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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  Unreliable - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jj78586 - March 7 - 1:53 pm

  I should have known this was a bad car the first time we started it at the dealership. Has always made a horrible sound when first starting. Everyone asks what is wrong with it. Dealer said this was normal for this engine. First 8 months were fine, then the problems began. Trunk would not stay closed, noises in the dash, cooling fans went out, bad spark plugs, bad coils, headliner falling down and headlight covers are cloudy. No more VWs for this family. We are going back to Ford.

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  avoid - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By terrance - March 3 - 10:00 am

  The problems that we experienced were too numerous to list here and I am afraid to tally the total $$ spent on strange, unexpected maintenance items. Our problems closely resemble other posters here (ignition coil, AC, o2 sensors, continuous engine light indications, etc.). We constantly worried about the next unusual problem and the $$ required to fix it. We will never purchase a VW again.

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  Nothing but disaster - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By geo40 - March 2 - 4:59 am

  Do not buy that great looking and stylish piece of crap unless you are ready to shell thousands of dollars for repairs. 2009 CC Luxury. Yes, it has been a luxury you cant afford to own. VW should be ashamed for putting together such an unreliable vehicle. We bought it new in 2009. Now it has 70K miles. I also have a $7K dent in my wallet for repairs. Water pump failed. It takes half a day to have it replaced. The fuel pump and fuel pump module failed while driving and left me drifting with a dead engine in the middle of traffic. The ceiling lining is falling apart and it looks like as if I went thru a car wash with the windows open. Did I mention the failed latch for the trunk?

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  Major Disaster - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mightymoe - February 24 - 3:43 pm

  For those looking to purchase this car, take every problem listed seriously. I encountered every single problem listed in other reviews. My car has had a bad coolant sensor, a windsheild crack, bad coil pack, one of the pistons went out, problems with the brakes and brake light, a bad oxgyen sensor, the check engine light went on, the glove compartment broke, and the cupholders broke as well. VW customer service stniks and they dont even know how to fix their own cars. I am never buying a Jetta again!

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  Run the other direction FAST! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Alison - February 16 - 7:10 pm

  I bought my Jetta from my sister and thought I was getting a great car, boy was I wrong! I should have known when she had to have the engine replaced when it was brand new! Since I have had it I have had pretty much every problem you read about: windows falling into the doors, the A/C broke twice (2 years in a row!), thermostat replaced, trunk latch is broken, too expensive to fix and the check engine light has been on for so long I forgot what it is like for it to not be on! What a piece of junk and to top it off every Volkswagon dealership I have dealt with has been a nightmare! I cant believe they can sleep at night knowing what terrible cars they sell! I will never buy VW again!

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  Electronic nightmare - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Dissatisfied Owner - February 16 - 6:30 pm

  Not one of VWs best efforts. Has been in the shop for warranty work seven times in less than one year - all related to the vehicles electronic warning systems. Confusing and overly complicated instrumentation/cabin controls. Abysmal gas mileage, very limited tire life - 12-15000 miles, odd size tires that very few dealers stock. Cant wait to get rid of it but none of the local dealers will touch it on a trade- in. Was offered $10,000 trade in value on a new Accord.

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  Cant Wait to Get Rid of My Jetta - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Carrie2 - February 9 - 11:03 am

  I bought my Jetta in June of this year. I have nothing but problems with the car. It has been at the dealer for service four to five times already because the fuel pump continues to run for 25-30 minutes after the car is shut off. The techs keep asking me to bring it back in so they can look at for 2-3 weeks. Yeah right, not after it has gone there 4-5 times and still a problem after 2 MONTHTS. I have brought it to 2 different VW service departments and I was told that I was out of my mind and that the car is safe. Yeah right. I can not wait to get it out of here!

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  Cheaply Built Junk - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By wriley999 - February 2 - 10:23 pm

  Garbage. VW does not stand behind their product. Begins to fail immediately after warranty.

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  I cant believe it - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By jwilliamsoh - January 30 - 9:50 am

  Long story short; I used to own a company and drove MB as a rule. Now things are very different so I still wanted German and went with a VW. The top part of the engine has been rebuilt twice as the timing chain broke twice. Now I was a LITTLE late on a couple oil changes; like 2k miles, not THAT big of a deal (for other cars). Now with 78k miles the car is starting to tick again and it is under 3 years old. Now I have driven a lot of miles but drive (slow) due to some points I drive the speed limit. Take off NORMAL, stop normal, no driving fast or racing. Also because funds are tight I need to get the most out of the gas. I average (for the past 8k miles) 23.7 mpg.

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  A Coffin on Wheels - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dennisinwv - January 28 - 12:08 am

  When my 2006 Jetta TDI had 42,000 miles a timing belt clip broke at 45 mph, and after a loud "clang" the engine locked up. I requested a new engine, but VW refused and instead repaired the existing engine with a new camshaft for cylinder #1. Since then two more camshafts have failed for cylinder #1. The vehicle suddenly lost power in front of a semi tractor trailer at 65 mph and my family was almost killed. Absolute lemon. VW Customer Care Center doesnt care. Period.