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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  2004 GTI 1.8T Automatic - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By SF-Aaron - March 9 - 10:00 am

  I have been quite happy so far with this vehicle. This car is way fun to drive, and has a nice roomy interior for a small car.

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  Not what I thought - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By V Girl - March 6 - 7:33 pm

  I have had many problems with my passat. First off, the Continental tires went bad fast, and I had a flat within the first week of ownership. Then the rotors warped within the first 4 months. I returned it to dealership to get the rotors fixed 4 times before they actually replaced them. At 50,000 miles I blew a head gasket. And about a month ago I had to get the transmission replaced. Not worth all the money I spent. Nice to look at but not a smart move if you want a car that will last you more than 5 years.

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  wont buy one again - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By used to love vw - March 5 - 2:00 am

  I have had nothing but problems with my 01 GLX VR6 sedan. The biggest and most frustrating problem I have had is everytime I would use my rear defroster, the radio would go complete static. VW worked on this for over a year taking my car in over 10 times and finally this month just fixed the problem after a brand new radio ( that wasnt the problem) and finally a new rear window. The first week I had my new car the snaps that on the mats all broke off, my car wouldnt run one night because it was raining and they had to put new coiling in the engine, the drivers heated seat has not been working, the engine is not smooth and many times "skips".

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  good car, xcept for the dash buzzing - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By catbox - March 5 - 2:00 am

  This is my second Jetta, the other a 2000 GL. This Jetta could also use another 100 pounds of barite-loaded foam on the floor, door panels and fender wells. Lots of road noise filters in from the super thin (cheap) side windows and windshield. VW could take a lesson from the 1968/69/70 AMC AMXes on this issue. Windshield is already (1year) scratched and hazed and I use lots of wiper fluid. Dealer complaints: did not honor the zero percent financing, although my credit rating is the highest for my salary range. I will probably dump this car to an individual in another year. Im looking at Subarus next time.

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  I Love My Passat - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Tweetgurl - March 3 - 11:33 am

  I went from a Mitsubishi Lancer to a 2005 Volkswagen Passat. Every time I looked at a Passat on the road, I was envious. Finally, I bought a 2005 Passat that had been a dealer demo so it had less than 5,000 miles on it even though I bought it December 2005. I love my car! It takes some time getting used to, but I enjoy the experience. The ride is fairly smooth and I feel important driving this car. I checked out the 2006 Passat and was appalled at the price. I was able to buy my 05 Passat for thousands of dollars less than the current rate for a new 06 Passat. I dont like the new body style of the 06 Passat, though I do like the chrome in the front. Overall, Im satisfied with my purchase.

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  ride professional - nav amateur - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Paul - March 3 - 11:13 am

  I tested many SUVs and my two finalists were the LR3 and the vw. The LR3 was lots of fun, but the vw had much superior handling. The drive for a vehicle this size is amazing. Not like the 530i I had just left, but much better than anything else I test drove. Still after 8K, it is a great driving vehicle. The gas mileage is very poor. The radio/navigation system is so poorly designed that I need much more than the 700 words alloted. If a fifth grader designed it he/she should not get to the 6th grade. I tried to get to VP Len Hunt in charge of this area, to tell him about the design flaws, but was told he does not take calls from owners. Now I know why this will never improve.

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  Exceptional Vehicle - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Vega - March 3 - 10:00 am

  Recieved a custom order 2005 fully loaded V8. This SUV is built solid like a brick. I have 500 miles on it now and it did not have a SINGLE problem wrong with it, not even a hairline scratch on the paint. The car is absoulutely silent, no rattles. Performance on the V8 is great. I am amazed at how fast the V8 gets this heavy vehicle moving at all speeds. It took a while just to read through all of the gadgets and gizmos and find out how everything operates. This is the best vehicle I have ever owned. While not as pure fun to drive as my last vehicle, a C5 Corvette, the Touareg just provides the year round whole package. VW has hit the ball out of the park when it comes to the Toaureg.

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  puny issues - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By elwood dinwoody - March 3 - 10:00 am

  Passat Wagon with 4 MOTION- Quiet, powerful, and very comfy.Power seat acting up after 2 weeks, a couple of bubbles in the dash vinyl, and the thud of the downshift into 1st at stops the only complaints – wish I didnt have to deal with it; the dealer tells me as I sat in the car to drive it off the lot that they would need to reprogram the computer on first servicing. Now, I can sleep at night.

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  Nice, but dont go cheap when buying. - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Leia Cullifer - March 3 - 10:00 am

  This black Beetle was bought just a couple of months ago and havent had any problems with it. I do think that it needs some more power under the hood as the 2.0 w/ auto tranny is rather slugish. I would suggest the 1.8t w/ manual to compensate for the poor acceleration. I do notice that it doesnt sound very nice from the outside, it seems to have a puttering type sound that def gives away its lack of performance. The rear hatch does have a lil rattle or clunk to it when enetering or leaving the drive sometimes. Other than that the car is great. I love the comfort of the seats. The pump style height and vintage roller style recling seats give it a nice ride no matter what body type.

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  Dont Be Fooled By Good Looks - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By bobk - February 28 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned two older Beetles (63-69)and a 91 Jetta. As you can see I like VWs. I fell in love with the New Beetles looks and overlooked its flaws. After 66k miles I have to admit I made a huge and costly mistake. Problems include 2 blown headlights, both power window switches broken, passenger power window wont go up, uses alot of oil, dead battery while driving, replace starter and moisture in oil. Ive found out since that these are normal problems for New Beetle owners. During all of this VW wont do anything!