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:

• 

  Mostly a good car - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Steve - July 18 - 10:00 am

  Overall it has been a good car. I have about 92000 miles on it now and needs some significant work. A wheel bearing is shot, the head gasket leaks, and a few other minor repairs needed. The real problem is that this engine seems to have a flaw as noted by many others. I began to get a VERY rough idle at about 50000 miles that was repaired under warranty for $5000. The problem is coming back now and can really only get a band-aid repair if I want to avoid paying $5000 on my own (which didnt really last anyway). Other than this, it has been a super reliable car and has had very few problems. It has been probably my favorite car I have ever owned but I am selling it now to avoid major repairs.

• 

  Love it! / Hate it! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dirtwoman65 - July 16 - 4:53 pm

  I love my Jetta...however, I burn 1 qt. of oil every 1,000 miles. This is rediculous. Interior plastic is peeling, have had many electrical problems, including brake-relay switch. The VW dealership is a scam. They were aware of this problem and wanted to charge full cost for diagnostics to "find" the problem (which turned out to be a "recall") I will not buy another VW simply because of the dealership.

• 

  Ausgehtzeichnet! - 2014 Volkswagen Passat
  By 14freud - July 16 - 9:04 am

  Writing this review after 5 days. Got base 2014 with only 8k miles on it. Great deal! So far, runs great. Turbo kicks in nicely when accelerating. Trans takes getting used to as "D" wants lower gears to save gas, but "S" runs more like a traditional trans. Son says back seat has more room than Honda (I traded in a 2002 Accord). Decent stereo..rides nice and is quiet.

• 

  Headache - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By KLD - July 14 - 2:00 am

  This car has been one headache after the other since I bought it! The car has been towed three times now and am waiting for the tow truck for a fourth time as I write this (because of ignition coils. The stereo stopped working twice and was a month ago given a new stereo. The car does make a lot of noise when you first start it and let it idle! Not dependable at all. Just LOOKS good.

• 

  Golf TDI - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By dunas cardunas - July 14 - 2:00 am

  This car has been "Top Notch". I am 6 and 275lbs and bought this car because of comfort. I have logged 21K mostly long trips and have been very pleased with the ride and comfort levels. Plus the TDI has returned an avg fuel economy of 47.5 mpg. Better than I ever expected. Make sure you buy the 5 speed. The auto is a little sluggish, but the manual offers plenty of giddy-up on the highway.

• 

  Dont be fooled - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Brio - July 13 - 11:10 pm

  I was seduced by the turbo and six-speed tranny. However this car is horribly unreliable. The turbo hose disengaged after 2000 miles. The wiper motor broke, and when the dealer replaced it they cracked the windshield. After a couple of additional recalls, Im ready to cut my losses. This car is absolute garbage.

• 

  Body Rust within 851 Miles - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By SEL Premium CARB - July 12 - 11:16 am

  Do not buy this van! On 6/19/10, I bought a SEL Premium CARB from a dealer in Columbus, OH, and it is rusted in less than a month after I took it off the dealer’s lot. The rust happened where the outer panel was glued with the inner panel around the left rear wheel well. With 851 miles on the van, the dealer asked me to drive to the VW’s authorized body shop for an estimate. Since the shop has to open (drilling out all body- glue spots) the body panel above the rear wheel to check the inside rust, the repair costs the VW $1100.00. If it is not done this way, the rust will eat the van’s body from inside out. (continue in the next section)

• 

  Needs a little TLC now and then - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vordy - July 12 - 10:00 am

  We bought our Jetta used with 62k on it. The car is beautiful inside and out, but it does have a few flaws. Like the other reviews on this site, the front window did get stuck in the down position. The problem is not electrical, but the cheap plastic clips that attach the glass to the regulator broke, it cost $150 for a new regulator. The sunroof shade has broken off of the track and is stuck in the headliner preventing the sunroof from sliding open. The trunk light also has a mind of its own. I have never dealt with the dealer since I fix everything myself. On that note, the build quality is excellent. Wish the car was stick, the VR6 is a nice engine.

• 

  New Jetta 1.8 Turbo - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By john james - July 12 - 10:00 am

  I have not had a new car in 12 years. This one has me feeling young again. Drives and handles like a sports car. Plenty of power on tap. And that wonderful German Engineering. I cannot say enought good things about this car.

• 

  Great Performance - Some Glitches - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Mr Bill - July 11 - 3:33 pm

  I have an early release 06 Passat w/Sport package. The performance on the car is great except for the throttle lag problem which I havent yet fixed. I also had probs w/adaptive headlights that took 25 days in the shop to fix. Doesnt make for a happy owner. Also took 2 trips to stop water leaking in trunk. Driver seat had to be repaired after 2 weeks. VW still needs to work on quality. Most problems were in 1st 2 months. Since the car has been great. Its really fast, but wish I could get a real 6 spd stick like the TL, Tiptronic isnt the same.