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 Little Driving Machine - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By BocaBoy65 - November 28 - 10:00 am

  Im hooked on German Engineering. The way my Golf handles still amazes me. Wethor driving on slick roads, ice, or sharp turns, my car effortlessly careens me thru. This handling EATS tires so make sure you ROTATE. The interior design is also awsome. The color of the dashboard lights, the placement of controls, the seat pattern design and the chrome extras all make up an impressive look that is always complimented when someone gets in my car. Interior hardware not so good. Visor lights, side view mirror and seat handles all broke within first month.Gas milage is just ok.

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  Fast and reliable - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jrogers75 - November 28 - 10:00 am

  I own a automatic Jetta Gls and it took sometime to time getting used to the Transmission features, Once the transmission became familar with my driving style, it handles and drives like a race car. Wasnt very impressed with the quality of the inside cover of the sunroof though "cardboard with carpet" very flimsey. Car can be very noisy if you only have the sunroof open too. If you have any back problems I would buy this car !! Very good support for the back and you can move virtually anything with the seat.

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  Overpriced and Overrated - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By jmi - November 28 - 10:00 am

  VW customer service leaves alot to be desired. There is a reason the warrenty is for only 24,000 miles. New radiator at 42,000 miles, $600.00, ouch!! Selling, and buying another Infiniti I35. They wrote the book on qiality and service!! Auf Wiedersehen VW.

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  my VW Toureg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Jim Rph - November 25 - 3:50 am

  Heavy and secure car. Very comfortable ride. High quality workmanship inside and out. I like the european styling.The the interior is more ellegant then the Japanese cars. Hope to have it for a long time.

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  Amazing! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Curtman54 - November 23 - 2:20 pm

  I purchased (leased) my Toureg in 2004; we are a Volkswagen family. Youll note from my ratings that the car is a performer, fast, solid as a rock, beautifully designed interior and handles like a sports car. It is a beast in New Englands torrid winter weather. This is when the car is not at the dealership taking advantage of a very good warranty. I have been to the dealer so many times for so many things that I am totally disgusted and infuriated by Volkswagens lack of shame. The common reply to my frustrations is: "Well, its under warranty." I do not recommend this car. It is unfortunate because it could have really been my dream. Instead, it has been a constant nightmare.

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  Good car overall - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By benj - November 22 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is a great one with some minor flaws that would greatly inhance it. The seats are so uncomfortable, no rear seat room, drink holder gets in the way of the radio. I love my car but, VW needs to revamp the Jettas design totally and add a little more luxurious features to it.

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  base model but still upscale - 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By jbaril - November 19 - 4:22 am

  I am leasing a 15 S 4Motion; the only options are heated seats, Monster Mats and wheel locks. Even though its the "old" 2.0 Turbo engine, theres plenty of kick and I love playing with the manual shift feature of the 6-speed automatic. Im a fan of German cars in general and have owned at least 10 VWs, so am a bit biased too, but I do feel a bit special on the road in the company of so many ubiquitous CRVs, RAV-4s, Equinoxes, etc. The only other crossover I even considered was the Mazda CX-5, which is neat but which cant match the Tiguans performance. Plus there are great deals to be had now. Its comfortable and unusual in a sea of sameness.

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  Not happy with reliability - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By evohog99 - November 17 - 11:10 pm

  I bought a 2010 model Sportwagon TDI in January 2011. Last model available on clearance sale. It is the fully loaded one with the huge sunroof and all the goodies. DSG transmission. Had it 3 and half years it has 70K on in and this is the list of problems I have had. Sun roof problem Injector failure Injector wire harness failure Transmission cap broke and leaked tranny fluid out. Now the AC went out this weekend The transmission is extremely expensive to do regular maintenance on. I would only recommend a stick shift to anyone buying a VW TDI.

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  Had the car for about 2 years and some change. - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jesse Vail - November 17 - 4:03 pm

  I get a lot of complements on the look of the car and passengers love the heated leather seats here in upstate NY. Only have had 1 issue so far and that was a bad crank position sensor which caused the car to jolt and stall while driving with no check engine light, went to dealer and was told "Unfortunately youre going to have to drive it until a light comes on" which kind of sucked considering my pregnant girlfriend rides in the car and it stalls leaving is short handed as far as power steering and hydrolic brakes. Other than that I LOVE the Fender Sound System, it sounds amazing. Tons of trunk space. Fun to drive and navigation has yet to leave me stranded! Thats a plus.

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  Worlds better than last gen - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JD - November 17 - 8:40 am

  The new Jetta is soo much better than the 2004 model that I test drove. The new car has more standard features roomier, faster, and handles much better. The little touches are what makes a car better than its competition and VW has loads of them, from the rain sensing wipers to the turn signal mirrors with the courtesy lights in them, and the blue gauges are a nice touch as well. I went to the dealer looking to buy a diesel but Im glad I didnt this car gets better mileage than its rated 30 hwy I averaged 32 mpg and have heard stories of 37 mpg if you drive at the speed limit. If your looking for a lot of car for not too much money give the new jetta a try you will be surprised.