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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  007 - 2000 Volkswagen GTI
  By 007 - November 2 - 2:00 am

  I have never owned VR6. I was quite impressed by its performance, luxuries looks and comfort ability. I have read many reviews on this car and it seem to have repeated failure in windows, rattling and other minor thing that speaking for my self are failures that could happen to any car. Although I have been lucky so far (knock on wood) 40k+ and only had a problem with side air bag. As far as the tape player goes and the complaints I read, people that is just ridiculous. So you got a tape player it’s a good thing not a bad thing. Any ways the car handles great for what it is, breaks are good enough.

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  Steer Clear of VW - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By discovery06 - November 2 - 2:00 am

  I regret even leasing this car. I leased it when vw only included a standard 2-year warranty, and I ended up absorbing over $3,500 in repair costs in my final year of driving it. Based on the numerous mechanical and electrical problems this car had, its no wonder you can get a 4-year plan for all ov vws current models. This car was an absolute nightmare so was the dealers service department. Although, under warranty, the automatic transimmison had to be replaced twice in 2-years! To its credit, it looks good, and feels great on the highway, but all that glitters isnt gold. This was my second and last Passat and vw for that matter. Good ridance!

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  VW TDI - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By Mahmoud Itani - November 2 - 2:00 am

  I am very pleased with VW Golf TDI

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  Awsome - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Greg DiCesare - November 2 - 2:00 am

  I put on 1,500 kms per week and this vehicle now has close to 17,000 kms. Trouble free and the 4Motion, especially here in Canada really comes in handy. -20 celcius this morning, just get in, start and go. The heated hides are a nice touch as well. I love this car...way more than the 02 Maxima I had previous.

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  Lemon - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By CDL - November 2 - 2:00 am

  Within 6 mos of ownership: the drivers side window fell into the door and the drivers side tail light burnt out, suspension started making creaking noises, coil pack went out, computer burnt up, sub-frame bolts were stripped and needed to be replaced, as well as other parts on the suspension. Been to dealer 6 times to correct creaking noises, but to no avail. Vehicle has spent more time in service in the past 3 mos than Ive seen it-total of about 40 days. Not my idea of reliability. Appalled by the level of rudeness received from the VW Customer Service Department.

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  Love my 3.6 - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Halavais - November 1 - 3:00 pm

  This is my second new VW, and I am very happy with it. I was considering a number of other cars (the TL, a Lexus, an A4, and a BMW), but this one was easily the best, especially if you, like me, want a little bit of extra room. Its gotten a lot of compliments in terms of looks, but really it is a wolf in sheeps clothing. Fun to just drop the hammer sometimes. As an aside, I drive mostly on highways, and at, um, excessive speeds :) and my mileage is a bit above the 26 MPG listed here.

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  Squash the bug - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By franko - November 1 - 1:06 pm

  Very very expensive for a car of this low quality. Got rid of it after 25k miles, the single worst quality car I have ever owned. Transmission problems, AC problems, electrical problems, cup holder broke and spilled a slurpee on the floor. First of all it seems that every part of this car is built with the bare minimum of material. And to make it worse seems to have been assembled by kindergarten dropouts. By the way the old ones were not much better but at least they were cheaper. You are better off with a korean car or american car.

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  2007 Volkswagen GTI - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By chris - November 1 - 1:00 am

  I have had a GTI for many years, including the MKIV and recently the MKV. The 2.0T motor is extremely powerful, much more so than the 1.8T was. The DSG transmission makes a world of difference.

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  Junk!!! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Watson - October 31 - 9:43 am

  I wish I could rate this thing lower than a 1 on reliability. Tire PSI warning system, updates etc... It drinks gas and it is ALWAYS in the shop. I didnt even make it home the 1st day before I had to take it back for the Tire Warning System, and it has not gotten any better. Should you be on a first name basis with ALL of the service writers BEFORE THE FIRST OIL CHANGE!! Shame on you VW, shame on you for selling me this junk car and not even making a concerned effort to fix the monster you created! This will be my last VW ever.

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  Happy new owner - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By flyerbry - October 30 - 11:33 pm

  There is no such thing as the perfect vehicle as every design is a compromise but the Jetta TDI is unique in that it gets terrific mileage while being fun to drive. The rush of turbo power from the diesel is very satisfying and the range makes filling up almost fun. For those with bluetooth issues try a different phone; address book works on some and not on others. Mine is Windows Mobile 6.5 and it works fine. It will pair with up to 7 phones and the most recent paired phone gets used first so pair the main drivers phone last. Steering wheel controls available on the TDI are great and cooled (large) glove box and AC plug in back seat are a nice touch.