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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  A terrible buy - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dan G - June 11 - 9:53 pm

  I bought this car and within the first month I had to replace the mass airflow sensor, later I found out this was the fifth time it has been replaced. Body quality is poor, and engine lacks power. The car is now sitting broken after several thousand dollars of repairs. Do not buy this model Jetta. This was a BAD year.

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  Big Mistake - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By XtremelyDisappointed - June 8 - 10:00 am

  When I first got my TDI, I loved it, raved about it. The mileage was great and the car looked sharp. Now its a different story. Ive sunk close to $2000 into it in the last 18 months. Everything from an engine temp sensor, to glow plug relay, to brakes. Not to mention the $100 oil changes. Ive even had the rear cup holder replaced. Now the temp gauge isnt working and the "check engine" light is on again. Im sure that will be another $300. I also found out this past weekend while it was in the shop, that one of the glow plugs is seized up and cant be removed. I will never buy a VW again.

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  dont buy this car - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By no farfegnugen here - June 4 - 10:00 am

  in the shop 4 times w/in 1st 6 mo for transmission problem, rough shifting - its an automatic. svc dept unwilling or unable to resolve problems. poor customer svc. had my car 5 days & i had to call THEM each day to find out if it was ready. on road trip, couldnt get car out of park & EPC light on, had to call 4 dealers before one would fit us in. latch on center arm rest storage broke, gas cap cord broke. cup holders in bad location in front of air vents & over control panel. condensate drips all over radio & a/c controls.

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  Fix the Window Problem! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mariahmilan - June 2 - 2:00 am

  My Jettas windows have broken twice already. The problem is that the window is heald up by a tiny, plastic device that breaks CONSTANTLY. Its a real hassle to get fixed too! My friend also has a Jetta and all four of her windows have fallen into the door as well. The cupholders are in a rotten spot (the condensation on the cup drips right onto the radio). I think this would have been a great car for me if a bit more $$ was spent by the manufacturer on the parts you dont see!

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  Air Condition - 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By dn5053 - May 31 - 6:11 pm

  The German engineering on the air conditioning has a lot to be desired at 90 degrees and up - very inadequate!

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  Lots of Problems...where do I start? - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By John Q Public - May 30 - 9:10 pm

  Bought the car as 2009 certified. It was great for about a month or so and then a coil went bad. OK, no biggie, $50 co-pay and im good to go. Next, the car starts to overheat when the AC is on. I bring it in, they cant find anything wrong, I drive it, it gets hot, I bring it back, etc. Eventually they replace one of the fans. Then the other fan. Then the water pump, then the radiator. OK, that seems to do it. But then, what is that moldy smell and why is there an inch of water on the floor boards? OMG, there is mold growing under all of the floor mats. Turns out the sunroof drain tubes had separated and the water poured into the cabin. Just waiting for the other show to drop now.

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  VW Golf after eight years & 110K - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Craig m - May 30 - 2:30 am

  This body style is now called the Golf, but a decade ago it was called a Rabbit. I liked the car, and it put up with a lot of careless use. I use my cars for short hops, pickup truck-like hauling, and 2000 mile cross-country trips. I do NOT baby them, and the Rabbit took it all like a champ. Buyers should be cautious to make sure they are happy with the fit of the drivers seat with respect to the controls, because I experienced a tendency to find myself feeling off-center on long trips. That is, I didnt feel I was sitting directly in line with the middle of the steering wheel. I think that was because of a combination of leg length and the rather tight console tunnel placement. This is designed as an inexpensive VW, so dont expect the best of anything - but I am sure that todays Golf offers some improvements over the rudimentary radio/CD player the Rabbit came with. The big attraction back then was the Electronic Stability package, which VW was the first to offer at this price point - and that worked great! If you are a believer in dealer servicing, be prepared for high routine maintenance costs, and be aware you cannot even change the air filter on this car yourself. My particular car had a few gremlins in it: the cruise control would sometimes not come on unless I re-booted the car...and I was never sure whether my interval wipers were stopping because the German engineers wanted them to, or because a gremlin wanted them to. (It didnt make much sense to me that I didnt need a clear windshield if I was stopped at a traffic light, but they quit working nonetheless.) I considered these all to be minor annoyances, though. The plastic frame that supports the radiators, headlights and sheet metal at the front end of the car can be broken in very minor collisions or road debris encounters. Thats an expensive fix, and constitutes a real design flaw. But I suppose other cars of this type have similar drawbacks. The hatchback would admit an insane amount of cargo, and the car handled great in deep snow as well as deep water and misty-slick pavement. No engine issues at all. Tranny required work after 105K of hard use.

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  Nice except for annoying engine vibration - 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By albedo - May 30 - 12:39 am

  Ive had my Tiguan for just over a year. Its a nice car in many respects, and is more stylish and peppy than its competitors. The main problem is that, at certain speeds, the engine vibrates and causes an irritating, moaning noise. VW told me there is no solution because they program the automatic transmission to run at low RPMs as a way to improve fuel mileage. Its annoying enough that I really dont enjoy driving the car and will probably trade it in for something else.

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  Looks are deceiving... - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By JAG - May 26 - 8:43 am

  Thank goodness this particular year had a 50,000 warranty or I would have been SOL with most of these repairs. A/C work, window modules, transmission, paint chipping/rusting, coolant system keeps getting "bubbles" causing the coolant to be low when it reads as normal...those are the major things. I have a year left on the lease without the warranty and I am afraid that I will have a lot of cash going out for repairs.

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  Avoid the turbo without a thorough inspection - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By checkengine88 - May 25 - 4:51 am

  Bought it used from an as is dealer. Trunk only opened with a key and the coolant looked a little funny, but I talked him down and thought I was getting a good deal even after I had to sink some money into it. $1900 later I gave up. The car kept over heating as engine oil was getting into the coolant system. Had the engine oil cooler, water pump, belts and thermostat replaced and it overheated again. I had to call it when they said the next step was to replace the turbo and if that didnt work, the head gaskets. Oh and the electrical module under the seat was faulty causing the trunk problems. Please take it to a dealer for an inspection before you buy it used. Had it for a month