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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  Great Car! - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tony - August 31 - 3:20 pm

  I took my 2003 Jetta for a check up and ended up buying the 2006 model, The best thing is that VW moved the cup holders from above the radio, Now you can change stations when you have a drink in the holder. My Jettas gas mileage is great. I like the leather, power sunroof XM radio, 6 disc CD changer, and airbags galore.

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  My best car ever - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By DD - August 31 - 12:00 pm

  The 09 Jetta diesel is powerful, economical, safe, and well-built. Forget the EPA rating, youll get 40-45 MPG driving sensibly. Just note it is not a car for short-commute city drivers; stop-and-go and short commutes where the engine never warms up will cream your mileage (though you should still see mid-to-high 30s). This is a full-sized powerful sedan that handles like a luxury car but gives the same or better fuel economy than toy cars such as the Smart or any hybrid you care to name. Do yourself a favor and test-drive it.

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  Love the Wabbit - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Raymond - August 31 - 10:50 am

  Bought car expecting to like it. Didnt expect to LOVE it. I needed something cheap to insure, and was still fun and good on gas/emissions. This best fit the bill after many test drives of the competition. Couldnt be happier. Value for the buck is truly the key here.

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  20K review - I love my TDI! - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jon - August 31 - 6:33 am

  Traded my 06 Volvo S60 in June 09 for the Jetta (due to some quality issues) and couldnt be happier with the purchase. I drive ~350 miles/week, mix of highway and city, and average appr 41 mpg w/ a fairly heavy foot. My best is 47.5 on a trip from Bham to Nashville. The TDIs torque is impressive, and the turbo spool/blowoff sounds cool too! The interior is well built (even though I had an annoying rattle in the rear C- pillar, dealership fixed on 20k maint. visit). I appreciate the modest but functional interior layout. Even the sunroof is well designed! The gearbox shifts well and engages fluidly. My only beef w/ the car is the lack of option for cloth seats and the spongy brakes.

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  More Than Expected - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By bill - August 30 - 4:46 pm

  The Rabbit is a well built car with great handling and a good price. The hatchback makes this small car practical. The safety features and performance sold me on this, my second VW. So far I have been getting 25 mpg in city and 32 in mixed mostly highway driving. The car is fun to drive and I am glad that I bought it.

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  My Third GTi ... - 2012 Volkswagen GTI
  By bobatglp - August 30 - 9:36 am

  Owned a 1996 GTi (4 cyl), 2004 GTi (VR6) and now a new "left over" 2012 GTi 4-door with the DSG automatic and moonroof and nav package. A really solid, well put-together car with a great mix of style, sportiness, economy, and utility. After two cars with maual transmissions I opted for the DSG this time with no regrets. Really like the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Lots of fun. Couldnt deal with the cost of an all-wheel-drive Golf R, so I "settled" for the GTi. No regrets.

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  Jetta GLI, Better Balue than MB, BMW, and Audi - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Richard - August 30 - 7:53 am

  I will be blunt. I had a MB C320 Coupe that had nothing but electrical problems. A friend had an Audi A4. It was a great car, but expensive. My sister has a new BMW 335i, it is an excellent ride but costs $46,000 (rip off). I let all these people drive my Jetta GLI, and they all wanted to independently trade their cars in for mine. The performance is outstanding for a front wheel drive set up, the interior screams high quality, and the power at high speeds is incredible. You can read countless articles praising this car. Its a great German machine!

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  Impressed - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By fan4neil - August 29 - 4:50 pm

  This is the first German car I have owned and I have only had it for a few days. I have owned about 30 vehicles and can say that I am really excited about this one. What is cool about the Jetta is that there are little touches that make you develop an emotional attachment to the car. I love the night time illumination. Had not seen that when I bought the car so the first time.....cool! I really like the handling and the seat heaters are great. It feels like a luxury car. I got a special edition that is metallic grey with the spoiler and very nice grey rims on low profile tires. It is a looked and I love seeing it everytime I need to go somewhere. The stereo is excellent and the 5spd is fun!

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  Get out of your SUV! - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By LP - August 29 - 1:26 pm

  I recently downscaled from an Infiniti QX56, a luxurious, massive, gas guzzling beauty to a wagon? Thats right! Gas is now outrageously expensive and this wagon fit the bill. Almost as much cargo capacity as many SUVs! The Passat Wagon has awesome curb appeal and style, great gas mileage, and all of this for low 20Ks!! The 4cyl turbo engine is surprisingly peppy, fun to drive and one of the quietest cars Ive ever owned. I love the "leatherette" seats...I have two small children and these things clean up great. Both the heat and a/c are VERY strong! Great job VW! This is an Audi A4 wagon w/o the sticker shock! Awesome choice over a minivan - you know what Im talking about guys!

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  No Problem. - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Tony - August 29 - 2:40 am

  Knocking on wood here, dont want to spoil a good thing, but, this car has never seen a mechanic. Other than for scheduled services. I use synthetic oil and regular gas. Youll love Its PURRRR.