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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  Happy Trails - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Gail Ward - January 8 - 7:53 pm

  I have had nothing but postive experiences with my Toureg. It has great pickup and unbelievable handling for such a heavy SUV. Considering I went from driving a BMW 325 Manual transmission Sport Edition to the Toureg those words hold a great deal of weight I think. I like to "drive" a car and the Toureg leaves me with that feeling. It has been completely reliable and the few details that needed to get fixed were promptly taken care of at my dealer. The largest bump in the road was a load, hard downshift from the transmission . That problem a hassince been remedied and all is well.

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  Passat 4Motion - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By s0m1sstar - January 8 - 2:13 pm

  I loved my 2001 Volkswagen Passat 4Motion when I first got it, however, there are times now when I would happily sell it if the chance presented itself. Ive tried to have the front alignment done 2 times in 3 months and it still pulls to the right. The dealership cant seem to figure out what the problems is. The gas milage could be better. This car is defniitely not what I would call efficent. Not to mention that my gas milage has drastically decreased over the last 8 months...with no explanation from the dealership on this problem either. The overall quality of the interior leather is good, however, the driver seat is showing noticable signs of wear on the left side where one enters and exits the vehicle.

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  Looks can be deceiving - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lonewolf1977 - January 8 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Jetta in 2000 because it was the most stylish and most fun to drive car in the market. Here are my list of problems - faulty alternator connection, recurring check engine light (Air Mass Sensor error) error, windows fell into the door because of their cheap plastic make, glove compartment broke one day when it was cold, center arm rest latch broke, interior is peeling off, power steering keeps making noise when turning, one of my front-side grills fell out and lost it...waiting for more problems to arise in the near future. Needless to say, AAA has come to my rescue countless times.

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  buggin in USA - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By mike RICE - January 8 - 10:00 am

  wE HAD A BUG WHEN i WAS YOUNGER. ALWAYS WANTED ANOTHER. THIS CAR HAS BEEN AN EYE CATCHER. EVERYONE SMILES WHEN WE DRIVE BUY. WE LOVE THE CAR OVERALL...RIDES NICER THAN MY MAXIMA. ONLY THINGS WE DONT LIKE, THE RADIO IS TERRIBLE FOR RECEPTION DUE TO SMALL ANTENNA. NO CD PLAYER STANDARD. HAD EVERY OPTION UNDER THE SUN AND NO CD..COMEON.

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  Great Car!! - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By copper - January 8 - 6:16 am

  Bought my tdi Golf new in 2004, and currently have 156,000kms on the odometer. The car has always been serviced as required, and only synthetic oil changes every 8000 km. The car is peppy around town, and great on the highways. I drive approx. 40,000 km per year, mostly highway, but also a good portion in city. The car is very reliable, I have never had any problems with it at all. Just had the timing belt replaced as per the schedule. Never had a problem with cold starts. Runs every time. Very reliable even with a full load, and no problems passing going uphill. Great car.

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  Took a risk. - 2013 Volkswagen Golf
  By bbbb1983 - January 6 - 3:39 pm

  I came from a Subaru Legacy that was averaging 20mpg. I took a risk and went to my local VW dealer and test drove a number of vehicles. I was hesitant to purchase a diesel, but once I drove the TDi I was hooked. I do a lot of highway driving and this car rides like a dream. On top of that I average 49 mpg. I can creep up to 51 mpg if I dont use AC. City driving it ll hold consistently at 36.5 mpg. My insurance company even gave me a substantial discount for coverage because of the economy of this car.

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  VW solid dependability - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By CRinCO - January 4 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my Golf TDI GLS for about 2.5 years and it has been a great car. Its tough, its fun, its well built and sturdy, and it is tremendous with fuel mileage. I love everything but the seats. The drivers seat (for me) is not as comfortable as my old Mercedes but, I will find, and pay the expense for, a set of GTI heated leather seats for this car. Its not worth getting rid of the car! I am a taller/big guy and I still fit in this car and its road handling and performance is magnificent. Buy one of these, you wont regret it! -CR

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  TDI Troubles - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By nikisita - January 4 - 2:00 am

  I bought my TDI in 2000 and was excited until I had my first problem. So far, Ive had a bunch of headaches from my Check Engine light on, my car "slipping out of gear" twice, my WINDOW regulater, faulty manifold gaskets & now my transmission. Terrible customer service and mechanics at my dealership (Never go there). Im thinking about selling my car now. I do love the interior, but hate the cup holders. I love the gas mileage but hate the unreliability I currently feel. Stock wheels were replaced at 34K miles. I feel like I am going to deal with one headache after another.

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  Not far from the Audi A4 - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By BLew - January 4 - 2:00 am

  Purchased the car 2 months ago and is a blast to drive when you punch the accelerator. Very comfortable and has an upscale feel. I am concerned a little with reliability as the car has hesitated to start several times, but seems to have stopped as the miles go up.

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  The new Jetta is a step backward - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Sarah Pak - January 2 - 1:56 am

  The new Jetta is my third VW. I sold my 2001 Jetta, which I believe was the best small car on the market for the last few years. I wasnt too crazy about the styling of the new Jetta, especially its Corolla-esque rear, but leased it anyway. Big mistake. I am disappointed at the new Jetta; rattles from the rear right door, glove compartment door squeaks, and it seems to gulp up engine oil. The car also feels a bit too hefty for its size, as there appears to be more leaning during cornering than the old model.