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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  torn between love and hate - 2000 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By stace - June 12 - 2:00 am

  as soon as i got into my cabrio, i fell in love with it. unfortunately that quickly ended when my fuel pump relay system went two weeks after i bought the car (34000 mi on car). soon after i found out that my windows werent hitting the weather stripping, causing them to leak, which isnt covered under my 2yr factory warranty because it is an "adjustment." my front wheel tie rod went bad a few months ago, way before it should have. my window regulators are going bad as well. just yesterday my check engine light came on, so well see what kind of surprise i have in store next. its impractical for me to have my car in the shop 1-2 times/month.

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  Go for it!! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By sckartha@hotmail.com - June 12 - 2:00 am

  Owned the car for more than a year now. Its all that i asked for and more. Car looks damn good. I got the black GLX with tinted window. It looks classy. The interior is sweet. Compares to all the BMWs, Mercedec,etc. of the world. I was skeptical about the ASR. But last winter it drove like a dream through icy roads. Climate control very effective. Mileage not that great 20- 22 mpg. Service could improve a lot!! Make sure you do sufficient research about the dealer. Wind noise at >75 mph !! Beleive me you wont even realize it when this puppy goes over 80 mph. My next car will be the Touareg!!

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  Beetlemania - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By thegretsch@aol.com - June 11 - 10:00 am

  Great,no problems except brake dust on rave rims. gets dirty fast Im trading it in for the convertible...

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  Classy Small Car - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mike - June 8 - 2:56 pm

  My car has the 2.0L engine and the "Cold Weather" upgrade (seat warmers, leather seats, steering wheel controls). I like the look and size of this car over the new Jetta design. I get about 35 mpg with conservative highway driving(not hybrid numbers but at least its a PZEV), and while its not a race car, it moves with plenty of purpose. The proof of this is was driving with college students in all 5 seats, a full trunk of luggage and 3 bikes on a trunk rack, and still having power to pass on the highway(of course the mileage was not the best on this trip). I keep up with maintenance and care, the reliability on the early model years was not great but it seems problems were fixed on this year

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  Good Car - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Flower Mound - June 6 - 10:00 am

  My VW is a 1997 VW GLS with some of the bells and whistles. The only compliant I HAVE is problems with it are the electrical system> It has 85000 miles and has been a generally fine car to drive and own.

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  expensive annual maintenance - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By LA-SF-commuter - June 6 - 10:00 am

  My 15-yr old 535i BMW is more reliable than Passat. Did extensive research & test drove other cars. PRO: Crash tests ratings. Affordable, styling, turbo. CON: Expensive yearly maintenance. Terrible cruise ctrl, air- con, tires, stereo. WEAK on take off, 1st gr. Many small parts broke down (no good reason). So-Calif service GREAT: still under warranty, made repairs. Nor- Calif. service HORRIBLE: no warnty, paid expensive annual repairs. VW treats you well until warnty ends, then gouges customer. BIG PROBLEM: air-bag sensor defective after 3 yrs! VW tried to blame us. CONCLSN: Buying a new car soon. A VW Passat is not even in my radar screen.

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  Jetta Gli - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By PLAYAZ - June 6 - 10:00 am

  Great performance for the price. All aroung great inside and out. the hp boost for the 2003 yr (25hp) is wonderful and leaves 02 owners wondering why im so quick. also with Esp (electronic skid protection) standard for 03, i have more confidence driving here in the wet weather.

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  VW still needs to go to finishing school - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By Snarly VW - June 5 - 7:30 pm

  When I bought the car used with 25K miles, I checked the service history with my VW dealer and found out that it already had a replaced alternator, water pump, and one other component they couldnt determine. I started having rear drive problems after I bought it. Found out the Haldex unit was toast and was replaced under warranty. Although handling was excellent, the car was overweight and the AWD didnt fully compensate. Interior had the same groans and moans as my previous 03 Anniverary Edition GTI. The Ann. Edition was a better value for the money. Overall, the R32 provides a rewarding experience, but the premium is high, and reliability is a hit and miss proposition.

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  Ughhh so disappointed - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By iloveu21 - June 4 - 4:18 pm

  i 1st bought my car from a used dealership..i loved my buggy and was so excited...BUT the 1st week i bought my car my gadge for my gas was not telling me the proper amount of gas in my car since my car still had a warranty the dealer fixed it. 4 months after that my check engine light came on,and ever since then my car never has been the same...check engine light comes on sometimes for no reason, my cars alternator broke, my engine system broke, and i have gotten to a small car accident which just broke my radiator which just cost me $150...but still it was ridiculous and now after having it for just a year my transmission is DONE and now all that money wasted on fixing my car is nothing now

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  Fun Car - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Whit - June 2 - 4:46 am

  My wife bought this car before we were married and before driving hers I never saw myself buying a Volkswagen. Now that I have had experience with hers I my be a Volkswagen/Jetta driver the rest of my life. The car is fun to drive, reliable and we feel a great value.