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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  Great Car - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By DaChief - December 19 - 10:00 am

  Great car- sophisticated drivetrain, top quality interior materials-i have the sport lux pkg w/17" wheels,and monsoon, loveem.

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  Great looking German coupe with solid performance - 2013 Volkswagen CC
  By black07gti - December 19 - 8:25 am

  Overall, I am very happy with the CC. Its one of the best looking cars on the road, at least compared to anything under $50K, it has a fantastic looking interior (especially mine, which has the red and black seats), and the VR6 offers strong performance. You do sacrifice a little utility, but the CC is a unique vehicle that stands apart from the sea of Accords, Camrys, etc. Its also one of the few VWs that is actually made in Germany. Ill have to see about long-term reliability though. I would say either buy the Sport or the VR6 Lux. The intermediate 2.0T models simply arent big enough upgrades to justify the price, while the VR6 adds a lot of important features.

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  DSG = Terrible Transmission - 2011 Volkswagen CC
  By cnote3 - December 19 - 5:23 am

  The DSG transmission does this car a complete injustice. There is a significant hesitation from a stop, and the shifts are jerky and unpleasant. VW couples this half-engineered transmission with an engine that has significant turbo lag - turning every city trip into a manic journey along the torque curve. Everything settles down once you get the car up to speed, making the CC an enjoyable highway car. The exterior and interior styling is fantastic, but the transmission will be a disappointment to anyone who has ever driven a well built, thoughtfully engineered car or truck from a reputable manufacturer.

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  A nice Bug - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Ally - December 18 - 9:50 pm

  The pros: Fun with top down, people love to look at it, reliable, zippy power, vinyl no dead cows to sit on, windsheild is not in your face, lots of head room. Some things that disapoint me: The stupidly short sun visor that doesnt even cover 1/4 of the window to block the sun from the side. I had to get one of those kids sun shades that suctions to the giant side window. The seats are not made for long rides or if you have any kind of back trouble. The pedals are high so if you are tall, its hard to get comfortable. I still have trouble adjusting to the seat, doesnt go back far enough. The back seat is for kids only, it has no comfort. I like the car overall but the comfort is poor. Not it is not for old people.

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  MY Jetta VR6 - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By garydragon - December 17 - 10:00 am

  Fun car to drive. Quick and responsive. Well built vehicle where every piece has a purpose and no space is wasted.

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  GLS TDI - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By anchor5072 - December 17 - 10:00 am

  Unfortunately the TDI model has not yet been recognized by Edmunds, so I am using the closest fit. I am comparing to my Audi A6, which is not fair, but considering it cost about $15K less the Passat does quite well. Very pleased with the Turbo, not only the mileage but the performance is great. I drove through a very heavy rain storm a couple of days ago, many cars sitting it out on the side of the road, but the Passat felt secure and handled quite well. Overall I highly recommend the TDI, if you can find one. Color selection has been limited, but I lucked out and got a Blue Silver with Black leather. A real beauty.

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  Still W8ing - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Gille1 - December 17 - 10:00 am

  Purchased the car as my 7th Passat and 20th VW and was looking forward to a fast and sporty ride. The car is neither. Acceeleration lag from stand still is down right dangerous and then you jump like a frog! Gas mileage is horrendous ( 12 miles in City?). Back brakes warped & replaced at 20K. Tried to sell and realized one dealer offered all remaining 2003 W8s at $8K disocunt! W8ing for a better Audi or Lexus.

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  Not a Satisfied Customer - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Margarita06 - December 17 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a 2003 new beetle in Dec. of 2002.I rated this car so low because there was a malfunction in my vehicle that caused it to "melt down"&almost caught on fire.This happened after a year of driving my car.After taking it to the dealership, they said that because the"melt down"is considered a fire, it voided the manufacture warranty.My insurance co.determined that the cause of the incident was due to a manufactures defect.After reporting this to Volkswagon America,I was told that there was nothing that could be done.I was not satisfied with the reliability of the vehicle and there is a chance that this can happen to other customers.

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  Compares with cars that cost $10K more! - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By 65dodgers - December 17 - 9:58 am

  I just bought a top of the line V-6 SEL Premium and I am loving it. I was looking for a luxury sedan with reasonable gas mileage and had driven almost everything under $45K. I was prepared to get the Cadillac ATS 2.0T Luxury with an MSRP of about $44K. I leased a new Passat for my wife back in 02 and remembered it was a reliable car so I thought I would stop at the VW dealer on my way to get the Cadillac. Needless to say I never made it to the Caddy dealer. This car blew me away with its price and performance. The ride and interior space is comparable to the Mercedes E350 or Acura RL. For less than the price of a base model Cadillac ATS, I was able to get a fully loaded Passat V-6 SEL

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  Excited about driving again - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Big man happy - December 17 - 8:20 am

  I bought this car last June 04, not too sure what to think about having a grocery getter. I had Honda Civic which was too small (6’4 frame, plus new baby), so I had nothing to lose. The room inside is much bigger than I thought; it can hold five adults comfortably with no lag on the turbo/engine. The back end is ideal for when my wife goes shopping, now she can buy more. I wish I ordered it with the bigger wheels and engine. Overall its a car that I can trust in going up to Michigan(coming from VA) in the winter or load it up for the beach.