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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  Dont Pass This Car Up - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Erik - June 12 - 3:40 pm

  This car is amazing! I have had over 48 mpg on two tanks of diesel. It is solidly built, quick, and fun. This car is worth every penny and should not be passed up if its available. I am not sure how it will do for winter driving, but I suspect it will be fine. For me this car is better then any hybrid and compromises nothing in quality for fuel economy. I hope more car makers look toward turbo diesel technology, it is truly awesome.

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  Great Car - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By great car - June 12 - 2:56 am

  I bought the car used with 103,000 miles on it in 2004. The paint is still very shiny (exclusive to wolfsburg painting techniques) and the suspension, wheel bearings and other components were still in great condition. The car has decent pickup for a 4-cyl. (faster than my honda) and the 5 speed transmission works beautifully. The engine idles very smoothly and is very reliable. My clutch did however go out at about 107,000 miles which is normal. I get many complements about my car and I love it. The only problem is the door trim, which any able bodied person can fix for 4 dollars by buying a tube of automotive adhesive. Install NEUSPEED products!

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  16 months with my tdi golf - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By bills golf - June 11 - 7:06 am

  We have driven our Golf 21000 miles. We bought it in March of 2004. Our average mileage is 37 to 38 miles a gallon. On the highway we get in the low forties. The car is fun to drive. It handles beautifully on the interstate or on back roads. The engine has plenty of power. When we want at pass, we pass. We liked the seats.They have good back support. We bought the Golf because it was a diesel and because it has a hatchback. Our sixty pound dog rides there when we travel. We think we bought the right car for our purposes.

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  Cool Family hauler - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By St John - June 9 - 4:36 pm

  We love the Routan or as my wife named it Rudy. So many family frendly features. The style is unique, sporty and not too common. GET the 4.0 v6 w/ 6 speed. The engine is quick and smooth. We get 22 mpg on hwy & 18 city. VW has been great to work with too.

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  More fun than than I thought possible - 2011 Volkswagen GTI
  By dr_pangloss - June 8 - 10:47 am

  I was expecting to buy an Audi A4 or A3 and I drove the GTI on a whim. Its a good thing that I did this because I bought the the 2011 model almost immediately. This car is unbelievably fun to drive and its economical, practical, reasonably priced (29k for the Autobahn package) and compares very favorably to every other car in its class. The interior has an Audi build quality but costs a couple k less and the VW warranty is now better than Audi. The amenities included in many ways trump the Audis as well. For instance, the Bluetooth package on the GTI has the A2DP streaming protocol included as part of the base features. Not on the Audis, youll pay extra & lose your iPod integration too.

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  Awsome - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By Dawn Wilson - June 8 - 10:00 am

  I have had my GTI for one week. I still cant belive I have it. I get nothing but performace from her. I us her in heavy traffic and I have the 6 speed manuel. That does not make a difference. She handles just as well as a automatic. The speed and the power at top end i awsome. I would tell anyone to get this call. Classy, sporty, and a whole bunch of fun rapped up into one awsome car.

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  One best Jetta ever - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By yadi - June 8 - 10:00 am

  I owned a 1992 MB 400E before this Jetta. I used to have a 1986 Jetta also. By buying this car I didnt lose the power/weight ration thanks to the high low-end torque. I enjoy the manual transmission something I missed in MB. There have been very few flaws with the car. I think I am going to keep it another 2 years until I can get the next gen Jetta or back to E-class again. I would recommend Jetta for those who want to have fun while driving even in a traffic jam.

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  Fun to Drive! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By gOpACKERS - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Great car! fast-- awd gets through alot of snow etc! neg--cd changer in trunk

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  Fun to Drive! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By gopackers - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Great car! fast-- awd gets through alot of snow etc! neg--cd changer in trunk

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  Expensive to own! - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By pbesong - June 8 - 7:46 am

  Expensive to own and operate! It takes premium gas only, so while everyone else is paying $2.60 per gallon, youre paying $3.00 a gallon. It takes a special oil, too, which at Pep Boys costs $8.00 per bottle and youll need 5 bottles. The oil filter from the dealer costs $28, but you can get it from NAPA for a mere $16 (still expensive if you ask me). And you need to change it every 5k miles. Its not a straight-forward oil change either. A bit more complicated. Xenon headlights cost $150 to replace and since the daytime running lights are on all the time, youre sure to burn through quite a few. Im not keeping mine long enough to find out how many. transmission can have mechatronic unit problem.