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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  Wittle Wed Wabbit - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By kynative - January 4 - 5:40 pm

  Overall, it is a good little car. It has enough power to get you going, though you do have to hammer on it to get a immediate power. It is terribly uncomfortable on longer drives, but you cant expect luxury comfort out of a $18k car. Gas mileage is ok, you can get over 30 out of it when on the highway and doing near the speed limit, if you open it up, it acts like an 8 cyl.

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  Not completely decided yet - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By csxtrader - January 4 - 8:59 am

  I bought my Jetta about 2 weeks ago. I bought an SE with convenience and sunroof. The power is decent, and the fuel economy has been good "right out of the box" so-to-speak. I think it drives like a larger car than it is. I am experiencing a whistle from either the drivers side mirror or a-pillar. Most blogs Ive read suggest that this is kind of common, and with no known fix yet. Well see what my dealership says. There has been some obvious cost cutting compared to previous models. Yes, the price dropped significantly; however, some cust may not be worth it; and may have been things that people would pay a little extra for.

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  The Perfect SUV - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Steven - January 3 - 11:03 pm

  My VW Touareg is just awesome. It drives like a car on the highway. It hits high speeds with no trouble at all. It is better than a car because it is also one of the best off roading SUV ever made. It is just a great SUV! The V8 engine is lots of fun to drive! It has a great transmission with sport mode, which is great for passing.

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  big improvement - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By athanx4 - January 1 - 12:16 pm

  I was surprised at the quiet ride and the suspension absorbs bumps with no problem. Best steering feel Ive experienced--just the right road feel.

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  Happy So Far - 2017 Volkswagen Jetta
  By David - January 1 - 4:28 am

  Ive had now for about 3K miles. I came out of 15 Jetta TDI 6 speed manual. My 17 is not as peppy, but no surprise. Still adequate pep. I like the fuel economy. Great comfortable ride on the Interstate. Quite a bit of noise with sunroof open. So, will have to get a deflector. I love having satellite radio. I very much like the SE upgrades from the S. This vehicle is a great overall value, in my opinion.

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  Fun to drive every single day - 2000 Volkswagen GTI
  By kbzensen - December 30 - 10:00 am

  The GTI VR6 is truly a great car. I used it for my daily 1-hour commute to work and its fun to drive every single day. Excellent styling, oustanding engine performance, actually the car is probably overpowered if you observe speed limits. Handling is really nice and you often fit in a parking spot that other cars dont. Nevertheless, its no problem to transport a larger amount of boxes/suitcases; after flipping over the rear bench the car seems like a small delivery van. I am not terribly happy with MPG (about 24 on the highway) and the small gas tank.

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  Not the best car for the money - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Eze - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Our car was plauged with isses. Hesitation has been with us from the start. Techs just say to live with it and it is in the software. Multiple oil leaks. 3 times. Intake boot came off and shut the car down. The throttle sticks. Car was in twice for repairs. The rear brakes jammed. The spark plug module failed causing the car to run on 3 cylinders. Cost was $536 to replace and is not covered on the powertrain warrenty. The car is only 3 years old (purchased new in 2000) and has only 61K miles on it. Cruise control works when it feels like it. There are other issues that I am forgetting.

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  VW Customer Care doesnt give a care! - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By loathevw - December 30 - 10:00 am

  On the surface, this roomy and well appointed wagon was a pleasant surprise. The problem with VW on the whole is not with their product (although my 1.8T was flawed) but with poor customer service, starting with the dealer and continuing up through this misnamed Customer Care office. Worst auto delivery experience ever from any dealer. Service dept. is suspect. Ill not touch another VW product with a 10 foot pole! Anyone interested in a used Passat wagon?

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  Not sure I have the same car as the rest - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By jdono - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Solid - yes. attractive - yes. But can anyone really get used to the turbo lag? No zip to start or to accelerate for passing. I have taken to driving only in manual mode of the tiptronic. Mileage 19-21 mpg. Also, there is so much road noise, I cannot comment on the monsoon sound system.

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  My first two weeks in a V8 Touareg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Xavier - December 30 - 10:00 am

  I opened the door of a black V8 equipped with a cognac colored leather interior - reminiscent of a nicely worn baseball glove. The look was of clean German lines with plush British detail - perfect! Hop on the seat and you know this car is solid. I drove one which allowed me to set the suspension to its most road-worthy setting. This vehicle cornered like my BMW. I leased it the next business day and Ive never had so much fun driving anything. The gas mileage, however, is dreadful. Id only trade it for a Porsche Cayenne; but thats about $15,000 more and the gas milage is reported to be as brutal. J. Longo Somerset County, New Jersey