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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  Nifty GTI - 2005 Volkswagen Golf
  By GTI - July 18 - 7:40 am

  I find the GTI to be a thrilling drive and well built. The only thing that I think it lacks is style inside.

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  Great First Car/Commuter - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By kellymiller - July 17 - 8:16 pm

  My parents got me my 2004 Jetta when I was 18. The the car got me through four years of college and is still going strong. Got it in 2010 with 48K miles, five years later its at 140K and still going strong. Ive had no mechanical problems with the car (aside from one that the dealer fixed) and with a 40 minute commute this was all I could ask for. The car was not perfect by any means (see below) but for a commuter looking for decent MPG, mechanical reliability, and a "cute" look, the Jetta is a great choice.

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  Beautiful - 2012 Volkswagen Touareg
  By billyjack2 - July 17 - 4:05 pm

  This is a must see/drive vehicle. When you can average over 29 mpg in about 90/10 highway/city driving, its pretty sweet.

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  2005 Touareg V8 - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By rick - July 17 - 1:53 pm

  I bought my Volkswagen Touareg V8 brand new and I fell in love. It has great power, aceleration and excellent brakes. It handles as well on road as well as over water and on uneven pavement. I have not gone off road yet. I dislike the fact that oil changes are so expensive (synthetic) and any little part costs a fortune, ie. windhield wipers $50.00 a piece. Also, I do not like the fact that it gets only 14 miles per gallon in city. Yes, I was aware of this when bought it, but with gas prices and the fact that it uses only premium this is kinda ridiculous. Anyway for other than these little annoyances it runs well and I feel safe in it.

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  Not your VW Golf - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VWOwner - July 17 - 10:08 am

  Have owned both a Golf and a Jetta and would say that for the price, your best bet is to go for a Golf which is much more reliable than a Jetta.

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  Not Happy at All - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By chris0568 - July 17 - 10:00 am

  Do not buy this car! It is a piece of junk. Ive had it for 8 mos and want to get rid of it. 5x to dlr in 8 mos. Is that common? Engine noise explained as use of wrong oil. They tested my oil? Car sold to me w/ 2 open recalls. Thats a certified used car? VW needs to review their dealers as well. Not happy at all with entire staff.

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  Black Magic R32 - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By Wingger - July 17 - 10:00 am

  Im really enjoying my car. Its fun to drive and attractive. The handling is great. The engine always feels strong. The car so far still has no rattles or squeaks; it feels very solid.

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  Should have bought another BMW - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By jennmc3 - July 17 - 10:00 am

  My husband has always loved Volkswagen, until I bought him his first american version. Major problems began at 3K miles and have continued ever since. Replaced all ignition coils (some of them twice) all before the recall, replaced secondary air pump 5 times in the last two years with intervals of 11, 9, 6, and 3 months apart, window clip recall, monsoon CD broken, seat handles break off, turn signal indicator continually falls out. $28,000 for a true lemon.

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  Lotsa small problems - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By joeynemo - July 17 - 10:00 am

  Fun car, a lot of Micky Mouse little things that fall apart; Cables, hoses, plastic bits. Everything is held together with plastic, while replacing normal wear and tear items the plastic just breaks during disassembly or reassemmbly. This car is not built to last very long. After 100k miles nothing major has needed to be done but it seems that is just around the corner. Has always burnt oil and has some hesitation while accelerating.

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  The finest - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By gulla - July 17 - 10:00 am

  The VW Touareg is the finest suv I have ever driven and I have had alot of luxury vehicles in my life.The Touareg gives you a feeling of safety and sureness you cannot experience in other luxury suv vehicles.Its power and nimbleness combine to give you a feeling like no other.I love my Touareg and plan on getting another one after this one.I would recommend it to anyone.The only thing I would improve is the gas mileage but for all the other great things this great machine does it is worth the trade-off.