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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  Great Car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Great ride - July 26 - 10:00 am

  Needed a new Ignition Coil, car started rattling one day called and brought the car in. Had to wait 3 weeks for the part. Couldnt drive the car without the part... it was a few days shy of the Lemon Law. Now the lights are going out on the dashboard. A/C smells after driving long distances. Car rattles when the engine starts, takes a while for the engine to sound right.

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  2004 Touareg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Ray W. - July 26 - 10:00 am

  After only a week---very quiet,comfortable ride. Superb interior appointments with extensive convience and comfort features. Power adequate, 6 speed auto is smooth. On the highway 2800 rpm=80mph. Basic sound system is of high quality and A/C is excellent. Reliability evaluation is only a guess since my car is brand new and the model has no history.

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  Reliable but Raucous - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By neil - July 25 - 3:53 am

  I bought an 07 4-door right off the showroom floor, black with the 17" V-Vision wheels (I was hooked). This is my third VW, and the other two (78 Rabbit, 88 Fox) were bulletproof. I compared the Mazda3, and the Rabbit offers far more features, refinement, and power (the 2.5L has terrific torque) for the money. Since October 2006, Ive put 20,000 miles on it (18,000 miles in the first year). It feels like a budget Audi. What sinks it are the rattles (see Suggested Improvements). Ive had it to the dealer once; whatever they did only muted the rattles a little bit for a little while. No new car should rattle this much. Ive had numerous Fords (no paragons of quality) that were far quieter.

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  Good car but high maintenance cost - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By gstreat - July 25 - 1:36 am

  I have only 81,000 miles so far and gone through both external and internal CV boots. The worse part about maintaining this vehicle is the recommended replacement of the timing belt at 90,000 miles which will cost over $1000.00. If I had know this before I purchased it I would be driving another car. Better engineering is sorely needed if just for this one part. Be careful when you need new brakes being sure you get the ones designed for VW hat has the wear sensor. Otherwise the "Replace pads" light will come on.

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  My Vdubb - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By DaLarr - July 24 - 11:10 am

  Well, I just got my Jetta a week ago! Evrything is great on the car from the interior to the exterior to the build quality. I already have to take it in for the alignment (VW said no problem they will handle it)! Something went wrong with the CD player but thats a small fix! I have the navigation system and love it! I dont know why some others dont like it, but it works great for me. All in all, its a great car!

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  2001.5 Passat Love-Hate Relationship - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By klohr - July 20 - 10:00 am

  Owned since April 2001. The car is a delight to drive on the highway. It is smooth and relaxed. It looks beautiful, corners well, and feels solid. However, in traffic it is frustrating. Almost all of the power is obtained with the gas peddle only about half way down. Push down further and not much else happens. It makes the car feel real fast during a test drive but frustrating and very difficult to drive smoothly in a start and stop environment, such as through city streets. According to VW, this is all a "consequence of the design" and there is nothing they can do about it. All in all, I probably wouldnt buy this car again.

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  Clutch nightmare - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By alcent - July 20 - 10:00 am

  Car is pretty nice but beware of clutch on standard tranmission. I had several manual transmission cars so I know how to drive a standard. But I was told by Momentum that my clutch was burned out at 23000 miles. Bull.. It is not covered under warranty and I had to shell out $1800.00. I am getting rid of my Jetta VR6 as soon as I can. I tell all my friends DO NOT VOLKSWAGON!

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  Great Car - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Daniel - July 20 - 6:13 am

  The Jetta GLI is truly a great car. It was my first new car purchase and I am very pleased with the result. Interstate driving is very comfortable and you are rewarded with Honda Accord-like gas mileage. In the city, the good gas mileage pretty much goes away, but you do get to enjoy feeling the turbo spool. So far the only problem I have had is that the windshield wiper fluid doesnt spray out, but the dealership is looking into this for me. It has a great sound system and good ergonomics. Be sure to look at more than one dealer for pricing. They will go below "invoice" even if one dealer says they wont. Mine was $1,000 below "invoice." This car is really a lot of fun to drive with the refinement of a BMW 3-Series. This car is a step up in class for VW.

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  My Little Pocket Rocket - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By Jason - July 19 - 7:30 pm

  My GTI was already lowered and had larger wheels and other suspension components installed by the previous owner so the ride is bit stiff, but it corners and jumps up from a stop like a champ! Im totally sold on German engineering. I came from a Mustang background and while this car cant touch a Mustang in a straight line, when it comes to the full sense of drivability and fit and finish, the Mustang with all its plastic pieces and jittery noises cant compete with the GTI. I wont even mention my gas mileage improvement... that goes without saying. An all around great little car and an absolute pleasure to own.

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  2002 VW GTI - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Carlos Z. - July 18 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car because of the exterior design and style but thats were it ends. This car was nothing but headaches and problems. I had problems with over heating, seat belt sensor, sunroof, alternator, battery, water pump, radio, ignition coils, engine hoses, coolant system, bad ECU, transmission, and thats just off the top of my head. Be ready to become best friends with your mechanic because youll be seeing him and a check engine light on a lot. Not to mention that all VW parts are extremely expensive. Safe your money people and get your self a honda or toyota. I would never buy another VW again i have sold it since and moved on to a honda best move ever made.