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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  Do Not Buy This Car - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By BigPapiOrtiz - October 1 - 6:46 am

  Ive had my Jetta for 5 years and havent been able to go 5,000 miles without something failing. I love the car dearly, but it is so unreliable that Ive sworn off VW/Audi for life. Struts were replaced at 30K, warning lights fire off even when there is no problem, coolant temperature gauge had to be replaced, coolant leak at 15K. Even after the recall in 02, the ignition coils failed in my car at 52K miles, 2K over the warranty. VW refused to pay for any of it, despite the fact that they sold me the car promising that the coils were not defective. Save the money and get a Civic. I wish I had, but Im stuck with this one for a few more years.

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  great car! - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By protijy - October 1 - 2:00 am

  Great all around sport compact. factory upgrades like none other, BBS rims, TT brakes, 6 spd, recaros, lowered sports suspension, ect... I love the car I hate the company VWOA and thier coilpack issues, unhelper customer service and bad dealerships have killed my VW experience next time Ill by an Audi and get the real service.

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  electronic issues - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Heidi - September 29 - 2:53 pm

  Very disappointed in the electronics of my bug - it has had so many "bugs". Ive had the seat belt/airbag sensors replaced, various other sensors, the catalytic converter and every time I get in it theres seems to be some dash light that comes on indicating a problem. The car has 75,000 miles on it and is a lot of fun to drive, but Im not recommending purchasing a Beetle because of the issues it has had. Ive written a letter to the headquarters regarding the issues along with receipts from my repairs. Every time I take it to the dealer they want to charge $80+ for diagnostics. Im at the point now that Im looking to purchase another vehicle because of the problems Ive had.

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  Rabbit is a sure-footed ride - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Gregory - September 28 - 8:46 am

  A reassuring, solid ride with all the peppiness youd expect from a car that calls itself a Rabbit. Ive been a long-time Civic driver and the ride quality of the Rabbit really impresses me. The Rabbit is a very refined car and an excellent value for the money. On the downside, fuel economy is not super.

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  Almost perfectly reliable for 93K miles - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Bart - September 27 - 1:06 pm

  Total repairs include one throttle body (under warranty), broken clips on power window during a winter freeze (fixed for free by a dealer), and brake pads/rotors. Rear brakes were at 92K miles, fronts at 80k. Thats it. Another example of buying at the end of a model run for best reliability? This has been a perfect extra family car in terms of reliability, economy (27-30 mpg) and practicality. With good snows and stability control, it handles New England snow very well. Performance is modest with the 2.0 liter and automatic, but fine on the hiwy. Handling is serious understeer, but it is a predictable car to drive and I dont dread switching from my A4 quattro when the occasion arises.

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  The high cost of love - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Nate - September 27 - 12:33 pm

  I LOVE this car. I HATE what it costs to keep the love affair going. It is a dream to drive. The interior is beautiful. The features are bountiful. My friendly/local/helpful dealer (Maple Hill Auto - Kalamazoo) is sending his kids thru college on me: 3 sets of rear brakes 1 Torque convertor (mis-diagnosed) 1 $3700 re-manufactured transmission 2 boots 3 batteries 5K mile synthetic oil changes 1 tune up 3 headlights 2 tail lamps 6 wipers Ill be having the timing belt and water pump changed in spring; and the 120K tune up in summer. The car still puts a smile on my face. It has all the features (but no compass) that I want. I get 23.4 MPG overall with no oil burning.

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  My All Time Favorite Car - 03 Jetta wagon - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By zener - September 27 - 8:57 am

  Of course its looks caught my eye first. Cute, but more than cute - stylish. Some cars have a classic, timeless design like a certain Honda Civic. This generation of Jetta does too. Bought it used with 21K miles, and gradually fell in love with it. Never got great gas mileage, about 21mpg. But I liked its zippy handling. Great car for city driving (and parking). Very useful cargo area. Rear seat a bit cramped for big adults. Engine is remarkable. Once, by necessity, drove it 8 miles without oil. Replaced punctured oil pan, added oil, and kept on going. Difficult to clean the beige interior, so I sold it. Hard to find a car this small on outside, this big on inside, so fun to drive.

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  Clutch failed at 20k miles - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By - September 22 - 11:36 am

  At 20k miles, the clutch completely burned up. Smoke, burning smell, the whole deal. VW says the clutch is a "wear and tear" item, like tires or brakes, and thus it is not covered under my 3 yr/36k "worry free" new car warranty. The repair cost quoted by the dealer is $2400. I am an experienced manual driver and have never burned out a clutch before. My previous Jetta (1998) went over 160k on the original clutch before I traded it in. But, VW insists this is caused by the driver and not the part. I actually really loved this car until the clutch failed. But after having that happen, Im not sure I could buy another one.

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  X5 Beater - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By badjoujou - September 20 - 10:00 am

  I took me alomost a month to decide between the VW and the X5. Boy did I make the right call. Other than a little pep off the line the VW holds its own with the Bimmer and then some. VW has better AWD system and suspension and is just a blast to drive. If you are looking for an SUV that handles exit ramps at 80+ and can go off road, this is the place to be.

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  Watch Out for Leaks - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By mark - September 19 - 1:26 pm

  I loved my 2002 Passat, until recently. It has been a great family car Howevr, it rained, a seal around the windshield wipers leaked, and the electronics "brain" entirely fired. After paying the dealer, $5,200 to repair the problem the car is still full of electronic problems, like a flashing radio display, fritzed and motor in the truck. My dealer refuses to stand up and acknowledge any of this as being their fault. Thus, because of a faulty design,and/or gasket and shabby dealer service, I am now driving the last VW I will ever own.