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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  Tons o Fun! - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By blubyu - April 3 - 4:00 am

  My first real car was 77 Rabbit. Drove Japanese and American afterwards. Realized I missed my VW. I absolutely love this new Jetta! Great torque through entire power band. Love the tight German suspension engineering. Manual transmission shifts like buttah. Its so much fun to throw the car into any curve, have it stay planted on the asphalt like its on rails, give it some throttle and come rocketing out the other side. WOW!! And this is the base S model. Interior fit and finish is xlnt. Im 64 and have plenty of leg/head room, compared to most Japanese cars. Theres enough bolster in the cloth seats for those curves, but still very comfortable for my daily commute to the city.

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  What a fun car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Sanford12 - April 3 - 2:00 am

  Ive had more compliments on this cars looks than any car Ive ever owned and they continue after 2 years of ownership. I love the turbo and the Tip-tronic works great. This is a smooth driving car even at speed(120mph and it felt like it had plenty left)and carves through curvy roads with ease. The Home link garage door opener failed and the Monsoon radio, sound great anyway My biggest cripe is with the adolescents that pass as mechanics at the dealership, Theyre the gang who cant shoot straight and it sucks to have to make a trip back to the dealer because of the just plain lack of pride in workmanship and respect for the customers intelligence

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  WOW - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By xelint - April 3 - 2:00 am

  Is this the car I have been waiting for or what. Roomy with out taking up the whole road. My wife and I were hooked from the first test drive. After 3k miles it has run like a dream. Only very minor problems that were fixed quickly by the dealer and then some. Try the Sport mode..try it I dare you..lol

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  zoom. - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By uwinferno - April 3 - 2:00 am

  This car is sick!!! Its the best bang for the buck. There are a few minor details that can be fixed....in dash cd player....but besides that the car is almost perfect.

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  Fantastic SUV - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By huey900 - April 3 - 2:00 am

  Your really buying the Porsche Cayane at $35,000 discount. Handles great, lots of creature comforts, quite, fast and responsive...great road SUV without all the mass. Youll love it!

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  The Best VW made! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By pjrias - April 2 - 5:06 pm

  The VW Jetta is a great car! I am the original owner and have 158,000 miles on my car. The engine is unbelievable. I average 31 mpg on the highway. My car has its original clutch! It just keeps on ticking, like a Timex! The only major problem was a tensioner on the timing chain had to be replaced at 80,000 miles! I have had only had two tune-ups! The leather seats still look brand new!

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  The Bst Car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By MrsMissy - April 2 - 10:00 am

  We have always stuck to japanese cars but we decided to check out VW since our last experience buying a toyota wasnt too pleasant. After test driving this car we were sold! I always get compliments on how classy it looks. Our neighbors liked it so much they went and bought themselves one too!

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  VW K2 - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VanWeston - April 2 - 10:00 am

  this is a great Car very fast. much much car for the money. manny goodies. turns heads I love it

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  No Problems! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Seattle - April 2 - 10:00 am

  I rate my Jetta excellent, Ive had no problems with this car. My dealership has been wonderful, within the second year the oxygen sensors did fail in the car and they were replaced under warranty. When the part was recalled after I was off waranty the manufacturer notified me, and the dealer again replaced the parts even though I had no problems after the original failure. The car is fun and easy to drive (I highly recommend the manual transmission) and has great fuel economy. My only complaint would be rear passenger space, but then Im not in the back seat!

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  Great little German car - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By lik - April 2 - 10:00 am

  Plushy interior is the feature to beat compare to other sedans with similar performance. The engine is the best thing about the Jetta and the large trunk space is not compromise with the 4 doors and the back seat. Tiptronic is also a fun feature if an automatic is a must for you or your family. Its a good looking car with some class, and can be taken to the max with no worries of break down.