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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  Love the car, hate the MPG! - 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By glassdish - October 29 - 10:26 pm

  Purchased the Tiguan because my elderly dad was finding the Jetta too low, so we decided to get a compact SUV. We love the VWs European styling and handling. My 2010 Jetta got about 20 MPG combined. Based on sticker I expected that I would get at least 20 maybe 21 MPG combined with the Tiguan, the dealer kept telling me after break in period I would get better mileage, well it has been about 6000 miles, so is it broken in??? I like the car but if knew i was only going to get 18 MPG I would have purchased the CRV, Mazda, or any of the others. They are all fine.

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  CUTE! But a Dream down the hole... - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By skuzziboi1 - October 29 - 4:52 pm

  Okay so I have been a Beetle fan for as long as I can remember, I bought myself a 2005 VW BEETLE BI COLOR ED! I was so stoked, it was black and maroon, most def an eye turned. It was very fun to drive and had all the bells and whistles except for a turbo. Anywho, after hitting 90k the Tranny started to give me problems, I was determined to keep my car but sadly had to trade it in to obtain the most for its value while it still had value. It became so scary to drive, I would stall at stop signs or traffic lights, some days I would forget I had issues all together because some days it would be perfectly fine and other days it would act up. And yes this is the tranny..... Please dont buy

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  Will never buy VW again - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By vwfamily - October 27 - 2:16 pm

  I bought this beautiful car because of its great exterior design, mixture of audi parts, and the reliability that we have had with vw cars for the past 3 decades. That being said..what a terrible mistake it was to buy this car. The check engine light came on between EVERY oil change. It was so bad that I sold the car only months after completely paying it off. The past 3 months included a $2,000 repair because of a bad sensor...yes, a sensor. The sensor was built into the steering column and the entire column had to be replaced. A month later, bad gas hose valve..$300. A month later, another bad valve..$300. Not to mention the other repairs covered by vw. Terrible car..just terrible

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  ? - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By goodril - October 26 - 10:00 am

  Within 1st year had to have all breaks & rotors etc replaced. Faulty from factory instal. 2nd year water leaking into back psgr floor - faulty pollen filter housing. 3rd year water leaking again from roof - clogged sunroof drains + mechanic noticed pollen filter housing not correctly fixed from year before. Had to have rug & padding replaced 3 times.

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  Been in shop 3x in 2 mos. no accident - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Cat - October 24 - 4:40 pm

  I purchased this car used at 35K and its been in the shop 3x in the last 2.5 months with engine issues, key fob issues, fuse went, and suspension issues. The car has never been in a prior accident and never one with me since I purchased it. Ill never get another VW. Plan to trade this car in by end of year if these problems keep occurring, as I suspect they will.

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  Migraine - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By George - October 24 - 6:30 am

  I purchased the car with 96K and now have 133K. Repairs so far include: timing chain & belt clutch all 4 window regulators struts, ball joints, control arms - entire suspension AC all hoses sparkplugs now Im looking at fixing the heater core, which is ~ $700. Also worth noting the radio gets minimal reception, CD player died soon after purchase, electronics are quirky (turn volume down and it goes up), cruise control doesnt work. When theres nothing wrong with the car it drives fine and is fun, but the maintenance is horrible, and I take it to the best and cheapest shop around (Black Forest Industries). Probably put in ~$5K in 40K miles/2.5 years (paid 5600). Never buying a VW again

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  2001 Volkswagen EuroVan - 2001 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By euronut - October 23 - 9:33 pm

  My 2001 Volkswagen EuroVan is a performer and fun to drive. We tow a boat with it and take long road trips. For traveling, you cant beat it. The reliability is poor and the repair costs are higher than most cars with the standard brake job costing $800. You should factor a 30% increase on repairs for Eurovan over a Golf or a Jetta. They are hard to work on and parts are scarce.

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  Love it - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Chance - October 23 - 7:03 pm

  I bought this car not too long ago with only 70,000 miles on it, I got it from a dealership and I am not to certain about the owner/owners before me but since Ive had it Ive put about 7000 miles on it. I have been putting 93 octane in it and synthetic oil and it runs excellent. Just as you would expect a German engineered car to run. I always hear mixed reviews about VWs and it has led me to believe that when it comes to a VW the car gods either smile upon you or curse your every step. I am lucky enough to have found one that has such low mileage for its age and still runs superbly.

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  GTI Over-rated and Over-priced - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By RP - October 23 - 1:23 am

  German engineering is over rated...The new DSG paddle shifting automatic transmission was a problem. On 3 occasions, the transmission refused to go from reverse to drive. The "D" symbol had a flashing box over the letter and would not engage. Everyday for two years when putting the car in drive it would take 5 or more seconds to engage a gear. Numerous trips to VW service was a waste of time despite describing the problem in detail the issue was never solved. Paint quality is poor, clear coat over the black paint would chip off, starting on the roof. Flaws in the paint job from day one we. Front seats were too narrow between the bolsters, uncomfortable. Very poor dealership support!!

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  2003 gti - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By surfguy - October 22 - 2:00 am

  Mine is a 2003 GTI 1.8turbo. I hope I have the new metal window regulators, and the new "j" type coil packs. For people reading this if I have the two items listed above I would give this car a 10!. GTI 2002 and earlier have had so many issues with these two problems. Infact I believe VW is doing what they call "a silent recall" regarding these issues. But the good news is....even if it does break your still under warranty right ! Bad news is...will they have the part ? So my overall score would be a 8.5 . Fun to drive, good looks, handles good for stock, fast even un-chipped, and a new better longer warranty from vw starting for the 2002 and up modles.