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 blend of comfort, performance, economy - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By CHCHRISTI - September 28 - 10:00 am

  A friend raved about his Jetta TDI, and I drove it and was impressed. At first I thought the Passat might be more car than I needed, but I love the way it performs and it exudes engineering savvy. Lots of details have been carefully thought through.The selectronic transmission allows it to be shifted like a standard or driven as conventional automatic. Way cool! The moon roof is a nice feature and the trunk space is phenomenal. Ive owned the car for two months and am still discovering nice features. So far I can recommend only two changes: lighted switches on the visor mounted progammable remote control buttons so you can see them at night .

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  Great Wagon - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Bill_in_ny - September 28 - 10:00 am

  Very nice car (my wifes). Wonderfull fit and finish, loaded with safety features (air bags, anti-lock, pinch free window) very comfy. Rides on air with enough road feel to make it seem like you are part of the car. More room than most SUVs without lugging 4000lbs around. Quick around town and on open road. Great on long trips (took turns and drove staight through from NY to FL)

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  What do you expect its a GTI dummy - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By Paul - September 27 - 7:00 pm

  This is my 3rd GTI. What can I say if its not broke dont finx it. 1st GTI was a 1991, 2nd a 01. The fit and finish of the 2010 are by far simply amazing. For 24 and change you will not get anything close. Everything from ext styling to interior feel puts the car in a class above itself. VW has taken the car to another level and with the mk VI being my third GTI I can honestly say this is the best in class. I typically use this car for work and I smile every time I get in it. I wish I could be on the consumer testing panel during design. I would give VW some ideas that would make everyone want one.

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  This is a keeper - 2009 Volkswagen EOS
  By VWFANS - September 27 - 5:40 am

  Very cool car. No other has a hard top, a drop top, and a sunroof. It is fun to drive, pretty comfy,everything is layed nicely and to be able to go through the car wash is an added plus. VW builds quality! Gas miles ....WOW like 30 in the city! Buy one you will be so happy you did.

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  Four Month Review - Still Love It! - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dapper - September 26 - 10:56 pm

  The 2006 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is a great car for those who enjoy driving. I bought it after driving a half dozen competitors because it blew them all away. The performance of its 200 hp turbo engine and the tight, yet comfortable suspension are impressive. The engine is extremely quiet but gives a nice growl when the turbo winds up. Its acceleration and handling are smooth and responsive. Ive been getting about 30 mpg so far. I love the interior styling and the quality of materials. Its a bit tight entering and exiting but thats true of any small car. There is quite a bit of wind noise, almost like a vibration, with the windows down. And winter driving is not good. Still, Im having more fun driving than I have for years! Id buy it again.

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  Amazing Car - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By GMAN - September 26 - 8:16 pm

  This car continues to amaze us with its handling and power. We have 10,000 miles now with no problems at all and we drive this car pretty hard. The overall gas mileage average is 26 miles per gallon which is very good considering the performance and all of the stop and go traffic. This is truly a 4 door sports car that is fun for the family.

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  Get it - 2016 Volkswagen Golf
  By Stacey Rosa - September 26 - 2:03 pm

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  2012 MK6 GTI - 2012 Volkswagen GTI
  By alfrnas - September 25 - 10:24 am

  The car is just amazing, very fun to drive. very nice exhaust system sound. excellent dual clutch gear box. the sporty steering wheel and the sporty seats gives you all the feeling of the sport car. loved it and recommend it for as a daily, mid-sporty use car.

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  The best of class - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By akalita - September 25 - 10:10 am

  Just got the new Passat few weeks ago and I absolutely love it. Interior design is impeccable, outside it looks awesome as well. No resemblance to Toyota whatsoever (some people saw Coroll in rear end, beats me where they got that from; put the two cars side by side and see for yourself). The 2.0T engine is all new and has gobs of power and great torque curve. The car is also very quiet, even at high speeds. There is no competition in this class for this car; Camry and Accord cant even hold a candle to it (Accord especially, with even A/C optional), tons of standard luxury features. Automatic transmission is finally up to par (previous models had annoying kick to it).

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  Nice ride - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Keeper - September 25 - 2:00 am

  Great quality materials. Very comfortable. Very fast. Zero to 60 in 5.9 seconds using 5 speed shiftable auto trans. Tiptronic is fun and faster than 6 shifter manual cars. Shifts so fast and only takes the power of a pinky to shift between gears. Shifts faster and smoother than conventional manual trans. Put the pedal to the floor in manual. You will be impressed. Awesome car.