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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  High Repair Costs - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By NJ Jellybean - August 13 - 10:00 am

  I bought my TDI new. I have put on a lot of miles, so the good gas milage is great. However, I have experienced high repair cost so what I am saving in gas I am paying in repairs. Not many mechanics can work on diesel engines so I am a the mercy of the dealer. At 80K miles my turbo died. Still waiting to hear why and how much it is to repair. Service provided by VW is very expensive ($82/hr for labor). Additionally, VW charges more for any work done on a diesel vehicle. Regular oil change cost $55.

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  Nuisance problems, but Id buy another - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By sljarvis - August 13 - 10:00 am

  Was reading some reviews and thought much of it was familiar. Ive put 95K on my V6 Passat in just under 4 years. GREAT car to drive, but have had some nuisance problems. Paid $225 for r window. Now r doorlock, $379 to fix. HVAC lighting is out, am told its not a bulb or fuse...have to replace the whole unit for $179. No thanks, I can deal w/no light. O2 sensor also bad, $300+ to fix. Vacuum valve replaced under recall & water pump under 100K warranty. New tires 2X & new brakes & rotars (I drive it hard). Oh yeah, trunk lt & glovebox lt also out...not fixing those either.

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  Nothing but problems - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By nomorevws - August 13 - 10:00 am

  After owning this car I would never recommend a VW to anyone. While materials are first rate, assembly quality needs improvement. Reliability was a major issue. I needed to spend $500+ on repairs at 51K miles in addition to a number of things that were repaired under warranty. Parts prices are ridiculous!

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  Best looking car ever - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By cpapakon - August 13 - 10:00 am

  No problems until 30,000 miles Everythings works like new. Awesome car.

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  my first bad car experience - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By asillisa - August 13 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this car 3.5 years, and SO much has gone wrong with it, more than any other car Ive had (even used ones!). The laundry list: the oil basically disappeared 1000 miles after a change; the air conditioner broke, thankfully a month before the warranty was up; both front door lock mechanisms broke; cup holder broke; lighting on temp control panel shorted out (permanently); front bumper grill pieces popped out - bumper caught on every parking spot block and finally pulled off; rear brakes went out at 26000 miles. Unbelievable. I love the new Passats AND the Audis, but after this, Ill never buy another German car.

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  Some kinks to be fixed - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By firstvolkswagen - August 13 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this car six months and Im glad I bought it, but there have been a few problems. The fuel sensor malfunctioned and had to be replaced; one of the keys had to be fixed because it had a short and the car jerks when I take off (if I gun it). But its pretty sporty for a family car and I dont regret buying it.

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  Not great but ok. - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By SEAN9 - August 11 - 1:53 am

  I am a mechanic for a used German car dealer and I bought this trade in for fun, its a late build 2005. BTW 2004 is a lemon, mid to late build 2005+ is a good car. Positives: Interior, exterior, solid vehicle. Negatives: Terrible gas mileage, 6 speed transmission shifts constantly and hard, radio is horrific, small interior, too many electronic gizmos. 4.2L Audi engine is excellent. Its a tough German car not a smooth Japanese car. If you dont believe me go to web VW boards and check the car out, the transmission is the worst aspect of this vehicle but you can reprogram it with some success. Overall nice and somewhat better than some of the Mercedes I work on.

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  Plastic Explosives - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By MJ Lynch - August 10 - 11:33 pm

  The car runs well, but it falls apart. The plastic parts break(radio knobs, garage door opener, antenna, engine design components, seat knobs), and the rubberized paint used in the interior peels (door handles, center console, the unused ash tray covers). The seat leather is shoddy. All this makes the car appear very old -- and I drive it very little -- about 5,000 miles a year. Great highway mpg with the 4 cyl (35 mpg); not great in commuting traffic; ok (22-24 mpg) otherwise.

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  volks - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By richard coughlin - August 10 - 9:13 pm

  so far I like the car. The car handles well and is fun to drive. It is good in the snow. The fuel mileage is not impressive. I got around 26 mpg in mixed driving. There are a lot of rattles when driving over potholes. I bought the car for the fun factor. Im waiting for the spring so I can put the top down. Also I plan on wintering in the sun-belt starting next year so I bought the convertible. I hope gas prices do not rise a lot more. To early for a fair reliability assesment

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  Extremely disappointed - not recommended - 2012 Volkswagen Touareg
  By sk14msk - August 10 - 4:08 am

  I bought my 2012 Toureg certified used with 12k miles on it. The steering wheel shakes at 65-75 mph and I took my car back to the dealer two times already. Every time they returned the car to me, they said the problem has been fixed. New tires, alignment, nothing is helping. There are numerous other VW Touareg drivers out there who are as disappointed as I am. The steering wheel shake makes longer trips very uncomfortable. I am extremely unhappy with this car.