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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  I Love THE VW! - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Calley - September 20 - 2:00 am

  I have my very own black one and it is great! i wouldnt want another car they are to cute!

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  awsome and reliable - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jettaman - September 20 - 2:00 am

  I have the jetta wagon with the 5 speed auto. and the 1.8t. I drive around 75,000 miles a year and have had mine for about 10 months. I have 58000 miles on it already, and my wife has a turbo jetta sedan with 50,000 miles on it ( our work is far away. Great cars. HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!!! And ardmore volkswagen/acura was very helpful. (ardmore, PA)

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  The new Jetta is awesome - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Taylor - September 19 - 9:56 am

  My Jetta is actually the 2005, but the 06 style, so it came with all the cool features like the auto wipers. This car gets awesome mileage and handles like a real German car should. I have always been an American car guy, but this car is incredible and the price is great for the car you get.

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  2010 CC VR6 4Motion - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By vr6guy1 - September 19 - 1:47 am

  I live in the California Sierra, so AWD was important to me. I opted for the 4 motion VR6, although most professional reviews said it was not worth the money. I am glad I bought the VR6 4Motion. I have previously owned a MB C55, BMW M3, and a BMW X5 Sport. Out of all of these cars, the CC is my favorite because of excellent performance, great looks, and fairly good gas mileage. The car handles superbly on mountain roads. (Note that the VR6 does not come with the DSG transmission in the US-- many reviews are wrong about this).

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  Best bang for the buck - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By E.T. - September 18 - 5:53 am

  Came off of lease on a Lexus RX-350 and was looking for something less expensive with better mileage. Was seriously looking at the Passat wagon when I caught sight of the CC, sat in it, and ultimately test drove it. That was it...sold! I have owned other German luxury sedans... Audi, BMW, and currently a Mercedes E350 (our other vehicle). From an engineering and design standpoint, the CC is a home run for VW and the best value in the industry. Remarkable acceleration from the 2.0L turbo 4, great handling, beautiful design inside & out. If they could have made the sunroof retractable, this car would be near perfect.

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  So far so good - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Astogs1421 - September 17 - 11:23 pm

  I owned a 2002 Jetta, and had many problems with it. I was pretty hesitant to buy another VW, but the dealer sucked me in, and the new Jetta seemed solid, so I took a chance. So far, I have been very pleased. The car has many standard features, and people think I spent more on it than I did. I also (knock on wood) have had no reliability issues at all. The car has been great.

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  TDI Passat is fantastic - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Scott M - September 17 - 8:06 am

  I have owned many VWs. GTIs, Rabbits, Busses and Cabrios. I bought the TDI Passat as a knee jerk reaction to the fuel crisis of 08. Let me just say this is my favorite VW of all. We dumped a Ford Expedition to get this and I only lost maybe 25% usable space. I get 28-35 MPG in the city and 38 on long highway trips. The first thing I did when I bought it was have the software reflashed with an Upsolute package for $450. I now have 50 more ft/lbs of torque and 30 more HP. Undetectable by the dealer, doesnt affect reliability, huge difference on the road. Best $450 you will ever spend. If you want a solid family sized car that is fun to drive that looks good and gets good mileage...Passat TDI!

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  TDI just keeps on going - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By W.T.S - September 15 - 2:00 am

  this is my fourth diesl from VW, in the past 10 years. My current 2002 has been trouble free, with an excellent service dept. The 2002 is loaded with features and drives and feels more like a full size car, none of the tinny ,clunkyness of its competotors and that includes Honda. I have owned a VW product since 1974 and would not be without one, they are just fun to drive, and if maintained long running and usually trouble free.

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  The best Pocket Rocket. - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By buckeye_in_CA - September 15 - 2:00 am

  I have the late year 200-bhp 6-speed version. Well worth the wait. The ride is smooth, while the handling is very responsive; the acceleration is very good for the size of the engine. Ive put 11,400 miles on in the past 7 months, and no faults yet. The interior is very comfortable for a sporty car (Im 62", 225 lb). The cupholder could be in a mildly better position (right in front of the radio controls), but its the best cupholder Ive ever seen. Aside from that, the interior is designed for people who take driving very seriously. Complaints: 1. The car occasionally stalls when attempting a warm start. 2. The Monsoon Stereo sucks.

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  VW GOLF TDI - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By Va. Randy - September 15 - 2:00 am

  This car equipped with the turbo diesel is a real winner. With an auto transmission I am getting 43 mpg. After maybe having bought 20 new cars over my life this is the first car that after three months has no long list of warranty repairs needed.Great fun to drive. Handling is more like a big heavy car. Since 1977 I have driven BMWs only. I will not miss them. I miss one thing: 6 way electric seats.