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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  OH BROTHER - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By onlooker4u - August 18 - 4:12 pm

  Bought used with 50k miles on it. Owned VW before so the peeling paint off the radio buttons and the loose headliner was no big deal (similar to my 1980 rabbit). At 95k the clutch is going out and I am afraid of whats going to be lurking under the hood. Havent fixed it, spent all weekend reviewing websites (plenty of them). I am surprised that VW hasnt had a recall. Lesson: Dont buy the 2006 TDI, and to be honest, think seriously about other TDI. If VW does something mechanically wrong, they apparently dont do the right thing and have a recall. UGGGGGH.

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  Pretty to Look at - Not fun to drive - 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By gennac - August 16 - 8:52 am

  The interior is very comfortable with great features. Performance lags -- down right awful on hot summer day w/AC on. Not only does it guzzle down a lot more gas - expensive premium gas I may add but it becomes erratic when idling or in traffic. Try taking your foot off the brake when in traffic with the ac on and watch your car lurch forward without giving it gas. Not to mention the sound it makes while your foot is on the brake while the engine sounds like a helicopter hovering overhead.

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  So many problems...so little time - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By vwlemon - August 15 - 10:00 am

  I will never buy a Volkswagen again! Let me state that I have ALWAYS had my car serviced at the proper intervals and only at Volkswagen. I have had the window regulators break 3 times, the ignition coils go out twice, and the battery blew up. Also, the car rattles so much that it sounds like it was made in the 70s. I have had my car 13 months and have had to have the car towed 4 times. The sad thing is...VW isnt even apologetic about their quality problems. Potential VW buyers beware, dont buy a VW unless you have all the time in the world and love sitting in a cold, emotionless, flourescent lit VW dealership for hours on end!

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  Say It With Me Now, L-E-M-O-N - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By courto - August 11 - 3:00 pm

  Where to begin? Ah yes, my Beetle has miserable failing sensor lights-replaced too many times to count. The radio volume button is obsolete, turn it up, it goes right back down. It also has collapsing windows. The a/c blows the stench of the dead. It has broken knobs, buttons, switches, handles, and peeling rubber coating. Things that have had to be replaced include the turbo, electronic immobilizer, headlights once a month, clutch, brakes, brake lines, thermostat, and water pump (which caused a blown head gasket and a cracked head b/c by the time your thermo sensor goes off, already too late). Volkswagen dealership service stinks. They charged me for 5 hours of labor for just trying to figure out what was wrong, then said that they were "pretty sure" the turbo was out, then charged me to fix that too.

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  Oil burner - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Steve - August 11 - 9:30 am

  This car is fun to drive but I would not recomend the automatic transmission, it slips and they say it is normal. DO NOT GET THE 2.0 Liter Engine... Burns OIL BADLY (1 qt every 900 miles) and they wont fix it, Cruise Control is broken from the day I bought it. I am 62" and do not fit well with the leg room, so I hope you are less than 6 tall. Great Car until something goes wrong. Also the heated mirriors never worked so I cant give an opinion about them.

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  Tank Like - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Marcello Belmondo - August 11 - 7:26 am

  The Jetta feels like it weighs two tons - when cornering and braking. It feels pretty light when accelerating, which is fairly smooth and pleasant sounding - because of the turbo I presume. I love small turbo charged engines. The accelerator is somewhat sticky, you dont know how hard to press to get it rolling. Same with the brakes. I bought the car for the engine and the great price, and the 6 speed trans. The engine is the cars greatest asset, a very important feature obviously. The transmission is mostly smooth, but there have been a few clunking shifts which made my heart beat extra. I have owned it 6 months. If it is a reliable car for the next several years, then I wont complain, but if there is more than one problem, I will be very disappointed in my purchase. I already received a notice that VW wants to reprogram the exhaust before my first smog check. Other notes: the door is heavy. The rear visibility is bad. A rear view camera would be a big help. Most models have them, mine does not. It is smooth on highways, but corners so poorly. I wouldnt rate it highly for city driving because the cornering is so lumbering. I havent checked the gas mileage. It better rate as high as they say, which is very high. The trunk is great. The air conditioning does not feel very cold. The seats are adequate.

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  2001 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 1.8T - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jason nichols - August 6 - 1:23 pm

  I have been very impressed with this vehicle as far as performance and comfort. However, the build quality and craftsmanship on the interior have been less than average. I have had several problems with this vehicle with only 64,000 miles on it. At 500 miles the transmition had some sigificant problems...while covered under warranty, it was a hassle. Other major problems that have occured with this car include a full rear brake job at only 29,000 miles and new strut mounts at about 50,000 miles. Neither of which were covered under warranty. Ive also had a number of minor problems with the interior. The center console broke after only a year and the rear defroster switch broke with minimal use.

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  Nice Car - Poor Build Quality - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By damien - August 5 - 8:36 am

  Buy another car. Within the first 11 days of owning my New Jetta: 1. The driverÂ’s side light cover fell off. 2. The outside temperature sensor failed. 3. The driverÂ’s side door rattles 4. The center console cover rattles. A month later I am happy to report that my car has been back to the dealer twice and nothing is fixed. In fact the service manager called me to let me know that the temperature sensor has arrived; but Volkswagen has instructed the dealer that they can not install this part and that they must return the part and wait for another one. Nobody can tell me when my car will be fixed.

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  ELECTRIC WINDOWS ... BAD! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JAMIE - July 27 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE THIS CARS PERFORMANCE AND AND RIDE. HOWEVER, I HAVE HAD MORE LITTLE PROBLEMS THEN I WANT TO DEAL WITH. THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSAGER WINDOWS HAVE HAD THE "RISER" ARM BREAK 6 TIMES TOTAL IN THE LAST YEAR. IF THE LEMON LAW WASN T SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS I WOULD DO IT, BUT I THINK I LL JUST TRADE IT IN. SORRY TO BUM OUT ALL THE VW HEADS.

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  Disappointed - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Jen - July 27 - 6:50 am

  I thought I was buying a better quality car. I was wrong. The paint is chipping in a few spots and there are lines throughout the paint that wont come out even after washing, waxing and buffing. Also there are three rattles inside that the dealership cant seem to fix. When accelerating you pick up speed until it hits 4000 rpms then it just stops accelerating. My friends say the back seat is very roomy.