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:

• 

  Love the handling of this SUV - fun to drive - 2013 Volkswagen Touareg
  By hhs2000 - January 19 - 2:55 pm

  This is my first diesel car. Boy, I love the torque. Didnt realize the modern diesel engine is so clean and quiet until I drove one. Fell in love with the diesel car. Had 1100 miles on it. With 70/30 hwy/local driving. I got avg 28 mgp. I test drove Audi Q5, MB ML350, GLK and VW Touareg. love the Q5 and Touareg. Sold on Touareg on room and power train and big fuel tank. I dont have to visit gas station as often. A full tank give me 700+ mile. I had to fill my Honda Pilot every 350 miles. I still own a 2007 Honda Pilot. Great reliable SUV. But in terms of driving experience. Honda cant compare with VW Touareg. Touareg is a Luxury SUV under a none-luxury badge. I like it.

• 

  WHOOOOOSHHHHH - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By Raman Gain - January 19 - 2:00 am

  The original Hot Hatchback and still the best. I drove a SVT Focus for a full day, then a single test drive of the GTI 1.8T was the answer. By far the most mature in this scrappy class - am I getting too old? Is enjoying full torque at 2k RPM too mature for this class? You cant beat the 4 year warranty or fuel mileage if you drive it maturely. Performance is very good, some say best in class. Turbo boost comes on strongly at 2k RPM and is smooth until PAST redline. Brakes are initially very grabby but responsive. Gearbox hates being rushed. RECOMMENDED upgrade is new diverter valve (~$140) to reduce boost-lag during shifts.

• 

  Love It ! Coooool Car - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By New Beetle Lover - January 19 - 2:00 am

  Love the car, its cute as can be! After 4 years Im still getting compliments on the look. Have had no negative problems. Some parts can be expensive, but that true on any foreign car.

• 

  Fun to drive but ... - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VWSux - January 19 - 2:00 am

  My car belt just went the other day and the cost was about $400 to replace the belt. This took 3 days, so I had to rent a car, another $100. Total cost was $500 to fix the car including rental charges. My check engine sensor has broken again for the 3rd time. Currently, the passenger side lock does not go all the way up, so I have to keep pressing unlock once or twice for it to go up all the way.

• 

  Great Car, Dealers are terrible - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By idontcareaboutuserna - January 19 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned the car over a year and have had no major problems. I am still excited to drive it. I am especcialy reminded of this when i go away a use arental. My big complaint, and this is big enought that i will not buy another, is that all VW dealers ive been to are terrible. From the time I bought it to all oil changes to simple warranty repairs or anything they are just a huge hassle. VW should look into this. No one should like their car as my as I do and not plan on ever getting another VW.

• 

  Disappointed!!! - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By BaaadJenny - January 19 - 2:00 am

  I thought I was buying a good, reliable car and ended up instead with a lemon. Its a 1.8 GLS turbo and has 21,500 miles on it. I like the look and the way it drives, but problems? Lets see...Gas door will sometimes open/close, sometimes not, trunk usually does not open with the remote or the inside switch, the screws fall out of the window levers, the drivers side window got stuck and the regulator inside the door broke, the passenger side door lock malfunctioned and had to be replaced. Shall I go on? Oh yeah, and the service from the dealer sucks!

• 

  Best Highway Driving Car Ever - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By stljk - January 18 - 3:26 pm

  This is my first VW and at the end of 4 years still love the vehicle. Its the most comfortable and fun car I have ever had for highway driving. Seats are very comfortable! Long trips are a breeze. Negatives are the parking sensors in cold or wet weather give you false beeps frequently. Navigation is terrible if you want to find something on a common street like Elm or Main. System lists every Elm St. in all cities within a state and you end up guessing which of the multiple Elms listed is the right one. No way to enter city name to narrow the list. Just hope for a unique street name.

• 

  Bad Trans. Twice. Plus other major problems - 2012 Volkswagen EOS
  By johnlaf - January 18 - 3:02 pm

  Weve had the car for about 30 of the 36 month lease. During the 30 months, car has been in the shop MORE than 60 days total (lost count). There have been 3 major oil leaks, parts failures, and the transmission needed to be repaired twice. The parts had to come from Germany. Glad we chose to lease. Cant wait to get rid of this thing.

• 

  Yes, it is fun to drive but not comfy. - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By buggy tag - January 18 - 1:53 am

  I bought the car for the fuel economy and the looks. I have a large SUV and wanted something else to run around in to save gas when I am not hauling tons of kids. I get around 29 mpg both highway 60% and city 40%. I cant get the fuel economy that is stated. I am not a lead foot either. Check this before you buy one. This car is really meant for no more then two people in terms of comfort. I would hate to take a trip in this. The seats are not comfortable at all. They need to build them like domestic seats are built here. Teens hate the back seat. Up to 13 years is O.K. but isnt comfy. Also my dash and handles are peeling the top layer already, Im not hard on vehicles.

• 

  Buyer Beware - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By heartbroken - January 17 - 11:50 am

  My beloved dream car has an engineering flaw that apparently comes to light after 60,000. The auto transmission becomes erratic clunking into gear, screeching off, staying in 2nd gear. After months and hundreds of dollars of investigation and fixes, the only cure is a valve and electronic trans. replacement to the tune of $4000-$7000. VW will not admit to any problems or pay for a fix. The government car safety website (safercar.gov) has 28 complaints registered about this issue. I would not recommend any VW product to anyone-new or used.