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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  SAFETY ISSUE BE AWARE - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By simoghize - April 19 - 6:27 pm

  i hate a car in front of me which caused other 2 cars ahead to be involved in the accident. the damage was severe as the whole front of the car was crashed including the engine and the passenger was fatally injured, he had a shoulder dislocation. what surprised me are the airbags, they never deployed even though i was driving 60 mph. after few days volkswagen of America sent an engineer to inspect the car. After he left i noticed the seatbelts are loose and the bottom cover is opened, it seems like he did it in purpose. before he came the seat belts were fine. what most surprised me is his decision that the airbags cant deployed in this case. iIshowed him the bottom of the car where is the chassis, it was bent from the direct impact of the forces that came through the bumper which also cause the front beam to twist, but never gave me a satisfied explanation. People who try to buy this car and have kids please be aware of this safety issue, my family was blessed to get out of this accident just with a shoulder dislocation, which could be worst. My next step is lawsuit against VW.

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  Get one now - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By happy camper - April 19 - 10:36 am

  Very impressive hatchback. I am a big guy and I fit comfortably in this car and oh the speed and agility are unbelievable. I went in for the third car Rabbit and came out with the GTI speedster. I just cant stay out of it and when I turn it off I cant wait to get in it again. I am creating reasons to go to the store.

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  Great fun to drive, agile, but expensive on repairs - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Edward Becker, Jr. - April 18 - 11:52 am

  This compact SUV drives like a small European sports car. Adequate passenger space, high quality interior, 4 motion AWD tracks well through some of the worst winter snow and ice (except moderately high snow drifts). My complaints are with below average reliability. Problems began at around 70,000 miles. Ive had 3 water pumps, trouble with emissions system, replaced turbo, clogged injectors, replaced virtually every motor seal, and other issues. Total cost of dealer completed repairs and maintenance to date (with 108k miles)- $13,600.(ridiculous). If you buy one of these, keep it until around 60k, then get rid of it!

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  Das Auto ist Wunderbar - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Pakrat - April 17 - 10:20 pm

  This our first VW and we love it.The fit and finish is exceptional and interior feels so solid.The 2.0 turbo engine is fun to drive even with a little bit of turbo lag. Love the big sunroof and touch screen center radio. My wife wants to buy a matching Tiguan!

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  A Snappy little Hybrid... not an oxymoron. - 2014 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid
  By Jim Miller - April 17 - 8:51 pm

  I did not know what I would get to replace my daughters TDI after the buy back, she loves the growl of her little diesel. This hybrid comes close or maybe even does the diesel one better. We are looking forward to putting this car through its paces.

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  Problems with Jetta - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By S. Adams - April 17 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this car thinking I wouldnt have a lot of repairs. Numerous problems have occurred: oxygen sensor replaced 3 times, driver visor replaced, cup holder replaced(2) passenger seat spring replaced, catalytic converter replaced, air conditioner compressor replaced, 1 keyless remote doesnt work, rust in trunk, engine light on 4 times, batteries (2), mass air flow meter replaced, wires replaced, throttle body replaced, timing belt, V-belt, 2 tensioners replaced, car jerks when changing gears (dealer cant explain), ticking noise under hood (dealer cant explain); not to mention regular maintenance. I will never purchase another VW vehicle.

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  Well never buy VW again - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By aljksdla - April 17 - 10:00 am

  From day one weve loved this car, we still love it. BUT, the headgasket blew at 30,000 and the steering rack went at 36,000 - the latter, not under warranty. The dealer agreed to split the cost - $2000. For a car with so few miles on it, these are two MAJOR things to have go wrong. I want to love VWs, but were going back to what weve always had good luck with: Hondas, Toyotas and Nissans.

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  STAY AWAY!!! - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By niqui - April 17 - 10:00 am

  Stay away from the volkswagen passat!! Bought a 2001 vw passat, in & out of the shop for 3yrs. Engine light constantly coming on!! After 3 years it needed a BRAND NEW ENGINE!! Everytime went into the shop someone else had the passat(2001-04) in the shop for engine light & constant engine & electrical problems similar to mine. Pay the extra money & get a honda or a toyota, BUT stay away from the passat. If your heart is set on it please, please, please get the extended warrant. You pay a surcharge but it save me thousands of dollars. Lemon law would not cover me because the problem was not similar, but it was all engine problems. Do your research!

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  Great Alternative to a Hybrid - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By newvwowner - April 17 - 7:26 am

  Fun to drive! The fuel economy is much better than the EPA estimates. So far I am averaging 37+mpg in my daily commute (70%city, 30%highway) and when I go strictly highway Im averaging 46mpg. And the amazing thing is that it should improve as the engine breaks continues to break in (have 4500 miles so far). Glad I picked this over a hybrid -- much more power and the trunk size is unbelievable! The Jetta is comfortable during my day-to-day commute and also during road trips. It easily fits four 6-footers with no performance lag. The engine noise is even less than my friends 08 Passat 2.0T and no one can believe that its a diesel until they look at the badging.

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  Best SUV Diesel in North America that provides excellent gas mileage. - 2013 Volkswagen Touareg
  By flatbudget - April 16 - 10:23 pm

  Purchased my 2013 TDI LUX a week ago. Been very pleased with the truck. Traded both my 2005 F250 Powerstroke truck and my VW JSW TDI. The torque is phenomenal and it tows my 2005 Custom Laser Boat with 496 HO mercruiser stern drive. ~5000 lbs. boat and trailer combined. I love every feature this SUV offers. Towing my boat on Sport mode keeps the RPM in its maximum torque values. Again, another german engineering at its best. The mileage per gallon either towing or around town beats any gas engines out there. Reliability and longevity of a diesel is absolutely uncontested.