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 <3 my Jetta - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jsqaured - December 17 - 4:10 am

  I purchased this car used in April 2009 with 14k mileage. Ive put about 11k on it since then and LOVE the car! I test drove so many cars from Civic, Corolla, Prius and Hyundai. I didnt want a jetta due to reliability concerns - but I decided to test drive one for fun and FUN it was!! This car is solid, I feel very safe and for the same price point as the others, it wasnt a comparison. The other cars felt like cheap plastic compared to this! I have no complaints about it after over a year. Well, gas mileage, but I knew that would be lower and I only put 10k miles/yr tops on my car anyway, so it wasnt a big issue for me.

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  Just bought it - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By sunnybeach - December 16 - 1:34 pm

  Picked the 2013 Passat SEL TDI premium up at VW of Beaumont last night. Paid 29.9k before taxes 32.2k with taxes and dealer fees. 0% Financing! Wife drove it 95 miles back to Humble Texas and was very impressed with the ride, comfort and features. Most of which she does not know how to use yet! We ran 75-80 most of the way home and registered 43.2 avg mpg for that trip! Drove it at 65 for a stretch and the instant mpg was reading 48.4 consistantly! I am 63" 265 lbs and the seating fit me very well. My wife is 54" 125 lbs and the seating fit her very well too. I rode in the back seat for a spell and found that it has plenty of room for a big tall person like myself.

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  Performance without pretension - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By JTi - December 16 - 1:46 am

  I have owned and driven a lot of different cars over the past 27 years, from true two-seater sports cars to sport/lux sedans. So take that into account when I say that this car is flat out a blast to drive! I live in an area where everyone has (or wants) a BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, etc., and being one to never be comfortable following the crowd, I took the advice of Car and Driver and Edmunds and gave the GTI a spin. Great little car inside and out. I opted to bloat the price by loading it up with everything but nav, but it was well worth it. More sophisticated drive than the the MazdaSpeed3 with comparable performance and better looks (IMO).

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  So fun its crazy... - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By BugBot - December 15 - 7:16 pm

  This car is so fun to drive. The turbo rocks - people expect you to putter along because youre in a bug and you leave them in the dust every time. Its incredible in bad weather. Right after I bought it, I was driving in a downpour that was so bad that people were pulling over and I didnt even need the wipers! The windshield is like an airplane and all the water just blows off, and the wide wheel base is really stable. It corners like a BMW. I love it!

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  Awesome - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By melissa - December 15 - 4:20 pm

  Well I guess I have to say that I will never own anything other than a VW, so I am a little biased, but my new Rabbit is awesome. I just love it. The only downside is that they dont come as a diesel or have a good input plug for an iPod. I would recommend this car to anyone who wants a great car for a low cost.

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  Amazing car even after 60K miles - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Jiten - December 15 - 12:36 pm

  Today is the 2 year anniversary of my rabbit. I am in sales so Ive put a ton of miles on it already...try 60K. I still get excited getting into the car even 2 years later. This was my first german car after owning pontiacs, chevy (mini van), mercury (villager), honda (prelude and fit), Nissan Sentra, Geo Prizm, Daewoo Nubira and Mazda Protege. Honestly this little rabbit is a whole notch above any of my previous cars. It is so solid, buttoned down and feature rich that nothing else comes close for the price. I had considered the Mazda 3 and Scion Xb but the moment I test drove the Rabbit I was totally hooked. The Germans really know how to make fantastically engineered cars. BUY ONE!!

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  premature infatuation - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By busyworkinmom - December 15 - 11:40 am

  Me thinks I bought too quickly. After 3 previous VW purchases (over the 7 cars in my past), and a nice test drive, I thought I was making a wise purchase. After less than 3K miles, and 90 days, I am regretting this selection. V-6 does NOT have enough power - shame on VW for thinking so, and asking 5K more for a V8. Quirky and tempermental electrical system (numerous warning lights coming and going w/ no resolve from the dealer - YET). Interior trim peeling on driver door (yuck,did I buy a KIA)?! Cant sell it for what I owe- feel I have a middle of the road car at a high-end price - as I expected much more from VW and much more in a 40K car. Hope VW is listening (this may be my last VW)

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  Last one for me - 2000 Volkswagen GTI
  By no more gtis - December 15 - 10:00 am

  The car was great until 10k miles. I have had the windows regulator replaced 4 times and the car now has only 40k miles. VR6 is a killer engine, too bad the rest of the car sucks. Looking at the consistent problems with the GTIs from the other reviews, this will be the last one that I purchase

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  So far, so good! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By California girl - December 15 - 10:00 am

  I have only had this car for a few months now, but so far I love it! Maybe VW has improved on this car since 2000? Either way, it drives smoothly, is very comfortable (even on long trips), has great power, is a good size for the amount of interior space you get (its only 4 inches longer than the sedan), and is a nice looking car - inside and out. Relatively good gas mileage on the freeway (~32 mpg), only so/so on streets (~24 mpg - typical for a V6 engine though). The manual trans. V6 wagon is the only Jetta manufactured in Germany also, so thats a plus! I definitely recommend it.

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  2003 GL Wagon 1.8L Manual - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By philzone - December 15 - 10:00 am

  Very happy with my purchase overall. Unfortuately, one wheel was unbalanced by 2.5 oz. when I drove it off the lot, but did not notice until I was on the interstate. Initial gas mileage is not quite as good as expected, perhaps more time will tell. Also was extremely difficult to find as a 5-speed manual, but I eventually got what I wanted after waiting till 2003 models. Excellent and responsive engine and tight suspension, with the cargo room I was looking for without buying an SUV or minivan.