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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  No Flash Necessary - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By v - November 7 - 6:00 am

  The Volkswagen Passat is an understated beauty that drives very smoothly. Strangers stop me on the street to talk about it.

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  Wouldnt recommend it - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jubilee - November 6 - 6:53 pm

  I bought my 2002 Jetta and the first engine coil failed less than a year later. The other three coils subsequently failed as well. Besides the engine coil failures I have had the window mechanisms replaced more times than I can remember and the driver side window fell all the way in during the winter of 03. I brought the car in to have the last engine coil replaced and my automatic gear shifter has not worked properly since. Two dealerships have been unable to fix the problem. When I turn on the air conditioner, there is a STRONG smell of mildew that is stifeling and the dealer offered to spray a substance in it for $150. I sprayed Febreze antibacterial, but the smell comes back each time it rains,etc.

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  steering/alignment - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By victor - November 6 - 1:56 pm

  Follow-up review. 5 alignments, 4 new tires, replace rack & pinion component, balancing, 5 test drives, different technicians and only 1500 miles. What can I say, "lemon". Even after test drive with service techs and service manager which in fact concurs with me that car still pulls to the right. Service manager and VW rep states that this normal and is within specs. I say if this normal for this type of car it should be revealed to the customer, I myself wouldnt have bought it, who wants to buy new expensive tires and alignment often? if you do own this type of car, give it a test drive focusing on how straight the car drives when letting go of the wheel momentarily. Safety, utmost concern

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  Base Jetta Wagon - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By None - November 6 - 6:56 am

  Who needs an SUV? I work for a band and haul equipment all the time, but wanted something a little smaller for parking downtown. The VW wagon ticked both boxes, and was actually the roomiest wagon in this price range. If you can swing for the diesel, do it, but the base 5-cylinder has quite a bit to recommend it. Throw in standard heated seats and a telescoping wheel and you get a very refined and functional package for not a lot of money. Tall guys fit well, and legroom in the back is decent. Spring for the winter floor mats. Niggles are few. First gear is too short, and gas mileage isnt what it should be for a car this size. Still, Id buy it again.

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  A great addition to my family! - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Christopheroh9 - November 5 - 4:33 am

  I took delivery of my new Ghecko green VW New Beetle 2.5 automatic in February. I love this car! Ergonomically speaking, it fits most of my needs in being a well constructed, German engineered hatchback. So far, after driving 600 miles, no rattles or squeeks have surfaced. The 5 cylinder gasoline motor provides a great amount of performance- you may find yourself exceeding your local speed limits. Having grown up with other earlier VW models, the 2006 is the tightest in respect to fit and finish. I consider my New Beetle "my poor mans Porsche". Forget everything that you recall about the Bug...this car will make you look more than twice at its value. I cant wait for VW in 2010.

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  Solid A- for Touareg - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Rugsmart - November 1 - 8:30 pm

  Theres no question that the biggest problem with this vehicle is feul economy. Otherwise, its a perfect blend of power, luxury and utility with the V8. I did have to get the trunk mounted CD changer, due to the lack of an in-dash changer (which is a sin considering that 15K cars have in-dash changers now), but considering that I now have 7 discs to choose from (including the single disc in-dash player) its not such a bad situation. The in-dash player does sometimes have trouble reading burned CDs. Ride quality is excellent in this vehicle, as is noise suppression. One fault is the transmission gearing. 6th gear turns at over 2500 rpm at highway speeds, decreasing fuel economy.

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  Nice overall, watch the blindspot - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By sc - November 1 - 5:30 am

  The Passats size is excellent. One problem is the low windows and size, create a blind area on the drivers side for oncoming cars. You need to crain your neck round to make sure there isnt a vehicle in the lane immediately on your left. Otherwise this is a fun car.

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  Good Overall Car, Minor Glitches - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Luczr - November 1 - 5:26 am

  The Passat is a very good car. Its handling is typical German (i.e. very good). It is also very comfortable. It gets good gas milleage yet has adequate power. It also has a good suspension.

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  TDI going strong - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Waldini - October 31 - 10:00 am

  Ive gto a 97 TDI that Ive piled on 175K miles. Ive had a few electrical problems and the alternator was replaced with a rebuilt. But this car gets 50 MPG and has great pickup. The heater is so hot it will burn your face and the a/c will freeze you out. I hope to keep running it for a couple hundered thousand more.

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  not too shabby - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jetta02 - October 31 - 10:00 am

  Very stylish and fun to ride. I recently had problems with the transmission though and thats why i had to take points off for reliability.