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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  Great car - 2005 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By phaeton - March 29 - 3:16 am

  I gave my Volkswagen Phaeton V8 ratings of build quality and reliabilty lower marks because the memory settings for seat, mirrors etc are very unpredictable. They dont seem to hold the settings. The dealer is working very hard to train me or fix the problem. My dealer is very good. Every thing else about this car is the best a very nice luxury car. People do notice and say "This is a Volkswagen?"

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  Re Knock Sensor issue - 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By lawr9349 - March 28 - 2:53 am

  I have driven 10,000 kms since Sep 2008 and I generally find my Rabbit fun to drive. On 4 separate occasions though I have had the experience of putting my foot on the accelerator and got ZERO response. Fortunately, to date, this has only occurred from idle (ie car was stationary). Having read your review I will take it to the dealership again and ask them to check the Knock Sensor. Thanks

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  Well, No More German Cars For Me - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By NowAChevyDriver - March 27 - 11:40 am

  My friends family all drove Volkswagens and I thought that this would be an excellent high-performace step, but it wound up being an expensive car that, although drove nicely, continually had expensive repairs. Most devastatingly, my timing belt failed on the interstate before it was even supposed to be *checked*. This was the last straw. I now own a Chevy, have few problems and only need inexpensive parts when I want to fix them.

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  My experience - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Norma Rubin - March 25 - 7:10 am

  I have 87,000 miles on my 2001 Jetta VR6 wagon. So far I have had the mass air flow sensor replaced, which VW refunded part of the money. And the coil also was replaced, but what really flip me out was that the rear brakes had to be completely replaced at 25,000 miles that cost $1000. I love the way the car performs, but not so crazy with the fuel economy; highway 22 to 25 mpg city 15 to 18. What I dont see other owners talk about is the stereo, I think it is the best car stereo a car manufacturer has installed in a car in its class. I also notice that with this five year old car that the imitation wood trim is cracking and it will need to be replaced

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  fun but flawed - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By cpo - March 23 - 6:36 pm

  My 07 Rabbit is a great car, very fun to drive and handles well. My MAJOR complaint is the brake system wears out the rear brake pads in record time. This seems to be a design flaw, based on my research. My rear brake pads are completely gone after 21,000 miles.

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  German Car with Some Problems - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mambrumiami - March 21 - 11:00 pm

  Overall, a good performing car but...... It seems to have a lot of mechanical/electrical problems. Have had for 65K miles and have enjoyed it. At the beginning, the interior got some sort of "cancer" whereas the membrane on the interior plastic would "peel off" leaving a nasty residue. VW knows all about this and claims the new cars dont have it. Otherwise, the same as I hear from other users. Windows fall down and dont go back up. "Check Engine" light on for no reason, and weird electrical problems. After car is off Extended Warranty, I plan to dump like a hot potato since repairs would be EXPENSIVE.

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  German Car with Some Problems - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mambrumiami - March 21 - 11:00 pm

  Overall, a good performing car but...... It seems to have a lot of mechanical/electrical problems. I also get the distinct feeling that the dealer is not being totally honest with me. Have had for 65K miles and have enjoyed it. At the beginning, the interior got some sort of "cancer" where the membrane on the interior plastic would peel off leaving a nasty residue. VW knows all about this and claims the new cars dont have it. Otherwise, the same as I hear from other users. Windows fall down and dont go back up. "Check Engine" light on for no reason, and weird electrical problems. After car is off Extended Warranty, I plan to dump like a hot potato since repairs would be EXPENSIVE.

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  Beware of the Fun Factor - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mark Hogue - March 21 - 1:00 am

  The 2002 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 1.8T is a way fun car to drive. It has lots of power and good handling. I have had many problems with it though. Including issues with the window regulators, coil packs, and airbags...my airbags deployed for no real reason while driving..NOW THAT WAS A MOMENT! Beware, the build quality is very poor, all looks good but is not good. I have owned 7 Jettas and will NEVER buy another one. The plant in Mexico just does not build them as well as the Germans. My dealer is very good. They provide great service, but are very expensive. They charge Porsche labor prices for a VW. For the few dollars more, and really only a few, it is BMW 3-Series for me in the future.

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  great car! - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By playo - March 19 - 2:00 am

  this car was great when i bought it but i thought the ride was a little soft. i also got used to the power rather quickly. so, i got a turbo chip and now it has 210 hp, 247 ft-lbs of torque, and its much more fun to drive now. i probably need a larger exhaust to handle the extra pressure from the turbo. i also put on lowering springs, stiffer shocks, a rear anti-sway bar, and 18" Volk wheels. now its super fun! no problems with the car that havent been fixed quickly under warranty, and those were very few. great car, especially for the money!

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  Uber Wagon - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By guyspat - March 19 - 2:00 am

  My wife and I looked at a Saab 95 and Volv0 V70, but the GLX Wagon had the best combination of features (Onstar and Memory Seats that drive the price of the 95 to $40,000) and price. The only thing missing was a little exclusivity and Xenon headlights. Gas economy seems very poor, but I expect it to improve as we put more miles on the car.