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:

• 

  Dont miss my BMW - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By marmil - February 8 - 9:40 pm

  I recently traded in my 2001 BMW 525i for a Jetta GTI. Yes you do give up some drivetrain smoothness with the diesel, however the gas mileage is amazing. The interior of the VW has better ergonomics than the BMW and the quality of materials is surprisingly good. I hope the reliability of the VW will be better than the BMW. It seems that problems begin to develop in BMWs after 40,000 miles.

• 

  Nice Car - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lapdog - February 7 - 10:00 am

  In Returning from Europe I was searching for a new dependable fuel saving small car. First choice was the 80 MPG VW Lupo, not available in the US! Not many choices to choose from in the U.S. when it comes to fuel saving cars. I looked at cheaper makes, bragging in their adverts of getting 30 MPG. I don’t consider this very good for a 4 cyl. I settled for the Jetta TDI. This is a nice car I still avg 48 MPG. Hwy 65 MPH its around 55 MPG. I have had 3 problems; 1st the pass. window came un attached. 2nd & 3rd the Turbo and Mass air flow had to be replaced. All fixed by warrenty. Current 70000 mi.

• 

  No Regrets - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By kaigoss69 - February 7 - 5:00 am

  I bought this car as a family car (2 adults, 2 young kids) to replace our Honda Pilot. I must say I was very leary about getting rid of the bigger Pilot, mainly because of the loss in cabin and trunk space, but I have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of trunk space the Jetta offers, and interior space, especially in the back seat, is sufficient for our needs. The 2005 model offers a lot of "bells and whistles" standard that do not come standard in the 2006 model, and thats the main reason I went with an 05. The interior design and build quality are superb. The car is built like a rock. The ride is nice and sporty, acceleration is decent. Gas mileage is 20 C / 32 H after 700 miles.

• 

  No More VWs for Me! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Ellyn - February 6 - 4:53 pm

  My Passat has had so many malfunctions and about 15 trips to the service dept. The ignition coil melted, which put my car out of commission for over a week. The low tire pressure light comes on often. After I filled all 4 tires with the recommended 33PSI,the light went out for 1 day and came back, I called the dealership, they told me they like to see 40 PSI, so I did. Still light trouble. I continued to call and they told me maybe the sensor has not yet registered and to drive my car for a few days to see if it goes out. Nope and then I was stranded on the road because the tire blew to pieces! Short story,the tire pressure regulator was defective. VW did not want to be responsible. VW rude!

• 

  A little German car feeling - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Manuel L. - February 6 - 2:20 am

  I purchased this 2012 as a CPO with 30k miles on it and have 57k now after one year of primarily interstate driving. So far I have only had oil changes every 10k miles and a broken drive belt replaced under warranty. The car required a set of new tires at 52k and brakes are still like new. The interior has a cheap feeling for a German car but thats OK for the price of a Korean car. Leatherette is very durable and comfortable. I chose the 2.5 engine with 6 speed auto transmission because this combination appears to be very reliable. I dont see why people buy the TDI with diesel being more expensive than gas in the United States. In Europe it is the other way around. I wish I had a Jetta with a hatch but actually the sedan is very roomy inside out. Can highly recommend this car so far and plan to drive it up to 100k or until problems appear. MPG is not as good as all the 4 cylinders around but it does feel more like a 6 cylinder.

• 

  Dont buy the wagon - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jill - February 3 - 7:40 am

  Fast and sporty with all the bells and whistles, but not reliable. I bought it used and in a year it has been in the shop 4 times. It has less than 50k miles. The interior is great and very well made. Has room for 2 adults, a baby, 2 dogs and luggage for a week. But if you dont want to end up stranded, dont buy one.

• 

  Great fun-to-drive automobile - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Patrick - February 3 - 7:06 am

  I have been driving for more than two years and this is my favorite car. The authentic volkswagen sound, the internal computer, and the comfort level are amazing. The ECU could use some work however as it limits the revs and it changes the shifting pattern too often (due to adaptive transmission). The winter driving is ok as long as you do not give it too much gas, and you can even drop it down into 1st or second gear for better stability and torque. The flaws I do not agree with are the window motors, as they wear out quite easily. The O2 sensors go quite quickly as well, we have had the car for about 8 years and it has gone through over 14 O2 sensors. The handling is very good on turns.

• 

  Overall, A Good Little Car - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By punch_bug1020103 - February 1 - 2:06 pm

  At first glance, I thought this car was cute, but would not perform well. I then proceeded to test drive it. There I got my first taste of its "spunkiness". Its acceleration is a little slow, but it is adequate. The interior is very well designed, except for the cup holders locations. I think the indigo glowing gauges are cute. The room from the front seats is quite bigger than one might think. However the rear seats are cramped. Mechanically, this car is designed well. I personally love the transmission, and its gear ratios. I find that the ratios come in handy on hills when the car doesnt roll back for an automatic. Overall, I think that this car is great; it turns heads.

• 

  Love/hate relationship with this $-pit - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jeanne - February 1 - 8:30 am

  I love everything aesthetically and performance-wise about this car. But I HATE the repair bills. Last year it cost me $4K in total repairs, and more this year. Ive always been good about oil changes and general maintenance, but man o man it got expensive after 100K miles. Tie rods, ball joints, brakes, O2 sensors (and there are a lot of them), catalytic converter. Engine light NEVER goes off. Now it wont pass inspection without $1800 more in repairs and Id rather spend money on a newer car than old, so Im saying good bye (and sadly, good riddance) to the first car I ever truly loved. Must say Im getting a decent trade in allowance from a VW dealer. No one else wants to touch it!

• 

  Love this Turbo Jetta 1.8 - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Keiffer - January 31 - 2:46 pm

  They shouldnt have stopped making this Jetta GLI. Those who got the last of the 2005 Jetta before the new one came out are a lucky bunch. I was very relunctant to buy a Jetta after owning an Audi, Infiniti, and Acura but after test driving the Jetta GLI Turbo, I was sold. Its performance matches the Audi A4 quattros which we still own. Its turbo engine makes it very quick taking off especially when you put it in the tiptronic (5 speed automatic) mode. My only complaint is the seats - although they are sporty and they make for a fun ride manuevering curves, I still miss the luxury of my leather seats. But thats just me - Im sure many are happy with the Recaro sport seats.