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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  I will NEVER buy a VW again - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By TK1 - December 26 - 10:00 am

  From day one, this car has been nothing but trouble. I fell in love with the looks (exterior/interior), but failed to research warranty and reliability. Things that happened: Exterior paint has come off in some places, had to have emergency brake cable replaced, had to have spark plug re-wiring done, had to get starter replaced (engine died), and had to have muffler replaced all under 50,000 miles. Tires didnt last long, and neither did the brake pads. Repairs have cost me $2,500 plus and dealers were not helpful. Buyer Beware...I think Ill go back to Toyotas which never gave me trouble. The new Camry we have is GREAT!

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  VW Jetta 1.8t - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Oakley - December 26 - 10:00 am

  Car was fine at first. Windows regulators break and window drops into door - $$$$$ Engine Mass Air Flow sensor a common problem. $300.00 to fix. 1.8t engine surges - Very common problem. No real fix

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  My Silver Beetle - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Janice H - December 26 - 10:00 am

  I love my Beetle and so do my grandkids!!

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  Great Little Car! - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By troy - December 26 - 12:30 am

  We have been looking into getting a new car for a while now and we were blown away by the Rabbit. The look of the interior and exterior are great and it has way more standard features than expected. There are so many little features and neat things about this car that I feel like a salesperson every time I tell someone about it! The ride is comfortable and smooth for a car its size. It has a ton of room inside to fit four people comfortably. It handles really nicely and has a lot of power. It shifts really smoothly and quickly for being an automatic and the Tiptronic is fun to have (even though I dont really use it all that often). Seriously, this is an incredibly fun car to drive!

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  Smart mans BMW M3 - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Steve S - December 25 - 2:00 am

  This car is pure German engineering. It feels, handles great. The 180hp 1.8T is the best motor Ive driven. And Ive driven lots of sports cars. For the money You cant beat this car. I paid 18144 for a 2002 GTI base package. I comes loaded without adding the 3 available packages.

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  Fahrvergnügen in a Lemon!? - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By acarr - December 25 - 2:00 am

  After a great sales experience, my Jetta promptly started to fall apart. With only 675 miles on the car, the gas door release button fell into the door panel and the gas sensor was bad. I took it into the dealer, with it only to happen again 3 days after picking it back up with 1218 miles. Not only could I not put gas in the car (there is no manual release), I didnt know how much gas I had left! VW Cust. Service called the service dealership to where I was to be towed and they could not see me for TWO DAYS! I was stuck! Now, with only 1920 miles, the malfunction light on the dash is on signifying an engine fault. Three separate defects in under 2000 miles? Is this acceptable to VW?

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  VR6 - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Flash - December 25 - 2:00 am

  I bought a GLS VR6 over a year ago and I love it. I havent found a better car under $40k.

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  So Unhappy With This Car!!! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VW Sucks - December 25 - 2:00 am

  2000 Jetta GLS-worst car I have ever owned.W/in 2 months of purchase,had problems w/ gear shift,couldnt get car out of park: had to get it flatbed towed.>1 yr after purchase,brake lights remained on even w/ key out of the ignition. >1.5 yrs after purchase, engine simply died while I was driving in traffic. >2 yrs after purchase, front right window malfunctioned.Dealer said problem was so common,part was on national backorder.I asked courtesy driver from the service dept about problems hed seen:doesnt sound like VW has fixed newer yr models either.Now I received a recall notice regarding emissions and fuel efficiency.Unbelieveably,unacceptably unreliable car.Stay away at all costs!!!

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  Best Ive Ever Had.... - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By 858792 - December 24 - 12:03 pm

  This SUV incredible. Basically, this vehicle is OVER-engineerd and UNDER-priced.

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  Solid but Quirky - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By kickice - December 24 - 10:43 am

  Harsh ride. Passenger side windshield rippled, distorting view. AM reception terrible, releasing brake pedal make whine from speakers for a few seconds. Turning sharp often changed radio stations. Low profile, tough exiting when parked beside curb. Frameless windows pop down when unlocking. Auto close and they "try" to open when grabbing handle often the window dont drop quick enough snapping the glass. Bad on motors. Surprised to find such a classy car to have suck rinky hangers low on the seatbelt guides, long garments lay in floorboard. AC vents are tiny and positioned poorly, cannot aim lower then around chest level. Moisture formed low inside of windshield, defrosters couldnt get to.