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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  2012 Passat SE - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By jrind2 - March 8 - 11:30 pm

  So far after 3 months we love this vehicle - the extra room inside is amazing especially in the back seats.

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  Great Car, Poor Reliability - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Staninct - March 8 - 2:00 am

  The car is great, esp. since I am 64" and fit rather well in it. Performance a bit sluggish with 2.0l engine, great controls, quality textiles for fabric and dash panels. Terrible trouble with "disappearing" engine oil, 3 dealers cannot find out where 3 quarts are going between oil changes (must be burnt), constant check engine lights, window regulator troubles, tail light bulb troubles, and it sounds like a popcorn machine in the morning!

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  My Jetta - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jettaboistl - March 8 - 2:00 am

  Well most problems that I have had are cosmetic but nothing to serious. I am now having a second problem with the brake switch. All in all I love my Jetta. I figure the problems I am having could happen to any car. This is an awesome car to drive and I love driving. I am completely sold on VWs.

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  Good car - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By hiegear - March 8 - 2:00 am

  Love it! It has plenty of highway passing power along with a very smooth ride. Still feels like a jetta!

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  Electrical nightmare - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By roger - March 7 - 8:33 am

  Love the looks and driveability of car but will never buy another VW. I have had one electrical issue after another. Repair costs are high. UNDEPENDABLE!

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  Unreliable - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By moilaset - March 5 - 2:43 am

  Not particularly fun to drive but very powerful and fuel efficient. 2.0T engine works better with GLI. Engine consumes oil about a quart per 5k miles so be careful! Front tires go fast. AC is not sufficient in Texas. In 10k miles we started to have issues with a DSG shifter; after several visits to the dealer they got it fixed. In about 15k miles, lost fuel pup or something, it was repaired under warranty. At 29k miles, in DSG transmission the clutch failed and broke the transmission casing: the car almost cached the fire, 6k USD repair under warranty. In 30k miles, engine lost the coolant and car had to be towed to dealer, again.

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  On-Road Only - 2011 Volkswagen Touareg
  By John Nehgerbahn - March 5 - 2:00 am

  Traded in my 09 for the 2011,also picking up a AWD CC for my summer car, which I ended up not needing. My previous car had been a excellent off- roader, and presuming that the new one carried on with the off-road creds, bought the 11 model. I purchased it in summer not needing off-road capability ,and found the car flawless with a buttery smooth ride, gorgeous looks in and out, great fuel economy, and lots of space. As soon as winter began however, the car turned out to be a nightmare. It simply cannot leave the beaten trail, lacking any off road potential. I understand that few people go venture, but the ability to drive in mud bogs and cross rivers is mandatory in Northern Alska.

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  Great design, suprisingly not as well made - 2013 Volkswagen GTI
  By jcfarnham - March 2 - 10:55 am

  Ive had my 2013 GTI for nearly one year. Love driving the car, performance, economy, styling, are all excellent. My car went in for a 10K Service at the Dealership and came away with a clean bill of health. Then 6 weeks later, the coolant light came on. Dealership diagnosed as a fault with a new water pump part on 2013 models. Significant work removing and reinstalling engine bay parts to repair. While it was at dealership, they identified an additional fault - apparently through engine diagnostics - and it required a replacement intake manifold. More engine bay parts removed and reinstalled. I am now very concerned about the long-term reliability proposition for this vehicle.

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  Happy Driver!!! - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By A Passat Driver - March 1 - 2:00 am

  This car is what a family sedan needs to be. It can be efficient and safe as a family sedan. It can also be a sports car that accelerates faster than most. (Did we mention this car has front wheel drive)The tiptronic transmission is a lot of fun and can easily mistaken for a real manual transmission. The steering on this car is excellent! The suspension has no lean in cornering.It is an excellent combination of comfort/luxury/sport.

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  makes me more mad every day - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jd - February 28 - 10:06 pm

  I bought my 2004 gli 1.8t in April of 2004. I test drove a R32 first, but the gli caught my eye. I drove it next and liked its performance and style. At around 2,000 miles a loud sound started coming from the rear somewhere, it almost sounds like brakes , but I wonder if its some kind of tension on metal. Anyway its anoying as it can be. Also, the gear shifter keeps poping off. I have taken the car to the dealership to get both of these problems fixed. They told me that they fixed the shifter but its still doing it. They told me that they couldnt figure out the noise in the rear and to bring it the car back some other time. Its got 16,000 on it now and is pissing me off more each day.