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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  Nice Car, Poor Gas Mileage - Get the TDI - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Paul - August 18 - 4:13 pm

  Bought my new silver Jetta in July. Was really looking for a TDI but they didnt have any and I decided to settle on this one. It has the leather, 6 CD changer, XM radio, heated seats, and adjustable seats which is all very nice considering I live in Nebraska. I used to have a Passat. The styling and feel are very much the same and quite pleasing. The car feels high quality and as a manual its fun to drive. My only complaint is the gas mileage. Ive checked it now for two months and Im consistantly getting 20 miles/gal, which is very disappointing for a small car. Thats pure town driving. Ive driven the TDI. If you want the mileage get a TDI. You wont sacrifice any perfomance.

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  German engineering is a myth - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By superpyogenic - August 18 - 10:00 am

  Gas mileage is great and the performance is about the same as the pathetic 2.0 engine. Reliability is a serious issue. Both tie rods, the infamous VW window regulator, a brake relay, and now the power steering pump have all failed after the lame warranty ran out. German engineering is a myth. These cars break just as often but cost twice as much to fix.

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  Expensive piece of junk - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By carnut45 - August 18 - 10:00 am

  I have had troubles with this car from day one. In the 2.5 years I have owned this car, I have had to replace the gas tank, the CD Changer TWICE, the radio, A/C compressor TWICE, power window motor, the entire electrical system, the air-flow sensor, and one of the tail lights. There are rattles in the dash, creaking in the doors, and a thump that comes from the drivers seat which the dealer says they cant find. ONE WORD: LEMON! Needless to say, I will NEVER buy another VW!

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  Problems, Problems - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By Bonnie - August 17 - 10:40 am

  Shortly after buying the car it had accelleration problems, it would hesitate and the jump in causing you to be pushed forward in your seat. It was fixed by garage but after it was done the gas mileage was drastically reduced. This has not been fixed.I have leak in trunk which has not been fixed and dealership where I live is not cooperating to fix. With this water leak my vehicle is worthless. I have poblem with trunk release, condenastion or ice on inside windows and the top is rubbing on something becasue paint has been rubbed off. I have squeal in breaks and was told it is normal- really I have had many cars but none had this unless there was abreak problem.

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  I bought a second Jetta hoping it would be a better vehicle - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By phreakymike - August 17 - 8:39 am

  I was under the assumption that these jettas were more reliable than a regular JDM car that had high KM. Problem with this thinking is, you dont think about the wear and tear on all the other parts OTHER than the Diesel engine. Ive owned two TDI Jettas for approx 2 years each, both had P0401 Check Engine code for EGR Valve. This was incredibly annoying. Ive also had the famous clicking dash from my turn signal, the car interior creaks and clicks, drove me absolutely insane. Incredible frusturating. 12 year perforation warranty is great, I received a new fender and trunk before I sold my jetta, These hold their value very well.. but I dont want to buy anymore of these TDIs

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  Love / Hate of a V10 TDI Touareg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Gary - August 16 - 12:13 pm

  The 2004 Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI is an absolute blast to drive, the V10 engine can only be described as a torque monster. Throw in mid-20s for gas mileage and you have a great package. But...the thing has been back to the dealership every other month for a host of recurring and random problems ranging from repeated air bag faults to vibrations to interior trim that cracks in cold temperatures to power loss at speed. Needless to say, a great package has been marred by a dreadful reliability record. Unfortunately I cant tolerate the lack of reliability, so I must say goodbye to the torque monster.

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  Happy with 1.8T Manual - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By G Ormerod - August 14 - 10:00 am

  I have had my 2000 1.8T Jetta (manual) for four years now and it has been a good experience. I have seen the bad ratings and heard the talk about it being a problem car - but there are no complaints here. Other than a few wrinkles ironed out under warranty during the first year, the car has been fine. The car now has over 60,000 miles and still rides and handles nicely. The excelleration is still there, too!

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  Good Compromise - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Manhattan - August 14 - 10:00 am

  I test drove the Aviator, FX35, and the Volvo all are comparably priced. The VW does not have as much power as the FX or Aviator but has more room than the FX. Aviator comes standard with 3rd row and I didnt need that. The Volvo has just got no pep and is very boring to drive. I am very happy with my choice.

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  Great, fun, reliable car - 2011 Volkswagen GTI
  By bodhizuffa - August 14 - 7:49 am

  I traded a Nissan Titan for this about a year ago when gas prices began to rise. I was worried about not having a large, practical vehicle with plenty of storage. I can say, with a bike rack installed, I havent had any issues with space or being able to haul stuff home from Target or Lowes. There is lots of room with the rear seats folded down. I live in NC so no experience with snow yet. The car is fun to drive (especially around town), gets very good gas mileage even with premium gas, the DSG transmission is great, and the interior is at least one price point above the GTI. I have almost 10,000 miles on it, drive it pretty hard, and havent had one quality/reliability issue.

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  Brake Issues - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VIP - August 13 - 10:40 pm

  Had to replace pads and rotor only at 15K miles. Dealer said that this is normal. I just think 15K is still not that much miles to worry about your brakes. My other cars usually get up to about 30K to 35K miles. The repair is also very costly. $419. This is my first time to own a VW and probably my last too. The car drives great though but maintaining it would be quite expensive.