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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  CC burns oil - 2013 Volkswagen CC
  By oldlawyer - April 29 - 7:18 pm

  I drive this car in rural and interstate highway conditions. Unlike some, I find it to be very powerful, and I think it handles very well though it is not a racing car. And it also provides excellent fuel economy. I would say that, after 21,000 miles, it has met all of my expectations while leaving me with one major disappointment: The CC burns oil. This is a quote from the owners manual: "Depending on the way the vehicle is driven and the operating conditions, oil consumption can be up to 1 quart per 1,200 miles (0.5•fiter per 1,000 km). Consumption may be higher for new vehicles during the first 3,000 mile.s (5,000 km)." I think this is absolutely no standard at all.

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  Almost there - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By clarkma5 - April 29 - 10:00 am

  When I first got this car, it was a bit of a love-hate relationship. On one hand, I loved the engine and the interior, but I hated the transmission and the handling. Now that Ive had this car for awhile I realize that the transmission does a decent job, and, despite the body roll, this thing sticks in corners quite well. The interiors just as good as day one, too, and the engines still smooth and powerful. There were a couple squeaks and rattles in the first few months that have since disappeared. I got past the window reg and coilpack recalls without a hitch...overall, my thoughts on VWs reliability and dealer service is higher than most peoples.

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  Nice car! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Badoodie - April 29 - 10:00 am

  Overall I really like this car. A bit smaller than my previous Mazda but much more fun to drive. Nice leather interior. Most importantly, my mechanic and my car insurance guy both gave it very enthusiastic thumbs up!

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  smiles! - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By henrywoody - April 29 - 10:00 am

  Beautiful Blue w/cream leather, big alloys and the perfect shape-just a lot of fun! Turbo lags a little, but kicks it just fine once it gets rolling. Top is a blast to work and seals up great. Our 11 year old has got dibs on this one for high school!

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  98 VW TDI - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By punta - April 25 - 5:51 am

  240,000 miles of saving me fuel,,,bought new for 13,9999 saved more of the purchase price in fuel saving over the past 14 years...This vech. has been great,,average.. mpg 47...orig, fuel filter,,clutch...only replaced timing belt 3,,times changed the oil every 7500 miles,,...and tires....that is it...Liability insurance and just drive it...Why over do the maintance....Dont let the dealerships take your hard earn money....Good diesel fuel goes a long ways in these motors....No interior parts have broke yet...Note this car has never been garaged... Basic Jetta tdi,,roll up windows,,5 speed,,cruise,No AC,,I live in the Northwest...Get real,,this is all anyone needs...

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  fast and smooth - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By NYC - April 24 - 9:50 pm

  Never had a VW before. Very happy so far. Unexpected power from this VR6. Very fast off the line, great cornering and smooth when cruising at highway speeds. Love the sport styled "old school" seats- extremely comfortable and roomy and Im 62". Excellent quality, fit & finish, great dash and overall cabin design. Lots of storage too.

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  2012 CC - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By jt1973 - April 23 - 3:14 pm

  2012 CC is not bad but not all about the hype. The tubo is too small for the weight of the car, however the engine combo does produce good gas mileage. spacious and road compliant. stock tires are junk. The drivers seat is not somfortable to me at all. it lacks lower stability. Around an hour and I want out of it but I can race my bike for hours. Smooth road feel solid handling. Heres how bad it hurts. only 20K on a 2012 that had around 7K on it when I bought it. Id rather drive my 94 Civic Replaced junk Airfilter with full K&N intake increased MPG and power band.

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  pretty good car - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By john101 - April 23 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive. Have had several recalls over the year Ive owned it. I dont like the turbo "lag" in hard acceleration but gas mileage is good as is performance.

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  VW could have done better - 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Hudi - April 21 - 10:00 am

  The exterior of this car is quite nice, following the the line of the Golf. The interior is very well designed and finished much better than other cars in the class. The car is much roomier than it seems, the legroom and headroom in the back is great. The seats are poorly designed without proper lumber support thats why Im rating it low. The ride is very nice, the suspension is just right. Thanks to the multilink suspension in the back, the car corners like no others. The engine is the biggest flaw of this car, its not powerful enough but the gas millage is not that great. I wonder why they didnt install a better European engine with similar power but better fuel millage.

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  So Far, So Good! - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By Spartan08 - April 21 - 10:00 am

  We have owned this van for about 3 moths now. We love everything about it except for the gas mileage. We drive about 800 miles a week so gas mileage is very important to us. We are averaging about 20 miles/gallon. When we bought this van, we were a little concerned about the quality. Especially since it is manufactured by Chrysler. The engine components and parts even have Mopar written all over them. So far we havent had any problems whatsoever. We have learned that even though it is made by Chrysler; it doesnt mean it is a Chrysler. VW has definitelly refined the comfort and style. Our 3 year old loves the entertainment center.