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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  Junk the DSG - 2011 Volkswagen CC
  By vdubcc - February 11 - 3:46 am

  I have had my CC Sport since December of 2010 and have yet to figure out what the DSG transmission is trying to do. This transmission spoils the otherwise teriffic car. I find that the transmission seems to not find the gear it is looking for and has actually caused the car to fall flat on its face when pulling out. The turbo lag and this transmission are not ment for each other. Had it back to the dealer and they say everthing is all right. get the manual and it will be a real joy to own.

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  Own for 5 years - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By garner61 - February 10 - 1:43 pm

  I bought this car Feb.1st of 1999 after waiting almost a year to get one. Great gas mileage - I have 106000 miles on it still get 44 mpg. The A.C. compressor has gone out twice. Left door window broke and have had lots of trouble with lights. But all told I have saved more on fuel than repairs. About 2100.00 so far on total repairs. Have changed belt out at 60k. Hope to run till 200k.

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  2008 Jetta Odometer off - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Michael-Jetta - February 8 - 7:30 am

  I had an odometer problem with my 2008 jetta, it was off 4.8 miles for every 29.3 miles driven. They fixed it at 20,434 miles, total extra miles on car - 3,347.5. They tell me they reset the speedometer to specs. This fixed the problem, but VW refuses to adjust my lease for the miles or refund the money for the miles. They say the fix couldnt have fixed the odometer, Why did they make the adjustment if they knew it wouldnt fix it???. After complaining to BBB of Ohio, Volkswagen and the dealer settled for the cost to buy extra miles on my lease. You would be wise to verify your odometers miles to another car or two to see if its accurate. Ive seen other similiar complaints on the Web.

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  Own a VW for the Price of a BMW? - 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By bkaw - February 5 - 2:00 am

  I loved test driving this car. It had the best seats of any car I ever driven. I currently own a 7 series BMW and while this car compares very favorably to the BMW, I have to wonder why any consumer would take a chance on a new, unproven luxury car for about the same price as the new BMW 745I. If this car was $50,000 I would have written a check on the spot. In order for this car to sell they will have to discount it to attract the BMW, Mercedes, Jag crowd.

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  Great little car - GT should do more... - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By oregongirl225 - February 5 - 2:00 am

  I really like my 1998 Jetta GT, there are a few things that I think VW could have made better, like the shifting is a little harsh. Sometimes takes a while for it to shift. Other than that its a great car... once it shifts normal its fast.

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  The Red One - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By the red - February 5 - 2:00 am

  This Golf is solid-fun to drive, and easy to handle. There are areas in which there could be improvement. The first is oil consumpttion. Even though the consumption has now settled at 2300 miles per quart at the odometer reading of 29000 miles it was 500 hundred miles per quart of oil when the car was new. Maybe it is broken in now! The engine revs up higher at highway speed than I like. At sixty MPH the engine is at 3000 RPM. My auto could use a sixth gear or a different ratio in the top gear. City and highway mileage is 27 MPG. Overall, I love this car. Red

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  Super B. - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By skiman - February 5 - 2:00 am

  The Turbo S is very fun to drive and has been a very reliable automobile. I love the cars overall design but would make a few slight improvements. Great handling and performance, "dont be afraid to drive it to the limit". Youll be impressed with the Turbo Ss high speed maneuverability. The faster you go the more fun this car is!

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  Awesome Car - 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By avon1 - February 2 - 1:10 pm

  VW really messed up not advertising the Phaeton. If you want an all weather luxury cruiser this is it, period. It sure is a bargain in the used vehicle market right now. It has more well thought out bells and whistles than I can use. It absolutely puts my first generation Audi A8 to shame and it is a great car.

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  Great SUV - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By t rev - January 31 - 4:33 am

  Been driving the V8 w/ air suspension since new. After 75K miles I still love it. Electrical/computer issues at the beginning, but dealership fixed them and no problems since. Yes it eats a lot premium gas, tires and brakes, but it is a high performance vehicle. The trim is a little too VWish and wearing out too quickly. Carving mountain roads with the air susp and Pirelli tires is very impressive. Handles winter weather better than Audi A6. If you are comfortable with high operating costs and not having the finest interior trim, this is great high performance value when compared to the Porche, Audi, BMW products.

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  Disappointing End - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Ryann.05 - January 30 - 12:33 am

  This is such a beautiful car, it makes me sad to sell it. I love the luxury, the comfort, the smooth drive. I bought it in 4/06 at 94k mileage. Its now at 124k and ive made many many expensive repairs. I just cant afford to take it to the mechanic every other month anymore. And my mechanic, quite frankly, is fed up with working on it. Its a manual and so fun to drive, especially when the Turbo kicks in. i get roughly 28- 32 mpg.