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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  German EngineeringExcellence - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Cory Graner - September 7 - 10:00 am

  Monsoon stereo is great but a speaker was blown the day I picked the car up. Power is awesome with the turbo, but watch out for turbo lag in first gear. Think real hard before cutting someone off. Car is solid. I drive it hard and it does not complain. No squeeks or rattles. Ride is very nice. Overall handling limits are not that high, but driving at the limit is easy, and fun. Good four wheel discs with ABS. Tiptronic is fun, but you have to think ahead and plan gear changes. I have a black/black leather car. Seats are unsupportive in turns and hard to adjust, like all Jettas before it. Overall I love it. I would buy it again in an instant.

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  VW Jetta - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tim Naprawa - September 6 - 11:16 pm

  I drive this car every day and it gets better than rated mileage. On longer trips have gotten up to 49 mpg. The acceleration is good for a compact, the steering is tight, and its fun to drive. would like to see a few more options available.

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  best car ever - 2000 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By cabriogal71 - September 2 - 2:36 am

  I have had many cars, but my 2000 VW Cabrio is by far the best. I bought it new, in 2000, and it has over 120,000 miles on it. It still has a lot of get up and go. We have made sure it gets the suggested preventative maintenance when due. I hope to keep it forever.

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  tough love - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By frank - August 30 - 10:00 am

  Lets see this is my fourth volkswagen ive owned 3 jettas and one passat. I bought my jetta with 157,000 miles on it. the first week i had it I had to fix the water pump and the radiator fan ($500) after 5,000 miles I fixed the exhaust leak($250) then at 166000 the day before my florida road trip the transmisson blew I got that fixed as well costing ($1900)after that came a muffler repair again costing($175) the last issue comes a week later, again with the water pump timing belt & drive belt costing me ($425) Other than that list in less than a year I still love my volkswagen, its fun to drive speaker sound is great! gas milage i get 200 to the tank eh! vw is costly when it breaks it happens

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  Delightful - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By cloud - August 30 - 10:00 am

  Purchased the Tiguan rather than a Toyota Venza for ground clearance, handling, all weather reliability and two large dogs. We like clean sharp design and this vehicle meets all of our needs ably - enjoying the car.

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  A step-up from my American cars - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Brandon - August 30 - 10:00 am

  This is my first german-engineered car and can easily say that it is far above any other American car that Ive owned in terms of build quality and standard features as well as safety features. To be fair, the engine seemed under-whelming compared to say even an old Cavalier Z24 that I used to own. With that said however, acceleration at higher speeds is greater but just wish it had more "punch" from a stop. The interior is well-built and controls intuitive. I read about many complaints regarding the exterior looking too "corolla-ish" in the rear and too "audi-ish" in the front. I actually love the look of the vehicle to the chrome grill to the softer body design.

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  Torque Monster - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Phil Haws - August 30 - 7:33 am

  Traded in 2001 BMW M3 for TDI Sportwagen. So far with 4,900km (3,050 miles), most put on in one 3,400km road trip, I am very happy with both power and mileage. Climbing a mountain pass doing 75mph with cruise control on, the transmission never shifted out of 6th gear. This is with the car totally loaded down with luggage and 4 passengers. Only minor complaints with "buzzing" in drivers door on certain road surfaces and a creaking on the passenger side of the sunroof. I will take these to be fixed when I take the car in for its 1st service.

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  02 Volkswagen Golf - Slow - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By Radek - August 28 - 8:16 pm

  The car is OK to drive, but it needs more power. The inside lights are nice and the comfort of the ride is not to bad.

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  A solid and reliable car that should endure - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By creese5 - August 28 - 12:40 am

  The conservative but stylish european-esque design should keep this car looking fresh while many competitors designs become dates looking over the years. The ride quality is solid without being too stiff. The thing I love about this car the most is the fuel economy of the TDI, VW certainly undersells the MPG. Most long term reviews state that they easily exceeded the MPG rating, and thats been true for us. Our typical combined MPG during a normal driving day is right at 40mpg. The interior is massive compared to others in the midsize class. Im 62" and this is the first car in which I didnt have to put the drivers seat all the way back and I can stretch my legs out in the rear

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  Glad to have it - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By aadavis - August 26 - 2:00 am

  I bought the car new and now have 66K mi on it. Overall, Im rather satisfied with it. Did not have problems others reported (or maybe not yet). Major out- of pocket expense was $400+ brake job (rotors needed to be replaced), which I think was a bit excessive. Minor out-of pocket expenses included: replacing power mirror knob ($120), which somehow got broken (cant figure out how), and a new engine temp sensor (similar amount). Changed O-ring during maint service. Before I bought the car, dealer had to fix a water leak. Rear window motor was replaced under warranty. Windshield was a stone magnet; replaced it twice. Must change original tires soon.