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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  Only feels Expensive - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By frangr - February 10 - 2:00 am

  After driving the diesel, turbo, and 2.0 engines on the Jetta, I decided on the standard 2.0. The ride is very European and "rich". I have been reading many reviews on this car, and all the negatives from older models (cupholders, and dropping windows) have been redesigned. These two problems were mentioned in almost every review I have read. The treatment I got at the Volks dealer was what really "put me over the top" and made me go with my Jetta. I purchased from a privately owned dealer in Delray Beach, Florida who isnt part of one of those big dealer groups...You even get the owners home phone number if you ever have a problem....impressive!

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  Low profile, low cost ownership - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Michelin Pilot - February 9 - 12:13 am

  Ive owned this midsized sedan for almost two and half years now. I bought it used with 40K miles on the ODO. At 52 K miles Ive replaced a CV joint from an aftermarket parts supplier. The cost was far cheaper than dealership prices. Parts the were replaced under VW warranty were: the VW engine cover emblem, rear trunk struts, side blinker lights & rear ashtray. This car corners well with the right type of tires installed. I replaced the cheap tires that came with this car from the dealership and the difference was noticeable. Parts are best bought from online suppliers to save on cost if you plan to keep this vehicle for at least 10 years.

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  My Review - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By FEL - February 7 - 12:43 am

  Car is awesome to drive, only complaint is the fuel....HUGE GAS GUZZLER!!!!!

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  Driver Found - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Ray66 - February 5 - 10:00 am

  I reserched long and hard at vehicles in this class. The Passat clearly out does the compitition. The safety features are unmatched as well. Ive put 10,500 miles on this vehicle since purchase and it seems to get better everyday. This is my first taste of German engineering and I like it!!

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  VW Stinks - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By McKenzie - February 4 - 3:20 am

  Lemon Alert! This car is a great, fast, sexy model, but its mechanical reliability is horrible. VW has a serious problem with premature clutch blowouts at less than 50,000 miles. $2,000 later I have to sell the car because of a problem they say is my fault. As an experianced manual driver, this is more than an insult. This is a sham. VW of America is a racket! At 47,000 miles a clutch should not blow out! Every mechanic I spoke to has told me that even if I was a cluch rider, this should not have happened. This is not an isolated incident. Google "vw clutch failure" and you will get thousands of reports from VW owners for the same premature blowout. This is the last VW I will ever own...

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  Never thought I would LOVE an efficient car! - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By motoxer913 - February 2 - 9:01 pm

  Im a car nut and I proclaim this THE PERFECT CAR!! The TDI motor #1 is why I love this car. I can drive 600 miles on a single tank, consistent 35-43 MPG at normal speeds. I dont baby my car, I like to have fun while I drive and yet it still gets 35+ mpg. On a weekend road trip it got 43mpg at 80mph. #2 is the Wagon and roof rack. A recent road trip to Steamboat Springs my wife and I had 2 road bikes inside and 2 mtn bikes on the rack plus gear. So flexible!! #3 This car is proof that selling my truck that was costing $300+/month gas was the right decision. I enjoy driving it more, it cut my gas usage by 1/3, and its plenty flexible to transport cargo and toys.

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  I used to love German quality - 2001 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By Pat - February 1 - 8:43 pm

  Just bought this vehicle-had 10 hour drive to get it (handicap van) now fixing all the electrical issues. I have always loved the German engineering but the asian cars have QC! I am old school, dont think you should have to pay $300 for a key or $300 for an igniter that replaced a $3 set of points - thats "progress?" I guess I know too much about engineering, mechanics, electronics, etc. It must be easy to design products without regard to cost to the client!

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  DPoor VW quality - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By bepilot - January 31 - 10:00 am

  The car has many excellent features - such as ride quality, fuel economy, quiet, quality body construction. It is too bad that the company has poor quality in the electrical system - and doesnt recognize this as a customer concern. The local dealer is also lacking in service capability - waiting up to 6 weeks for a service appointment and expensive pricing on most items.

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  Its my 3-d VW Golf. May be the last. - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By MrBob - January 31 - 10:00 am

  Its my 3-d VW Golf at a row and may be the last. I bought it slightly used, just because I want to have German assembled Golf. And what I find out - each new Golf generation increasing driving fun and loosing QUALITY. So far its a first time when Im considering to buy another car but not Golf5.

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  Excellent car for the money - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JK - January 27 - 7:33 am

  Ive had this car for about 6 months after having an Infiniti G35x. Considering this car was almost half the price of a new G, its shockingly nice. I love the look with the 17" wheels. The stereo is just OK but coming from the G its hard to compete. The ride is smooth and the engine is outstanding. After 6 months of using 89 octane, Im averaging 28 MPG in mixed driving which is GREAT. Much more than I expected. Ive had tanks where Ive had 60% highway driving and gotten 30 MPG on the entire tank. They are selling this car very short with the EPA ratings.