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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  2002 Volkswagen Beetle - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By dumb buyer - June 8 - 9:20 pm

  We have never bought a new car that had so many problems in such a short mileage life, the window fell out in the first month it was purchased. The brake lights went next, then the a/c, it had a hesitation from day one on take off and after 2.5 years the mass air finally failed, there are no turn signals on the dash gauges [intermittant]. The latest is the dealer said the fuel pump failed and they wont replace it because it had bad gas. They want $600+ to fix it and the car is under warranty. Im a mechanic and I have never seen a electric fuel pump fail because of so called bad fuel, a defective part yes. I got a different VW dealer to agree to repair it.

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  Passat - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Rocky96 - June 8 - 2:20 pm

  This is a fun car to drive. The tiptronic transmission is awesome. The four wheel drive makes the handling of this car exceptional.

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  Passat V6 is wonderful - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jimmer - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Wonderful car. Has met my expectations in every way. A performance sedan that is fun to drive - all for a reasonable price. I recently upgrade from the OE tires (Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus, 195 width) to Bridgestone Potenza RE950s (205 width) and the car handles better than ever.

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  This is the best car ever! I love it! - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By HelenO - June 8 - 10:00 am

  I love Volkswagens. When I purchased it, my trade in was a 1994 Jetta. I have no regrets. It handles beautifully. Ive had no mechanical problems to speak of. And, it looks great!

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  I love my car , but woudnt buy it again - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By kimjo - June 8 - 10:00 am

  I love my car, but with 37k miles, its a lemon and VOA isnt standing behind their product. The automatic key broke & the only solution is to repalce the key for $100, the passenger window fell off the track & slide into the door. The dashboard lights have burnt out 2x, the glove box fell off the hinge and unfortunately the list goes on..... Ironically, none of these problems occurred until the past 4 months, which is when i bought the car outright from the lease. Dont even consider a test drive, just walk away.

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  Never again... - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Mandys - June 8 - 10:00 am

  If you are considering it, dont. At this point, I doubt that anything more could go wrong with it...4 power window switches, 2 Oxygen Sensors, 1 power mirror switch 1 uncontrollable dead battery right after crappy 2 year warranty expired, knicks all over fenders after 1st week off lot, no warning when I leave lights on, when locking doors w/ remote the car beeps, but the doors do not lock, brakes replaced by VW, they now squeak, and apparently nothing can be done about this, it is terribly embarrassing

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  Big Mistake - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By XtremelyDisappointed - June 8 - 10:00 am

  When I first got my TDI, I loved it, raved about it. The mileage was great and the car looked sharp. Now its a different story. Ive sunk close to $2000 into it in the last 18 months. Everything from an engine temp sensor, to glow plug relay, to brakes. Not to mention the $100 oil changes. Ive even had the rear cup holder replaced. Now the temp gauge isnt working and the "check engine" light is on again. Im sure that will be another $300. I also found out this past weekend while it was in the shop, that one of the glow plugs is seized up and cant be removed. I will never buy a VW again.

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  Beauty! - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Leonine - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Read the other reviews, problem is crappy dealers not the car. They should be able to have them fixed the first time or so. Mines been very reliable since 1999, only a few minor glitches. Would I buy another? I am. Two New Beetles. Love em!

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  Still having more problems - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Justin S - June 7 - 8:33 am

  This is an update from my review from 6 months ago. Well, I fixed the problem with the last check engine light and things were good for a few months. Then, my temperature gauge started working sporadically, sometimes not at all. Finally after a month of this the car threw a check engine light. I had the codes (plural) read, and I am now having a problem with the exhaust (probably 02 sensor), and the cooling system (probably thermostat). I bought the car with 38k miles on it, and Im now up to 53k miles. Problems so far: airbag replaced, 3 check engine lights, temp gauge not working, exterior "chrome" trim falling off, less than 16k miles put on. Needless to say, Im getting rid of it soon!!

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  Overall, love it.....but... - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dihardvdubber - June 6 - 11:40 pm

  This car was my pride and joy until some jerk ran a stop light and put her out of commission. Sad day, indeed. Id warn anyone against buying used. Can only assume every other moron out there drove the crap out of this car like I did. I mean, if the speedo says 160, shouldnt you make sure its legit?