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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  Nightmare - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By frustratedownr - November 11 - 10:00 am

  Vin # 2,8xx. put over 5,000 miles on loaner vehicles while waiting for parts/repair. VWoA doesnt seem to care about customer satisfaction. Takes 3 seperate visits to the service department for 10,000 mile service & 4 other "electrical" complaints. Service department must me more concerned about billable warranty hours that customer satisfaction.

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  Biggest POJ on the road!!! - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By pflower - November 8 - 8:13 pm

  This is the worst car i have ever owned. i bought it new and have had absolutley nothing but trouble. it was fun to drive when it was running. i have had to replace the battery 5 times, the transmission twice, the entire engine at 60,000. have had at least 15 recalls on it since i bought it. massive electrical failure twice. this has been nothing short of a complete headache. i cringe when i see new ones on the road!!! Dn not let the cute factor sway you, these are absolute pieces of junk!

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  Dont get a VW - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By kdl - November 8 - 11:03 am

  This was my graduation gift. They replaced the whole brake system, the front end, and the door jam. I hate this car. The seats are stiff. Now the dash cluster is going. What is up? Thought VW was a good car. WRONG. Next one will be a Honda

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  DISAPOINTED 100% - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By zorica - November 7 - 4:19 am

  Will never buy another VW vehicle. Custome service care is below zero, service dep is garbage. Have so many problems from start on my 2006 TDI Jetta, paint peeling off radio buttons, speedometer and clock always 10 km/min over. Problems with AC from start, wheelbearing, lights, dual mass flywheel etc. Noone cares, no one (VW) wants totake responisibility for defective part - flywheel, and on one admited that AC and wheelbearing were defective until I run out of the warrany. [non-permissible content removed] I am discusted in VW all together.

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  A Dream or a Cliff Diver - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Val - November 2 - 2:53 am

  I have had more problems with this car than I could have ever imagined. It was my dream car that turned into a nightmare of recalls and problems. From the engine that is constantly in need of repair, to the glove box that broke when I opened it, the catalytic converter that was recalled, but they wont fix until $1,000 of parts are replaced to make sure it is the converter that is the problem. If I was a mechanic, and someone gave me the car, I still would never get one again! You couldnt pay me enough!

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  Squash the bug - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By franko - November 1 - 1:06 pm

  Very very expensive for a car of this low quality. Got rid of it after 25k miles, the single worst quality car I have ever owned. Transmission problems, AC problems, electrical problems, cup holder broke and spilled a slurpee on the floor. First of all it seems that every part of this car is built with the bare minimum of material. And to make it worse seems to have been assembled by kindergarten dropouts. By the way the old ones were not much better but at least they were cheaper. You are better off with a korean car or american car.

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  Sell it before you hit 100K! - 2009 Volkswagen Passat
  By George - October 27 - 9:50 am

  I bought my 09 2.0T with less than 30K. Never put anything but synthetic oil and premium gas in the thing. It was a dream to drive until I started blowing ignition coils close to 80K. At around 103K it started dumping oil and coolant - so much it was embarrassing to park it anywhere. Took it to two reputable shops - they both told me it wasnt worth fixing. I just let the thing go at 106K for $2,500 as a trade in.

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  Now I know why they say - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By necat - October 23 - 10:00 am

  this was one of the biggest mistakes i have ever made i had traded my 2000 civic for this Jetta that was made in Mexico . i have 36000 miles on it since then the car has had its share of brake problems, window problems i.e. fallig down and electrical problems i.e. dummy lights coming on, radio problems blinker problems. I would advise people to understand that they will have plenty of trouble with this car.

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  What is everyone thinking? - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Holly Pryor - October 22 - 11:26 am

  I have been reading everyones reviews about how they love this car. Personally I have not had a good experience. I have had a knocking noise that sounds like it is coming from the dash on the passenger side that sounds off every 1 min and 15 sec. The airbag warning light stays on, the brake warning light stays on, the signal warning light stays on, and periodically the power steering light comes on and the steering acts crazy. I have already replaced the rear brakes at 20,000 miles when supposedly the rear brakes only get used 25% of the time. I have already been to the dealer twice. I need a car that I can depend on as a single mother and this car is definitely not it.

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  Repairs - Often and Expensive - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By 1st_andlast_vw - October 22 - 5:10 am

  Like previous posts I would not recommed this car to anyone unless they like paying for rental cars and expensive repairs. Just had my drive shaft replaced at 76,000 miles for $1,300. (Tip: search the web for shops that sell re-manufactured shafts for $450 to $350). At 52,000 miles the internal speaker in the instrument cluster went out, the VW repair is to replace the instrument cluster, the part alone is $1,000. It does handle nice in the snow but its a gas guzzler and tires (expensive ones) seem to last only about 30,000...were due for our 3rd set at 76,000 miles. Also need a slew of special tools to repair if your a do it yourself person. Very noisy, due to wind, with the window open