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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  BEWARE OF THE JETTA!!! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ayvahbaby - April 2 - 10:33 pm

  Well I HAD to have a Jetta, even though my husband didnt want it. I hate when he is right! CV axle, mass air flow sensor, radio,struts,2catalytic converters in 3 months. WORST OF ALL... the ABS lights from HELL!! I have had the car since May, its now Aug. Since the ABS light has been on, the car has ZERO power. No one seems to know why. I give up. I have it up for sale, I almost feel guilty selling it to anyone. There has been several electrical problems as well. Not at all what I expected.

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  Too many electrical problems - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By tavee88 - March 22 - 12:23 pm

  To echo many others out there I have had way too many electrical problems in the 2 years that I have had the car. Bought it used in Nov 2003 from the 1st owner and it was still under warranty at 20,000 miles. So far, I have had the following items fixed under warrenty: the rear window brake light, left brake light, passenger window could not be operated from the drivers side, and the front right fog lite. The biggest issue covered was seal improperly installed on the AC that routed the condensation to the passenger foot area, my sandels were floating in water! After my warranty expired, all of the running lights on the right went out, it needed a new door light fuse for $92, the driver door warning would not shut off, the dome light stays on, and I cant lock it with the remote. There was a recall on the seat, and then a factory defect on gas line to tank!

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  Experience of 2002 VW New Beetle Owner - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Dave - March 22 - 7:06 am

  This is the worst car I have ever owned. It has had multiple problems: a noisy catalytic converter (a rattle), the electronic door locks and truck opener quit working, and I couldnt even open the gas filler door to put in gas. The real shocker was that the car caught fire as I was driving it! That cost $7,000 to repair. I did not fix it, but instead sold it to a junkyard because the local dealer had a monopoly (no other VW dealers where I live and no one else would work on it) I had some high repair bills. This was supposed to be an "economy" car, but overall the repairs cost me as much as a Hummer to drive. There is no way the fuel economy of the VW could make up for the repair bills.

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  I hate my car - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Karen Bishop - March 22 - 2:23 am

  Reading the other negative reviews before I started mine made me feel vindicated. The dealership made me feel like I was nuts. The transmission is terrible - going around curves slowly the car bucks like a bronco, and God forbid I have to take my foot off the gas pedal. Once in awhile for no reason, the transmission will make a loud "clunking" noise like Ive just run over something. It scares me to death and then of course makes me furious. I have had nothing but trouble with the electrical system; if I believed the displays Ive had braking problems, tire pressure issues, etc. FYI - dont expect the tires to last to 20K miles. Plus, this is the "beepiest" car Ive ever owned! YUCK!

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  The VW Shaft - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By cabo0225 - March 20 - 2:00 am

  Drivers Wanted it should read Suckers Welcome.The cabrio quality is terrible.I have had it in the shop at least 4 X a year for something breaking on it a valve here, an odometer there,plus a bad transmission.I have had problems with dealer ships not honoring my cars warranties.VW customer service is unhelpful.The car had a transmission failure(stuck in 2nd gear) and the company would not set up for me to have a car to use while my car was in the shop,also they seemed not to care when I expressed to them the multiple problems that I have had with car or that I would make sure to go out of my way to not recommend their company and or products.

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  Quality and finish - 2017 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Woof4u - March 11 - 4:09 pm

  I bought my car new. The back door kept making a popping noise every time it was opened and closed. Before I could have it checked I noticed the front door was bent. They point blank denied that could happen and flatly refused to repair it.

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  I hate Volkswagen! - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Teresa Mota - March 10 - 8:30 pm

  This car is my nightmare. I hate it so much. I have it since January and I already spent $3,000 fixing it! Im so tired of all that happened with it. And Im broke obviously. Do never ever ever buy a Volkswagen whatever model it is that has more than 4/5 years. Im from Portugal, and there I had a Renault twingo, you probably dont know what it is, but its way cheaper and way better than this thing! And my car was from 1994! Shame on you Volkswagen!

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  passat - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By vw man - March 10 - 10:00 am

  It is in the shop every month

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  Love the Look, Hate the Repair Bills. - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By paige - March 9 - 5:20 pm

  I love the look of the Beetle, it looks like a smiling face. I however, am not smiling anymore because of the numerous repair bills, including replacing the tail, head, and brake light bulbs all of the time. I have replaced the auto window switches numerous times. I have had my car for 8+ years and I expect to replace and repair things, but this car is nickel and dimeing me to death! Its a horrible feeling taking your car somewhere and not being sure you will be able to get back home. I had to replace a plastic component in the gear shift that broke and I could not get out of third gear, then some months later, a gear shift cable broke and I couldnt get out of 2nd gear. Time for a new car!

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  VW Lacks in Customer Service - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Mike - March 8 - 6:00 am

  This has been the worst built car I have ever owned. The transmission, a 5 speed, needed to be replaced at 35,000 miles. Since it was three months out of the time warranty, VW offered no customer support. This, along with numerous other minor problems, including the key lock breaking, check engine light coming on and off at different times, and many more, has led me to believe that VWs reputation for quality is only a myth. I will never buy a VW again and I will tell everyone I know not to buy a one.