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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  FUN CAR WITH WORST ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By saturn101 - September 16 - 10:53 pm

  first owner, do service every 5K in dealer or respected shop... 30100miles, (right after service)fuel pressure sensor died on the road 200 miles away from home on a holiday.... 42000miles, power steering wheel and traction control lights on for 80% of driving time, 4 times to the dealer, 2 for diagnostics 2 for fixing, got fixed, first time for 15 mins before lights came on again, second time, better, 3 days... 50100miles, with those problems persisted, new problems came out, when those lights on, the power steering wheel would lose electricity for all buttons and pedals include signal lights, wipers... in the dealer for 8 business days and counting... bad luck, maybe, but lesson learned

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  Volkswagen has sold out - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By routan VW - September 14 - 1:26 am

  I really dont like this VW Routan at all. It is small and cramped. I have hit my head several times getting in and out of the vehicle. The kids keep hitting their heads when they climb in to get in to the back seats. The automatic doors are extremely annoying. What has Volkswagen done? They have sold out and made their van just like all the other vans on the market. Long live Eurovans!

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  Worst Car I Ever Owned - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Haz - September 13 - 2:36 pm

  This car was the never-ending money pit! Engine had to be replaced along with two clutches. Window motors were constantly breaking. Electric side mirrors stopped working. Glove compartment hinges broke. Windshield washer system stopped working. Molding was falling off. Seat recliners never worked. Emergency break broke several times which resulted in the car rolling into the street and finally - a LAKE! The repairs were incredibly expensive compared with US or Japanese made cars.

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  I regret buying my Jetta - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Christina - September 11 - 12:46 pm

  Upon initially purchasing my Jetta there were no problems. But by the winter, it started giving me problems and hasnt stopped since. The only major problem that I have encountered is that gear sticks. When I say stick I mean, will not shift into Reverse or Drive until it feels ready, which could be 5 or 65 minutes. Taken it to the dealership 7 times and they cant figure out what it but assume its the brake light switch. So they keep replacing that. I wouldnt recommend this vehicle to anyone unless you have a very good warranty.

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  Better Check your oil - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By SAAB 4 Life - September 10 - 7:13 am

  I HAD a 2008 VW Jetta Wolfsburg 2.0 turbo DSG yada yada yada this engine burns oil. Just type in VW oil consumption on any search engine and read to your hearts content. Because I change oil at 5000, then checked oil at 9500 and it was down too the add mark. No leaks either, ever wonder why the exhaust tips are so sooty.

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  Dont buy it!!!! - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By kpengler - September 9 - 2:00 am

  Well, I bought this car used and at first loved it - then - the windows wents down on both sides 2xs. the engine light comes once a year. the cup holder broke, the glove compartment broke, sunroof broke 2xs, plastic on the dash board has cracked, windshield cracked, the engine oil burns very quickly so have to check it every 1,000 miles. The volkswagon(hamilton,nj) dealership I go to is very good and have fixed the windows at no charge and check my oil for me at no charge and keep track of it for me. Yes, they know about the window problems and oil problems but there is no recall yet. And I also have that strange yellow goop everyone is talking about.

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  I love to hate my VDUB - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By varuca salt - September 2 - 10:36 am

  First the AC busted a hole in itself then all interior parts bubbled and peeled off within a year, then my cam system blew they replaced that, then my shifting cables broke, sun visors dont work and fall out of the holes that hold them up, all buttons had to be replaced, consistent alignment problems, consistent gas cap issues, consistent check engine light, fuel pump replaced, vacuum seals and all that kind of stuff replaced, now warranty is over and Im stuck with only one year payments left with a piece of crap that is fun to drive that I have to trade in when all i wanted was a car that would last 100k miles, Ive got 58k and Im DONE.

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  Too many issues have made me regret this purchase - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By mercuriciodide - August 30 - 8:59 pm

  The light cover wouldnt stay on on the drivers side door, so I had to take it in later for repair. They claimed it was repaired but the next time I brought it in for another issue, they replaced the entire door panel without asking. The new door panel was lower quality than the old one and flexes a whole lot, especially in winter, making considerable noise and giving the car a very cheap feel which is very frustrating since it cost $30,000. When I brought up the flexing door panel problem the service manager said he would bring up the issue to a visiting VW exec, get a resolution, and call. After months of waiting, I heard nothing. When I brought it in, another manager refused to fix it.

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  Its a Yugo with an Audi powertrain - 2015 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mollari 2261 - August 25 - 8:46 pm

  Im a 30-year VW-Audi fan that this time around needed to go cheap, but without leaving VW. I also wanted a TDI to match my mostly highway commute/driving. It was easy to get a deal on the Jetta, considering how much theyre piling up on the dealership lots; now I know why. This is the cheapest, dullest car Ive owned since my mid-90s GM ticket to a taxpayer bailout. Its a slick powertrain wrapped in bland styling, numb driving, slow-torture seating, missing creature comforts (we dont even get rear-passenger door lock switches), all riding on Flintstone wheels. Not to mention a real low point in VW quality (e.g. carpets that are cardboard sprayed with hair-in-a-can) and quality control (e.g. embarrassingly poor body panel alignment). Granted, some of this has to do with the fact that my car is a lowly SE and not an SEL trim. For example, the halogen reflectors are like two candles up there, compared to HIDs. And the Yugo GVL called, wanting its instrument cluster back. But much of it rings true across all Mk-VI Jettas; this is the worst VW since the Westmoreland, PA Rabbits of the 1980s. The Jetta is basically the cheapest way to get VWs fantastic powertrains. But you get what you pay for... And next time Im paying more for a Golf, which is more like what us VW owners expect from a VW, and not this sad, sorry exercise in cost-cutting.

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  Always thought VW were known for their reliabilit. - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By Jack - August 23 - 7:19 pm

  When I first bought my Golf it had 70k miles on it and I had every intention of driving it until 300k. Unfortunately at 148k that doesnt seem likely. For the first year i had it it went relatively alright, nothing too big. After that, it was all down hill. Almost all the knobs for the audio adjustments have broken off, the paint on the buttons and controls have all worn off, the ceiling lining it peeling off, the cloth padding on the doors is falling off, the hydraulic hood strut in the back has failed, not to mention the key fob wont unlock the trunk anymore, and thats just to name a few things. So far Ive replaced the radiator, had several misfires, replaced 2 of the window clips (which have a history with failing resulting in your window falling off the track), the side mirror cover has fallen off on the highway twice, and not to mention it consumes oil like my gramps consumes whiskey. All in all, Ive spent close to what I paid for it maintaining it, and thats only 80k miles in. Currently looking to sell it and get something more reliable.