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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  Dont get a VW - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By kdl - November 8 - 11:03 am

  This was my graduation gift. They replaced the whole brake system, the front end, and the door jam. I hate this car. The seats are stiff. Now the dash cluster is going. What is up? Thought VW was a good car. WRONG. Next one will be a Honda

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  Exploding Glass!! - 2012 Volkswagen Beetle
  By jeffjj7 - November 8 - 3:13 am

  Weve had our new VW Bug for about 8 weeks. Made one payment on it. Wish we knew about the window issue prior to purchase! 2 weeks ago traveling at 50mph the driver side window literally EXPLODED... yes I said exploded... sounded like a collision. Called the police as I thought someone may have thrown something that hit the window. Not so. Took to dealer where they prepared to fix the prob only to find that they called people in from Detroit Corperate to have a look see... the next day! Picture and all in hand the fix procedure was on only to find out the glass was backordered. Couple this with rude no-customer service and no reselution my next stop is the AG in the great stae of GA.

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  great buy - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By love my JETTA - November 7 - 10:26 pm

  I enjoy every moment in my Jetta, it is fun and has been very reliable. I have 70k miles on it and have not had one problem.

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  Love, love, love this car - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Matt - November 7 - 4:16 pm

  This car without question is one of the best sport sedan values on the market. Although I have owned performance-oriented cars in the past, I have been consigned to baby- and kid-hauling minivan purgatory for the last ten years. Since the day I bought it, I cant help but smile every time I get it out on the road. There is only one way to go with a car like this: the six-speed manual transmission (even though it annoyed my automatic-only wife). In the short time I have owned the car, I have noticed that it is a real head Turner. The overall execution of the vehicle is just excellent, from fit and finish to materials choice to vroom factor.

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  DISAPOINTED 100% - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By zorica - November 7 - 4:19 am

  Will never buy another VW vehicle. Custome service care is below zero, service dep is garbage. Have so many problems from start on my 2006 TDI Jetta, paint peeling off radio buttons, speedometer and clock always 10 km/min over. Problems with AC from start, wheelbearing, lights, dual mass flywheel etc. Noone cares, no one (VW) wants totake responisibility for defective part - flywheel, and on one admited that AC and wheelbearing were defective until I run out of the warrany. [non-permissible content removed] I am discusted in VW all together.

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  True cost of all that mileage - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dfurdock - November 6 - 11:05 pm

  2006 Jetta TDI package 2. 183,000 miles. Maintenance costs are high, approx $400 DSG trans fluid service every 40,000 miles. Timing belt every 80,000 miles approx. $1,100. Syn. oil changes about $80. My dual mass flywheel just failed over $1,500. Also turbo failing approx $2,000. I am repairing all of the above because the car gets more mpg than most hybrids. I just hope that the dreaded camshaft failure doesnt occur. I will drive this one for a bit longer, buy a new TDI and hope for better luck. In spite of all the above I still love to drive my TDI.

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  VW should rename the Eos to "ET 2.0" - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By Oasis - November 6 - 2:23 pm

  Driving the VW Eos 2.0T DSG 6 sp is a lot of fun. The first thing I liked was the sun roof day or night I could look out at the stars or the clouds and trees. I was surprised that my Eos got 32 mpg and the passing power was so brisk I never experienced that type of passing power before. I also enjoy the fact I can listen to MP3s and the compass is a plus. Electric seats especially the height adjustment made me happy. The roof, what can I say I live in Florida and have the roof down most of the time just turn on the air conditioner for comfort. Last of all some advice. The Eos needs to have a home, a garage, be washed every other week and always use premium gas.

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  New Beetle "Flint Edition" Convertible - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By steve645 - November 6 - 8:00 am

  This car is fun to drive. Its easy on the wallet when it comes to the gas pump. It is roomy enough for two adults or two adults and two kids under 5 feet tall (rear seat). I have only had it for three weeks, but it seems like a good choice for a sub-compact. If they wouldve had the turbo diesel, we wouldve gotten it.

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  After Many Test Drives: The Winner! - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By J.S. Sumner - November 5 - 5:33 pm

  My son and I test drove eight different cars in the $20,000 to $25,000 price range and we both felt that hands down, the 4-door GTI was the winner. Many auto magazines felt the same. The quality inside and out, the safety (me), and the performance (him) won us over. I have owned German performance cars and this GTI has many of those factors. The DSG transmission is a major advancement in performance and to be in a car at this price point is hard to believe. Graduation from college has come and gone and this GTI will be with my son for many fun filled and safe years to come.

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  Caution Germans dont do Electronics - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Gene - November 5 - 10:46 am

  Over $6000 in repairs, thank goodness I bought an extended warranty. Mostly electronic, including power seat, heated seat, heated seat control, dash instruments, check engine light, climate control temp electronics, cv boots, leaking camshaft seal. Would buy again if it came with a 100K warranty, otherwise forget it. Really a shame because it looks good, rides good, handles good, has plenty of power.