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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  Never again, I want a full refund - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Dissatisfied again - July 9 - 2:00 am

  I have the car in the shop on three separate occasions in 7 months - twice for ignition coil problems and once for a valve problem. The second time it was in the shop for a week and they rented me a reliable dodge caravan. The last time the vehicle was in the shop they said there was a defective valve and sent my wife home without repairing the vehicle, but not before they backed my car into a wall and put a hole in my rear bumper. I will never buy a volkswagon again. Get something reliable like a camry or accord.

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  Very fun and safe to drive. - 2001 Volkswagen GTI
  By Leonel Castro - July 9 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car for over 2 years. The windows have fallen inside the door several times. Though Volkswagen did admit that it was a huge defect on these vehicles, they are replacing all window mechanisms with a complete newly designed piece. Its been now almost a year and the windows work perfectly. Other than that I have no complaints. I love driving the car and am very pleased with the smooth drive. 150 hourses can really give you some serious G-Force! Oh, and one last thing... This car has always made head turns since the first day a owned it. Its sleek European design definitely stands out within the rest.

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  It figures - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By BobbyC - July 9 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car brand new in 00 The reviews were consistant. This car is a winner. At 26k the cd changer failed ($500). At 39k I need a complete brake overhaul ($700). At 79k the emission light came on and the dealer reset it. At 87k the light came on again and the dealer told me because of cheap gas my converters went bad. I Use premium, get 24 mpg. Like I going to spend 3K on new cats. Federal law mandates that cat s be warranted for 80k (HUM). At 91k the water pump went. At 92k Right side valve cover leaking. 97k same problem at 102k the right side head gasket blew. Last week at 102k the oil leaked on the cats, the car went up in flames!

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  Dont use the word "engineered" - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Keith Henson - July 9 - 2:00 am

  Have been very disappointed in basics on the car. Headlights constantly burn out. Center brake light intermettent. Fuel lid operator failure. Dealer is great until after you buy the car, then arrogant, not willing to assist at all. Routine service items like lightbulbs are ridiculous. Can barely see fuel filter that requires regular draining, but cant reach it. Have to dissable the car to access items. Should never be able to use word "engineered" in referring to it. Just mechanical stuff slapped into a bug shape! Stick with Japanese.

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  put the honda and toyota rumors to rest - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By winkster24 - July 9 - 2:00 am

  i was totally fixed on my moms accord and her old camry, but this car puts them in the dust. buttery smooth describes everything about the car, and the styling is simply brilliant.

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  Touareg Troubles - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By chris caranci - July 7 - 8:56 am

  Ive been reading about all the Touareg troubles and hope that I dont encounter these problems in the future. I have only 10,000 miles on mine and have only expeirenced trouble with the tire pressure systems false readings and mis-aimed headlights which I had to fix myself. The excessive tire wear is a common problem with all T-regs and Cayennes due to their weight of 5,200+lbs. The same goes for the brakes on both vehicles. The electrical problems are hit and miss. Ill be curious to see if the new Q7 will have any of these same problems? Good luck!

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  Stay away - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Stay away - July 6 - 9:26 pm

  This car is junk. Brakes, clutch, axles, water leaks, you name it. I am going to trade it for Nissan or Toyota.

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  2.0T is a great, great package! - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ben - July 4 - 7:33 pm

  I was actually looking at a Rabbit with the (Canada-only) Sport package, which ended up being more expensive than my Jetta 2.0T. (I would have considered the 2.5, which was considerably cheaper, but they only had it in beige.) My mother drives an 08 Eos with the 2.0T/6-speed manual combination, and that combination was undeniably the most fun I had ever had driving. The 2.0T/6-speed manual is wonderful in the Jetta as well; combined with 17" wheels, black bumper trim, huge trunk. Loving it. Traded in my Mazda3 Sport - which I loved - for this Jetta and have not missed my Mazda for a second. Class-leading power, comfort, interior materials, fun-to-drive quotient.

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  The US needs more diesels like this - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rickallen - July 4 - 12:13 pm

  I bought this car as a replacement for a hybrid that just didnt cut it for me. The VW makes up for all of the performance and comfort trade-offs of a hybrid but with little penalty to the MPGs. I actually average about the same or better with diesel than I did with the hybrid - about 39 mpg over the life. Acceleration of the line makes passing slowpokes easy and squirting in and out of stop and go traffic is a breeze since it gives you "right now" torque. My only disappointments have been some annoying rattles, an audio system that gives me headaches, and no aux in if you have the ipod adapter. Other than that, I cant complain. I think Im spoiled for anything but diesel.

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  Fun to drive, handsome, good MPG, happy owner!! - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By gottlieb - July 4 - 11:51 am

  After 3 years and 30,000 miles, still love my 2010 VW CC white/tan , i prefer driving this than my 2008 Mercedes Benz E Class, I get as high as 35 MPG highway with A/C, interior is awesome, feels more expensive, very comfortable seats better than my Lexus and Benz, cornering is excellent, a little bumpy for my taste but thats to be expected for a car this low, acceleration is amazingly fast for a 4 cylinder car. love the "THUNK" when opening and closing the frameless doors!!! Only VW has that. overall, another VERY HAPPY VW CC owner, thinking of buying 2013 :)