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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  Best car I ever bought - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By chris - June 14 - 11:13 am

  Bought this car used with 22,000 and five years old. Hands down the best purchase I have ever made. This car truly enjoys driving 80mph. This is my wife daily driver and used when we go on vacations and is just alot of fun to drive. We have had no problems at all and regret paying for the extended warranty since we never got to use it. This was our first VW and were looking into buying another and getting ride of my Dodge.

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  Passat 1991 is Great - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By jaypp - June 14 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car that rides like a true German car. Very stable at high speeds and quiet. Very smooth transmission and triptronic is fun to use once in a while.

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  Be Careful! - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ouch - June 14 - 10:00 am

  I would take a moment beore buying a Volkwagen Jetta. It looks great from the outside and it is even fun to drive for the first few miles, but then it all starts to fall apart. First, the little things started to go. The cupholder is a joke, rain comes through the window cracks like a bad umbrella (which they still cant fix), and I dont even want to talk about the ooze that comes out the side of the car. The second year was even worse. I replaced three sensors, a water pump, a window, a head gasket...... This car is now worth more than a Mercedes

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  Great car - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By cptrguru - June 14 - 10:00 am

  Ive been VERY pleased with my Jetta. Worst gas mileage to date is 42 mpg and have had as high as 53 on the highway. I filled up before I left in Kansas City and had a little over 1/4 tank left by the time I hit Dallas, doing 80+ the whole way. Diesel engine suggests changing the 100% synthetic oil ever 10,000 miles, which saves a few bucks. Ive put 32,500 miles on since I bought it and the only problem Ive had is the radios ground cable needing replaced (which the dealership did at no cost and provided a courtesy car). Interior is fantastic and standard features are far better than comparative cars for the price. Poor- man’s BMW!

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  Love that diesel - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Brian & Candace - June 14 - 10:00 am

  Have only had the car for a couple of weeks, but really like the ride and handling of it. For someone who grew up on a farm and has been around diesel powered vehicals for a while the sound of the turbo winding up from a stop light is pure music.

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  Check out your dealer first - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mike - June 14 - 6:00 am

  This is my first vw and its hard to say if it will be my last.The car seems to drive well and the seats are just Ok for comfort. The iPod connection is supposed to control and charge the iPod as per the salesman. Well, this connection only works on the the old ipods. Funny this is a new car and it works on all equipment. The dealer will do nothing even though they lied to me about its equipment. After I purchased the car they spent about 5 minutes explaining everything. After returning home I noticed a scatch on the dashboard. I then called the manager of OBrien autogroup and he said I should have noticed it before I signed on the dotted line. In other words you are out of luck.

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  2008 VW EOS VR6 - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By shivnarc - June 13 - 7:10 pm

  Fun to drive, lots of standard features because with VR6, a lot of things are standard. using the DSG provides a fantastic driving experience. the in-dash 6 CD player is convenient as is the iPod adapter. remember this is a SPORTY car, not a SPORTS car, as long as you aware of that fact you will not be disappointed.

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  Broken Dreams - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By ashellris - June 13 - 11:17 am

  When VW re-released the Beetle in 98, I had found my dream car. I was 15 at the time, about to get my license and sent away to VW for an information packet that I used in a presentation for my parents in hopes of receiving one. Needless to say; it didnt happen- Until 2005 when I purchased a used 2002 VW Beetle. I purchased the car for $15k and have since put at least $8k into it (Not including maintenance). The check engine light is always on, and repairs are never ending and expensive. I was able to get almost 400 mi per tank when I bought it; now I get just under 300 mi. This has nothing to do with neglect, this was my dream car. Be prepared for expensive repairs with any VW.

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  What a value! - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Matt - June 13 - 5:03 am

  This car is of tremendous value. I have no idea what Edmunds was thinking, but my Jetta Sport MT is by far the best value I have seen in its class. While the MSRP is high, the dealer incentives and negotiating ability can easily knock the price down on this car anywhere from 3k-6k depending on your geographic location. My car just barely exceeded $18,500 after negotiations and VW Credit incentives, and has a 2-tone leatherette interior, really nice sport rims, a deck lid spoiler, navigation, CarPlay, and one of the best touch screens I have seen in the automotive market. It has a backup camera and all the other bells and whistles competitors have. Driving wise, the manual transmission is a medium throw that has very positive engagement, and the cars grip to the road is solid to say the least. The engine. The 1.8T is in my opinion VWs best value of money and delivers an exceeding satisfying punch in the back off the line. The steering, however, is dull and totally disconnected from the road. This isnt a deal breaker, especially with all of the other equipment packed into this bargain car. The trunk is ENORMOUS. The seats are hugging, soft, heated, and comfortable. The rear seats have a 60/40 split fold and even have a ski shoot in the middle. What more do you want from a car? For $18,500, youd be hard pressed to find an LX civic with half the equipment in this car. Well see how the reliability is, but for the life of my lease Im not concerned. My advice is to skip the SE and SEL, and go straight to the sport model for the best value in the market. You wont regret your decision!

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  First Review - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Greyman99 - June 13 - 1:43 am

  I have only owned my Rabbit for a couple of weeks, but already know I will not regret the purchase. It is sensible for an in-city driver like me (3-5 miles/day most days). You get a lot of car for a little price, without throwing the extra $6,000 down for the GTI version. This car is very stylish and remarkably roomy inside (my parents are jealous--they have a new Beetle). Plus, unlike a lot of the 2-door Hatchbacks coming out (the Yaris at $11,000--ha--only if you barely have air-conditioning), the Rabbit comes pretty loaded at the base package. It has power everything, cruise control, etc. I am looking forward to the accessories packages to outfit the base model (be warned: floor mats are not standard, for some reason).