely comfortable and relaxed at high speeds on long drives, and are very economical to operate. Mine has achieved between 43 and 47 mpg so far. In real world driving conditions, they far outperform most Hybrids on performance AND economy. I have not had any major problems to date, but I DO NOT go to VW dealerships anymore as they are not famililiar with these cars and when faults do occour (usually in the engine management system) they are unable to solve the problems.

• 

  Cute on the Outside, Cheap on the Inside - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Brina - January 27 - 4:26 pm

  I have wanted a Volkswagen Beetle since they came out, and I finally got one last year. I admit it is a fun car, but having to replace the turbo already (before I made the first payment!) and having strange transmission problems, I dont know that I would buy another one. I would absolutely reccomend buying from a dealer, and spending the extra for the extended warranty! The inside is incredibly cheap and easily broken, but the cute flower holder makes up for part of that! It is still fun to drive, but its going to my husband to drive the commute in, and Im getting something different!

• 

  Great Value - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Chappy - January 27 - 3:46 pm

  This is a great car for 25k. Getting 40+ MPG out of the gate in mixed driving. Very quick off the line. You cannot find this mix of performance, build quality, MPG and price anywhere else.

• 

  phaeton 12 - 2005 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By scb - January 27 - 10:00 am

  excellent automobile (performance and comfort)