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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  Nice Car, but - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By VW_in_ny - November 28 - 12:43 am

  Still a nice car after 2 yrs and 40,000 miles. Car brought in for 40,000 mile service, rear break pads were worn and I was shocked to find pads and rotors need to be replaced as same time. Im used to honda & toyota & subaru where the front breaks do the work (and need service) and the rear breaks can be pretty much ignored.

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  Lovin the V DUB - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Beav - November 27 - 11:06 pm

  This is my second VW and Im very impressed with the looks, performance, and features in my perffecta model Jetta. It was a great value at a total of $21,000 (including $4000 off because it was last years model) with Sirius, 6 disc cd changer, alloy wheels, euro style lights, spoiler and leather seats, plus the dealer added heated seats and a sunroof. It drives very smooth and handles well, and can very easily reach high speeds without realizing it. I drive it 100 miles for work every day, and drove it on vacation for 12 hours, with 3 people in it, and it is pretty comfortable to ride in.

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  We love this car! - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By big harry - November 27 - 7:43 pm

  38 - 40 on a long trip. Stick shift is smooth. Lots of leg and headroom. Best car Ive ever owned. Far superior to my 91 Passat.

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  Musician VW Rabbit Choice! - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By MikeAcoustic - November 27 - 6:23 pm

  I overall love this vehicle. I perform as a one man show acoustic music all over within 150 mile radius and use this vehicle to get me and all my equipment safely there. I love taking this vehicle on road trips; it is reliable and easy to park anywhere and fully functional in maneuvering. I have taken several photos that hold the equipment in totality, amazing!

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  LoveMyJetta! - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By LoveMyJetta! - November 27 - 12:46 pm

  I purchased my car used a year ago with 22,000 miles on it. I was reluctant about buying a used vehicle, but needed something inexpensive and good on gas for my long commute to work. My jetta now has over 57,000 miles on it and has NOT let me down! The car is roomier than the generation of Jettas before this model. The trunk space is HUGE and with the folding rear seats, you can pack a lot of items without a problem. The car takes synthetic oil, which can be costly compared to an oil change using regular oil. However synthetic oil is better for your car anyway and is typical for European engineered vehicles. Overall a great vehicle.

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  A Fair Review - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By JD - November 27 - 4:26 am

  I actually went back to VW when buying the Tiguan. My first VW, a GTI VR6, had a lot of small problems and a major problem with the computer. However, nothing comes close to German style and especially the interior comfort and technology. My favorite feature is the sunroof which allows for a very nice view of the sky for both front and rear passengers. The gas mileage is respectable compared to the Mercury Mountaineer I traded in. The response to the accelerator is also respectable.

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  Yeah! - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By sunni01134 - November 27 - 1:56 am

  I traded in a 2000 Golf for my new Rabbit, and although I technically "downsized" since I went from a "fully-loaded" Golf GLS to a "base-model" Rabbit, I do not feel like I am missing anything (except the sunroof, but oh well). The standard features on the Rabbit are great. I got the added ESP system and the 16" alloy wheels, but the features built in are awesome. The dash is redesigned and great, the passenger room is much more spacious, although the truck lost some space, but thats cool. The brushed chrome also looks awesome on black. Thanks to VW for bringing back the black on black interior. I was scared that I would end up with that stupid back on beige. Go buy yourself one :)

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  Had Previous VWs and GTIs, Best of All! - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By rickerbr - November 26 - 4:06 pm

  We traded my wifes 1.8T 5-speed New Beetle Convertible 5 speed on a DSG package 2 GTI. I love this car and it does everything I want in a commuter and performance car. Its far more exclusive than the competition (coughcough) as Ive only seen 2 other ones in DFW in the two months that Ive had mine.

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  best car - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By roy - November 26 - 10:33 am

  WE had a 2002 Acura TL back in 02 and just got this 01 passat in 2010. and it has more options and features then most 2010 luxury vehicles been driving the crap out of it, hard driving, long distance everything not one light has came on (check engine) or anything. its the glx v6 with automatic a/c and have no complaints me and my wife love this car and woudnt trade it for anythimg else, only complaint gas mileage (around city) and cup holders, but eveything else works great even with 145,000 miles you would never guess it had that many it drives like its brand new. anyway all I can say is we love and plan on keeping it tell it dies

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  What a car! - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By Blackmagicgti - November 26 - 10:00 am

  This car is so much fun to drive its unbelievable. If you have never had a car of this caliber (like me) then it will amaze you. It will turn and the drop of a hat and accelerate smoothly, obeying your every command. The 6 speed tranny matted to the turbo works great and keeping the speed down is nearly impossible. Not only that but for the 20th anniversary the interior has brushed aluminum accents everywhere including the gauges (which look incredible) and a limited edition plaque that displays the number of the car XXXX (out of 4000 for the US). A FANTASTIC CAR!!!