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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  First time VW owner...so far, so good - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By KCjayhawk - July 4 - 9:50 am

  Purchased the 07 Passat wagon used in March with less than 10K miles and so far it is a real joy to drive. I too like many am experiencing some unpleasant squeaking in the dash area, but my local dealer assures me it can be fixed. Traded in a 4Runner and I have about the same amount of cargo space, its actually longer than my wifes Grand Cherokee. If you are tired of getting beat up driving an SUV, this is a great alternative. Engine, while a little clunky sounding on the outside, is very smooth and responsive. The interior is gracefully simplistic with all of the controls intuitively placed. Although there will probably be a learning curve if you are a first time VW owner like myself

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  Fuel Tank Swooshing Sound - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By Marco - July 1 - 7:40 am

  Enjoy everything about this car except quality problems. Car door was misaligned when purchased and Fuel tank makes a swooshing sound, when one comes to a stop. Dealer says potential baffles defect and/or other?????

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  Good but small SUV - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Alex Povolotski - June 29 - 4:36 am

  Good but small SUV, to my taste. The cabin is hushed, the engine is not intrusive unlike in RAV4, though also a 4 cyl and a turbo on top of that. Eats up potholes very well. Brakes are one of the best ones, cornering and steering feel is very precise. Transmission is smooth and shift quickly and when needed. On the downside, the accelerator pedal is not very sensitive and is too stiff for me. The car does not respond immediately to the pedal input (either a turbo lag or just a pedal being too stiff). You notice a huge difference when you release the accelerator pedal, the car almost jolts and doesnt roll, what other cars normally do. Also limited visibility from the front.

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  Need to be a good driver! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Steve - June 28 - 10:26 pm

  I have close to 100K on my 04 Taureg and I have owned an Explorer,Expedition,ML320,Jeep, and despite the noise I read about and some personal experience I still believe this is a very good car. Some advice, rotate your tires every 7k. check tire pressure once a month, change oil at 5K at a non VW shop. Also, this is a heavy car, so you need to be sensitive on how hard you hit the brake pedal. No doubt you need to be safe, but if you are an aggressive braker, you will pay for it. They are not cheap to replace. Also, negotiate with your dealer. I have been successful in replacing cost of front lights, brake pads and recently A/C work. Saved 25% of initial estimate

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  Worth every penny - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By douglasu1 - June 25 - 10:00 am

  When the W8 first appeared last year, many of the reviews were extremely unhelpful, focusing on "who is going to pay almost $40K for a VW" rather than the substantive qualities of this unique vehicle. I have driven this car for 18 months now and have absolutely no complaints. Fact is, there is no other vehicle that remotely comes close to matching this cars standard features for anything like the price. It looks and drives better than the A6. I have no idea why VW doesnt market the car more heavily in the U.S., but I for one am happy to keep the secret. People who know about cars like this car.

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  fun but disappointing - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By birdy - June 25 - 10:00 am

  If I could do it again I wouldnt buy this car. Ive had it for less than a year and have had to fix a window and the brakes and at least one or both of my headlights blows out every month. The electrical system constantly tweaks out - alarm goes of, lights, etc. The transmission is already a little shakey too. And this is practically a new car!

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  give it a - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bgs - June 25 - 10:00 am

  Extremely reliable, comfortable and enjoyable to drive car, nice design inside and out, "feels" like a more expensive car than it is. Lacks a bit of power, bit sluggish on take-off. Small problems become annoying - moldings come loose, door handles stick, antennae needs to be tightened. Should note previously owned 92 Wolfsburg Jetta had none of these problems.

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  Love it, but had a big problem - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By NeilS - June 25 - 10:00 am

  Amazing engineering and design for such a small car, lots of fun to drive. Turbo has a lot of power, but lags when starting from dead stop. I had a BMW 325is, and this car drives a lot like it. For the $, I dont think you can beat it, especially if youre looking for a four seater convertible. But.... I had a defective slave cylinder that caused the clutch to burn up after 3300 miles, and the car broke down on the NJ Turnpike. Warranty covered it, its all fixed and working great, but I have to question reliability when I break down so soon.

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  A Unique Vehicle - What Resale! - 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By 2003 Euro MV Weekend - June 24 - 9:23 am

  I bought this for my wifes business. She hauls a lot of clothes and we equipped with front and back removable hanging rods. She can haul 200 pieces on hangers and the Eurovan has more floor to ceiling hanging height than any van we looked at. This vehicle gets more looks than my Bimmer. The young crowd loves it. We bought the weekender package for the wooden ceiling (to support hanging rods) and occasional getaway fun. It has proven to be very versatile. After pulling all of the seats it can haul a ton. The biggest surprise is resale value. At 3 1/2 years old with 25,000 miles on it, it is still valued at 90% plus of what I paid for it new...wow!

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  Good with Warranty - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Griff - June 24 - 3:10 am

  I purchased my Jetta GLS new in 01. I loved the car for the first three years (while it was still covered under its factory warranty). Since then Ive had a turbo hose blow, brake switch go three times, replaced two timing belts, and had to replace several emissions sensors. I love the car, but HATE the repair cost. I cant go in for a repair for less than $250 (average $550). So unless you drive a TON the gas savings doesnt make up for the repair cost. Also, mechanics are few, even at the dealers, so you may have to wait for Bob to come back from vacation to get your car back. The timing belt is a $cow$, it wears out quick and then the car needs several adjustments to get it running right again. Overall this is a good car, I just wish I had gotten the extended waranty. I am looking to replace my car soon due to the high cost of repairs.