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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  Pretty cool car - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By NJ/Junior - December 22 - 10:00 am

  I have this car for only a few months now, but i got to drive it for about 13000 miles already. This car has a nice interior that fits two adults very well but not so good in leg room in the back seat. The engine is really powerfull and with the manual transmission its even more fun to drive. Ive had a few problems with it so far but nothing big.

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  Love my VW!!! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By grassyknollgunman13 - December 22 - 10:00 am

  The 1.8T 5speed is great. Not too expensive, and a great car. Rides nice, got some power and a great soundsystem. (Monsoon) The only 2 things Im not crazy about are the placement and design of the sideview mirror control, (knob on the door panel)and the front seat center arm rest. Its nice that it slides forward to be adjustable but w/ a manual tranny, it moves too much while shifting. Other than that, I would highly recomend this car.

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  Still With Personality - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By GREG TIBBETTS - December 21 - 9:30 am

  IMy initial attraction is the clean J.Mays / Freeman styling, but excellent interior materials and ergonomics make the Beetle better than similarly priced cars. This car has many detail improvements over the similar 2002 New Beetle. Its 6-speed auto transmission is a huge improvement over the old 4-speed design and even 5-speed manual that refused to accept a quick shift. It has excellent brakes and safety aids, both passive and active. Its handling is not particularly responsive, but safe and predictable. This car is able to cruise at high speeds with less wind noise than than in the past because of the 6-speed gearing. It turns approximately 3,000 RPM at 78 MPH. The leatherette looks like real leaather and is more luxurious than cloth. Plus car is style-proof.

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  My Volkswagen Golf...here is a little... - 2005 Volkswagen Golf
  By notorious - December 18 - 10:36 am

  ...story. I have owned my car for the last four years. My car has been incredible on diesel mileage. I get in the city anywhere from 500 to 550 miles in the city and 550 to 625 miles on a tank. Within the first 3 years of my car, my transmission went! Could not believe it! The dealership had me pay approx $1200 to replace it. I was not happy about it at all. The dealership agreed to refund me half the amount I paid and asked I follow up the rest with Volkswagen International - No outcome from that. In the 4the year, seals and headlight bulbs replaced under warranty. Spill guard is not good for dark clothed interior. Dont replace air filter with after market unit! Dangerous!

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  Earlay 99 GLX - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Inver306 - December 18 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this car new right off the truck. I have had no problems with this car. I felt the suspension was a bit soft so I upgraded it with a Stage 3 Newspeed suspension, which included springs, struts and big anti-roll bars, a huge improvement. Latest mods include 17" wheels and a Newspeed chip. The car has developed some rattles and squeaks, but I understand that they all do. Car has 53k miles on it now and still looks and runs new. Ive love the VR6 since new and have taken several long trips with it; the car is a great compromise of space, comfort and performance. I think Ill keep it for a while longer.

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  Good car for young drivers - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Niels Pace - December 17 - 11:39 pm

  Bought this car used for my children to use. Have had minor reliability issues but easily fixed. The most disappointing is the interior - I was brought up in the era of the Golf Gti and owned several of them, have always loved VWs and their solidity and good finish, inside and out. Unfortunately with this generation of Jetta they screwed up during the manufacture and cut the headlining material too short, so it is overtensioned on the foam moulding and comes away. The car is only 5 years old and roof lining is falling off! Obviously VW are completely uninterested in standing by their product and fixing this.

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  Excellent, Fast, Reliable, Looks Great - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bryans - December 17 - 6:26 am

  As you can see, I have an 03 Jetta 1.8T Tiptronic 5-speed I bought with 28k...now has 91k 2.5 years later. Ive owned four late model Cadillacs (two DeVilles and two Eldorados). I was so disappointed in the Northstar V8 and the very cheap interior in all of them that I decided I would buy imported only now on. Boy, am I glad I did!!! First of all, the 1.8T is strong, reliable, FAST, and easy to work on and upgrade. The interior is sleek and leather is high quality and durable. Monsoon audio is awesome, but better with a subwoofer. The exterior is very sexy and stylish. The 17" wheels are great, especially with a good set of Z- rated performance tires. Too many good things to list.....

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  The Oil Consumption King - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Sabre01 - December 15 - 2:00 am

  We had our Jetta GL since May 2000. We babied this car. My wife loved this car. All maintenance was done on time. Then it starts to use oil. It used about 1 quart per 1000 miles! At first I thought it was a fluke. Then I checked the internet for other owners that may have the problem. This seems to be common with the 2.0 Litre engine. I even found a web site that has the Technical Bulletin (provided to dealers from VW)that instructs the mechanic how to deal with complaints of excessive oil consumption.

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  Fly Jetta - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By George Spicer - December 14 - 11:13 am

  I have a 2000 VW Jetta and the performce is good, but the motor can put out so much more power. How do i know? I have a stg-3 turbo kit in mine, and Im puting down about 260 hp the ground with the factory engine.

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  Blue 08 R32 - 2008 Volkswagen R32
  By JRP - December 14 - 7:23 am

  If slot cars could be full scale this might be it. Steering is right on, just point where you want it to go. Suspension is firm but does not beat you up. Transmission is a blast with the engine being eager all the time. Relaxed when you want it to be, fun when you need it to be. Roomier inside than youd think.