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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  Excellent value - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Dom - April 6 - 5:40 am

  Absolutely one of the best automotive values available today. I considered Audi A4, Acura TL, BMW 325xi, Jaguar X-type, Volvo S60 AWD and bought a better car for less $. Best kept secret out there - I have a wolf (sports car) in sheeps (family car) clothing with a wonderful touch of luxury. I have 5k miles on the car and zero problems.

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  Great value - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Larry - April 6 - 3:53 am

  Except for the MPG youd never guess its a diesel. Has a lot going for it. Ride, dry road handling, seat comfort, fit/finish all great. Good pick-up once turbo is engaged. People have mistaken it for a BMW - good looking car. I have driven trucks for years and got tired of the gas bill. I am really pleased with this terrific car.

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  Great for the first 3-4 years... - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By BigK - April 6 - 2:00 am

  Nearly problem free for about 3.5 years, but then a variety of SMALL issues came up: bad O2 sensor, belt tensioner, lights on dash burned out, etc. Various things that are annoyances, but dont affect the cars driving.

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  Late Blooming LEMON - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By joan Vanderhor - April 6 - 2:00 am

  For 3 years, the Passat performed admirably, best car Id had. Loved it 6 months ago, mechanical problems developed, valve and gaskets, replaced heater core,2 temperature sensors, clutch, rear brakes, coolant system, engine mount, tie rods, 4 tires,(3rd set of tires)hoses, and much more. My car has been in the garage for a month now, and it cannot be fixed by them or the 2 super expert techs who go to dealerships to deal with difficult problems. What to do?

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  Fun Jetta VR6 - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JediOrder - April 6 - 2:00 am

  Great car to drive, no problems asides from replacing a sensor that made egine ligh go on. Oh, reaplced back light bulb.

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  VW Turbo GLS-Bad Resale Value - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Rob Tarbell - April 6 - 2:00 am

  excellent power, but continual mechanical problems which will cause lots of trips to dealer for repairs. Sold vehicle due to continual problems & resale value was extremely low... Car was purchased for $23k and the best bid out of 9 wholsalers was $16. If you purchase this car, you had better plan on keeping it for 4 years or more to offset low resale.

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  Atlas SE w/Tech R-Line - 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
  By Jaymo - April 3 - 9:56 am

  Not our first VW and were impressed with the Atlas overall. Highlights include superior infotainment (native and Android Auto) and user interface, excellent lighting everywhere (interior and exterior), simplistic and elegant interior design, roomy as hell for 7, superior ride quality, and sporty looks. The not-so-great: engine often feels a bit eager to provide too much power at lower speeds, keyless entry is uber-sensitive and will not work as expected if fob is in denim pockets or the wifes purse, gas tank a bit smallish for SUV this size. Otherwise its an impressive SUV and we receive compliments all the time. If youre into lights (e.g. DRLs, LEDs, etc.) this is the SUV for you as VW apparently has a thing for it. It stands on its own without trying to imitate Audi whatsoever. The brakes on this thing are impeccable and features like remote-start were standard. VWs got a home run with Atlas.

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  Very Cool Car! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Scott from Vegas - April 2 - 10:23 am

  This car has been pretty great. The engine and driving performance are the kicker for me. Down shift with the steering wheel padles and youre gone. Dynaudio radio is awesome. Great options, seat memory function, parking sensors, turning headlights and side lights for cornering are great. Fit and finish inside could be tighter, in most new VWs I sit in at the dealer they seem to have a tighter interior. The AC is a little weak, and the NAV system is kinda hard to use quickly. I had a few issues with the transmission that were fixed by the dealer under warranty, but nothing major. Got 42K on it now and Im only upset cuz they dont offer the 3.6 in the Passat anymore.

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  2012 VW Passat Quality Issues Are Piling Up! - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By prospective - April 1 - 5:38 pm

  I have had all kinds of minor quality problems with my 2012 Passat... I love the car but VW doesnt do a whole lot to rectify these issues: 1. Seatbelt light and chimes even though my seatbelt is fastened and Im the only person in the car. VWs lame excuse is that my cell phone is emitting electromagnetic waves that are setting the seatbelt light and chimes off. VW told me not to charge my cell phone in the car and not to get my phone too close to any of the seats. LAME! 2. Front end suspension noise. I has to bring my car in to the dealer twice before they admitted the right front suspension was defective. I had to put the tech guy in my car and roll over speed bumps at low speed before he admitted there was a defect. They have since rectified the problem. 3. Drivers door. The drivers door doesnt close unless you slam it like you are angry. The door should close properly with just the weight of the door. The VW tech told me "You know, everything on a new car doesnt actually work perfectly." Another LAME! 4. Rear trunk lid. Same problem with the rear trunk lid not closing unless you slam it like you are angry. There are scratches on the inside lid latch that show the latch is not aligned properly. Tech response, "All VWs are like this." A third LAME! 5. My brakes squeek in the morning. Eveyday, when leaving my house, my brakes squeek. Tech guy: "Due to the high humidity in the Hawaiian Islands, its normal for VW brakes to squeek in the morning." Huh, Ive leased Hondas for the last 14 years and never had squeeky brakes before. This must be a VW Issue? One more time: LAME!

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  2011 jetta tdi nightmare - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By davey_dcgr - March 31 - 2:34 pm

  here is a list of issues. passenger door does not close right scratches car they told me it was fine but it is obviously not i bought door sills to protect it from more scratches for 200 dollars just for the door to destroy it! its all on that one door so its the car bad wind noise bluetooth has been replaced 3 times and if you are listening to music then get a call the phone disconnects. antenna fixed 1 time. deliverd with paint issues witch had to go to the body shop for and had wrong media system. cheap interior gps has had to be checked twice. engine part was recalled exaust tips were recalled sun roof sometimes wont close have to fiddle with it with warenty 40grand not worth it