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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  2004 VW Beetle GL Coupe - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By jesmari - April 26 - 3:43 pm

  This is a great car for the small unique design. It is fun to drive and has great stability. It is very reliable. The only con is a minor electrical fault in the airbag system. The system frequently gave a false alert of having problems, without there actually being a problem.

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  2012 VW Touareg Sport w/ Navigation - 2012 Volkswagen Touareg
  By bandit66 - April 26 - 2:52 pm

  I visited my dealer in early December to look at a 2011 left over. After driving a Midnight Blue 2012 I decided to trade-in my 2009 Tiguan for the 2012 Touareg. I have previously owned other "high line" vehicles from Acura, Lexus, and Infinity ... but none come close to the new Touareg - yes it IS a "high line" vehicle (and I bought the Sport version!). Build quality is amazing, design is amazing, materials are amazing, ride is amazing. This is one well built vehicle.

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  2003 VW GTI VR6 w/ 6 speed manual - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By kfos123 - April 26 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car for almost three weeks now and I am very satisfied with my purchase. The car looks great in silverstone grey with black leather interior and the additional splash guards give the car a lower profile along with fewer trips to the car wash. So far, Im very impressed with the cars performance and handling. It is very quick off the line and has nice linear surges of power as I row through the pleasantly precise and somewhat notchy gear box. When I dive into the twisites, the car has a little body roll but reamins compliant and controlled. The Monsoon stereo sounds great and the automatic climate control system is very easy to use.

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  Leave Gas Station Behind - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By martok - April 26 - 2:00 am

  I love my Jetta! The Jetta is fun to drive, has excellent fuel economy, (44- 51 mpg, up to 700 miles/tank) is good looking, and reliable. I have personally driven this vehicle about 5000 miles, and I am impressed with the precision in the steering, along with the overall maneuverability.

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  My VW Beetle - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Clarke Allen - April 25 - 10:56 pm

  This beetle is is an excellent ride for anyone who just wants to ride around. I you want a big car, then this is not for you. If youre like me, though, then you will love this car just like I do.

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  Definitely Not a Camry! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Ken - April 25 - 3:30 pm

  The Passat 3.6 4Motion is quite an awesome car! I did months of extensive research on buying a replacement car for my wife; deciding between the 2007 Camry, 2007 Infiniti G35, and the 2006 Acura TL. Although the Camry is a better value, the Passat is so much more fun to drive! The G35 and TL were just too expensive and lacked interior rear seat room. I have two teen sons over 6 tall and they have plenty of room in the back seat. The value for what you get in the Passat is awesome; you get Mercedes/BMW amenities for a Buick price! Although the car listed at $40,000 (sport package, fully loaded), I was able to get it for $33,000 from the dealer, as they were hot to get rid of the 2006 models; making it an incredible value!

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  Best Car Ive Ever Driven - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By BassDSSO - April 24 - 7:10 pm

  I admit that I am a VW fan and after anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Passat TDI, I can positively confirm that I still am a VW fan. I absolutely love this car, it handles great, the power is amazing (I live in Duluth, MN with lots of hills and climbing the hills is no problem at all), and the performance in mileage has been wonderful (32mpg in city, 42mpg highway). The cabin is very comfortable and the seats are made for long drives with lots of support. Plus the stereo system is totally awesome!

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  I Love my Jetta - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Blair - April 22 - 5:36 am

  This is my second Volkswagen Jetta. I am a 23 year old female in the workforce and I feel wonderful driving my Jetta to the office and on the weekends with my friends to go out! It is so fun to drive and I feel 100% safe driving it.

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  Great Poor Mans Beemer....... - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By zelenkajl - April 21 - 6:00 pm

  Being single and sixty the last thing I wanted was one of the classic "family" cars even though I like the reliability of Hondas and Toyotas. Nor did I want a classic "geezer pleaser" (Avalon/Lexus). Not wanting to pay the price for a BMW I find this Wolfsburg Jetta to be an excellent compromise. The 2L turbo engine is sweet with strong response and quite decent mileage even if it does require premium. I try not to look to closely at the Consumer Reports reliability charts as all German cars appear to be lacking but I previously had an 04 Jetta GLS that never skipped a beat in 50K miles! I have no reason to think this Jetta wont be just as reliable but time will tell.

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  German Stalwart - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By kissfan - April 21 - 10:00 am

  Not even a hiccup of a problem after $65k. The fuel economy has been terrific, averageing 30 MPG during my daily commute. The performance is solid and the fit and finish is industry leading, as expected in VW/Audi products. Cup holders are insufficient, but usable. New passengers in the car alway comment on the interior lights. Love the turbo, next to no lag. Say no to Accords and Camrys and make a statement.