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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  Jetta...Da Da Da - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tina - October 2 - 7:46 am

  A Jetta is a great car thats a lot of fun to drive. The style appealed to me and it handles like a sports car, theres a lot of kick to it. Its a solid built car that feels safe and reliable. Downsides: snow can easily clog up the small wheel wells. Ive had issues with the doors freezing shut (the door seal is almost impenetrable). Have had issues with the side molding. Also had the cruise control system replaced once and now its not working again. The maintenance can get expensive and now that Ive gotten past 100,000 mile point, my wallet has begun to experience the "joys" of car ownership. Despite the issues, I would recommend a Jetta and will probably buy another one.

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  Great Car - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By JEB - October 1 - 11:20 pm

  Very smooth and comfortable, good acceleration and handling, great fuel economy with manual transmission. One of the best cars that I have ever owned.

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  Great Vehicle - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By B.A.S. - October 1 - 5:00 pm

  I am a very picky person and I scrutinize my choices very closely and this one passed all of my tests. The interior and exterior design is superb and, being a VW, is about as high-quality as you can get for less than $100,000. It drives great, although the V6 is a bit anemic when pulling my 6,000 lb. trailer, but then again, what other V6 SUV can tow up to 7,700 lbs.? it is very comfortable (I got package 1 with mine) and the tranny shifts very smoothly. The fuel economy leaves something to be desired, I average 19 mpg with about 40% city/60% hwy driving, but it is better than what the EPA says it is (a typical VW trait) and is not bad for an SUV. It, like all VWs, is very reliable. Buy one!

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  Love the Jetta - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By CARLO - October 1 - 6:00 am

  I have really enjoyed my Jetta so far. I have put 500 miles on the car and it drives and handles very well. I previously had a 2005 Nissan Altima, which is a very nice car, but I felt like "I was riding in the car, not driving it." This car is faster than the 250 hp Altima. It was not easy to manuver the Altima in parking lots. The Jetta makes driving fun again. You will enjoy it!

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  Phaeton - The IQ test US drivers Flunked - 2006 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By GripperDon - October 1 - 2:33 am

  The Phaeton has the greatest combination of materials, design, assembly precision, and compenent selection of any car I have ever driven. It makes my Mercedes-Benz S-Class look shallow. What a shame there was no advertising.

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  So much fun - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By Joe - September 30 - 1:10 pm

  I test drove a lot of vehicles, including Acura TL, Volvo 40, Infiniti G35 and the Lexus IS 250. When I prioritized fuel economy, seat comfort for all passengers (12 ways on both fronts, Lux Edition) and fun factor, I kept coming back to the Passat. Ive taken it to Florida and back, averaging almost 34 mpg. Ive had a couple little problems that the dealer fixed right away; the satellite radio was defective and the right rear door mechanism broke inside. This has been a very enjoyable purchase, and I often find reasons to go somewhere now. I have about 8000 miles on the vehicle now.

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  Poor Mans Porsche? Absolutely - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By GTI Fan - September 30 - 2:00 am

  I couldnt be happier. For the same price, no car gets even close to the driving quality of a GTI. Will definitely go for it again...

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  Speedy loves it!! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VWqueen - September 30 - 2:00 am

  I love the VW. Had a 2000 Beetle but wanted more room so I got the Jetta. The 1.8T is the best. The gas pedal just says "go ahead". It has been great.

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  Awesome Car - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By Kane - September 28 - 3:56 pm

  Bought this car used (1 year old) with 11000 miles on it. I love it. The 6sp TWIN CLUTCH auto is superb. That was the deciding factor between this and the Mazdaspeed3. 90% of my driving is in rush hour so I didnt want a manual again. Lightening fast shifts. Manual mode makes it very fun to drive. Getting pretty good mileage ~26/27 mostly city. The instrument cluster lighting(blue & red) is fantastic. The heated seats are very supportive, gobs of torque on que, xenon headlights are very bright - even when the car is filthy. This car wants to be driven fast - so fun to drive. I like having to do errands b/c I get to drive the GTI.

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  Better than the GTI, and AWD to boot!! - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By kevbelz - September 28 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this car to replace my 1.8t GTI. I was moving from New Jersey to Montana, and wanted a sports car with AWD, to help get me to the Ski resorts in sporty style. This car is Awesome, I have owned 9 cars over the past 17 years, the last 4 cars were volkswagens. This car is simply the best I have ever owned. Great traction in the Rain and Snow (as long as you have appropriate tires, the stock tires are NOT for winter), and a 241 hp v6 engine that is faster than most cars.