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 - If you can afford it - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Vee-Dub - February 28 - 7:20 am

  Ill just add my voice to the many other reviews saying the same thing. Its a wonderful vehicle--its just prohibitively expensive to maintain. My story: between October 2007 and May 2008, Ive repaired/replaced the alternator, A/C hoses & drier, CV boot, brakes, timing belt and water pump, major tune-up, and several other items. In total: about $5300. The primary reason for this cost is labor, in fact, about 55-60% of every repair is labor. I believe this exorbitant cost stems primarily from the fact that they have to practically dismantle the front of the car to access anything. In short, this car is for you if you dont mind pouring truckloads of money into it to keep it running.

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  New Owner - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By excalibur4 - February 27 - 7:35 pm

  Just took delivery of a new Jetta 2.0 6 speed auto. Almost canceled the booking after doing my research and reading all the negative reviews on this car! Was concerned especially on the power output of only 115bhp compared to the Civic or even the City. But since using it for almost 2 weeks, the power delivery is good and unbelievable for an "outdated engine model". I reckon the engineers at VW did a good job. Bottom line, read the reviews from the end user who use it day to day instead of the pros who may test drive it for a couple of hours and form an opinion!

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  Good Car, Bad Electronics - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By ncskibum - February 27 - 6:16 pm

  I love the way the Volkswagen Beetle handles. The seats are infinitely adjustable and the steering wheel tilts and telescopes. Everyone can find a comfortable position. Add to all that, the 45 mpg around town that it gets and there should be no more to say. However, VW electronics are trash. Everything links into one central processing unit so if there is a problem with a door lock, the car may decide not to go! I typically spend $500 on non-routine maintainence items a year. Routine maintainence adds another $400 - 600. I am starting to do more of my own service as an effort to save money and keep my Bug rolling down the highway.

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  A great car, but needs TLC - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Passat 1.8T wagon - February 27 - 10:00 am

  We bought it brand new off the boat from Germany, and we still love the car at 75,000 miles. These cars do require a little extra appreciation of the engineering and sophistication of the 1.8 turbo four with its low speed torque and light weight. Previously, we owned 3 Toyota Camrys, which also required more repairs as they got older. VW and both local dealers have been good about recall notices and anticipating problems. I started using synthetic oil changes at 5000 miles when VW offered the 80,000 mile warranty, and I think it protects during cold starts and gives a little better mileage, despite the extra cost.

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  2010 CC Sport owner for 1 yr - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By CCGirlnj - February 27 - 10:00 am

  I completely agree with the review posted by Chris on 9/20/10 (see below). I have now owned this car for one year and Im here with an update. I still love this car for its sleek looks and fuel economy. BUT, I really hate it for its harsh ride and excessive road noise. The frameless doors are cool but annoying, especially when they freeze up in the winter and dont lower as they should to allow you to get in. They also cause too much wind noise on windy days. The car also makes some rattling sounds on rough roads. It feels underpowered at low speeds. Next time I would consider a Ford or Buick simply for better noise insulation and smoother ride. The keys on CCs keyfob are also hard to push.

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  The original pocket rocket! - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By drblptq - February 26 - 2:08 pm

  I bought this car new in late 2001 as a 2002 model. This was my second GTI, the first a 1985 built in Westmoreland PA. I bought it to rekindle some memories of my youth I suppose, and was a wonderful toy! It was black, tan leather, 5 speed stick, sunroof, monsoon sound system, 17 alloys! I babied this car and only drove it on the weekends, and it was a blast. There were some recalls, the coils and the power window lifters, but all handled under warranty.

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  Its German - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By RedBull59 - February 24 - 12:23 am

  Having been w/ my parents when they bought this new, I have watched my dad and myself change the oil every 5000 miles, and will say you MUST use synthetic, i use castrol synthetic, and I have never had the majority of problems these people speak of, after coming from an old s-10 and porsche 944 the lights shine bright for me, and I have never had oil sludge. I replaced the timing belt, but that was preventive maintenance, and the fuel system has never given me a problem. I did have to replace the idle regulator, but its whatever. This car has been great for my parents, and now me, it has taken numerous cross country trips, and never given us a problem. I would highly recommend a VW.

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  Road Beast - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By JimboJones - February 23 - 2:00 am

  Heres the story, this rig is not really about refined elegance, so if thats what youre looking for try a Lexus RX. It makes a lot of noise under throttle. Mine has a big V8 (the only one worth getting since the v6 is a DOG), and you can hear it all the time. Its fast, and pretty, but not totally nimble and quiet. Solid too, without loosing all road feedback.

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  Do not buy 2005/6 TDI unless cam has been replaced - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vwexfan - February 21 - 1:26 am

  I own two VW TDI Jettas from new a 2006 and a 2010... Both have issues... I’m anal retentive on the maint and always go to dealer until warranty is over then I do it myself but always buy all my parts etc from the dealer... My 2006 has 168k km on it and the camshaft is pooched… VW Canada gave me a $400 credit towards a $4k+ repair bill… I just snickered and said can you spell the word Toyota… I love the car… like the dealership… I have owned 4 VW diesels each with over 400K on them with never an issue… I think you are seeing VW’s goal to be the #1 manufacture and lots of short cuts… After 20 plus years of good value I guess I need to find another path… DO not buy any 2005/6 TDI’s they all have this problem with the cam… it is a manufacturing issue… the hardness in the cam was never right on them… all of them will fail sub 200k… I personally know of 4 all between the 160-190k mark…

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  A great car - dont expect performance - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By hamfit - February 18 - 10:00 am

  The Golf is a really super car. My Tdi is my third VW in about 10 years and my second MkIV Golf, my first being a turbo GTI. The tdi is an excellent engine, with great torque, smooth performance and a great sound. Expect longer warm-up times (get heated seats) and rough running when cold. Understand that diesel engines are different creatures than gas engines; to get the reliability and durability diesels are known for, be ready to religiously replace filters, buy good diesel, use additives and be a hands-on driver. The diesels are by no means drive and forget, similar to Jap cars. tdiclub.com!