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:

• 

  My Putt Putt car - 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Cabrio Enthusiast - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I really do love this car. I cant help but smile when the top is down! I call it my putt-putt car because this is the kind of car you just want to cruise around in.

• 

  Love it, better than Civic, but......... - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mykaelp - November 16 - 10:00 am

  Great looking car, a little expensive, have had problems with it. Mainly it would die starting it in the morning when it was cold outside. Dealer fixed it after several days, lousy service from them, and they broke my cruise control and had to go back to them to fix that. I have a lot of squeaks and rattles that would never happen in a Japanese car, dont get me wrong I love it, but VW needs some quality improvement to make me loyal.

• 

  Well Made, Fun to Drive, Reliable - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Mike2u - November 16 - 10:00 am

  2000 w/45k miles,2.0 motor,cloth interior,silver.Love it.Seats very comfortable.Steering&handling great.Feeling of quality.Love the curved window line.Has enough power,but just enough.Plenty of headroom.Only had minor problems. Switches for the window&the parking brake broke,the AC went out,&there was a minor electrical problem.All fixed under warranty quickly.The car comes with service&bumper to bumper coverage for 50,000 miles.I wouldnt worry about reliability.Think of how many old Volkswagens you see on the road.Even if you have some problems, what other car has this much style to offer.Ill take a few problems over driving an econo- box anyday.

• 

  If you know how to work on car, this is for you - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By saneesh8 - November 16 - 9:24 am

  Initially by spending all the money on repairs at stealership, i thought it is bad car. But once i started doing by my own with help from www.passatworld.com, not expensive. Or get information from the above website and find a trusted cheap mechanic. If you follow the simple rules like 40W full synthetic oil every 5k, change ATF at every 60K (Castrol import ATF is fine - from AZ) clean combi valve once in 2 yr, will run longer than a Toyota or Honda. Once you cross 100k, gaskets, hoses, Fuel filter and Timing belt (at 80K). Overall reliable car, decent MPG and most importantly safe. Premium fuel is bad side and dont need to use OEM expensive parts. My car close to 100k going strong..

• 

  Great Car - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By Matt - November 14 - 8:16 am

  I have 4000 miles on my GTI so far and its a great car. This is my favorite car that I have owned (02 Mustang GT, 98 Cadillac STS). VERY fast and still gets good gas mileage. DSG is fun to drive on open roads and automatic mode is very convenient in traffic.

• 

  perfect tuned sleeper - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By GUESShimself - November 13 - 10:00 am

  If you want a nice reliable sedan, that doesnt really look the part, but definately acts the part of a sports coupe, then this is the car for you. Easily tuned and modified, great gas mileage, great comfort. Great bank for the buck!

• 

  cute but problematic - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By allisong - November 13 - 10:00 am

  I loved my bug but now its gone due to a leak in the roof of the car. Apparently there are drains in the roof that clog easily and with nowhere to go, the water leaks into the car. The dealer and the regional manager say that drains and the need to clean them out is common knowledge. Ever hear of this? The car had numerous problems from the beginning. I went to two different dealers for service and at both locations the car came back with new problems including scratches to the interior paint, wires being switched (trunk and gas latches) and several other annoying issues. Careless and frustrating service and constant problems, my bug is gone!!

• 

  Bugged Out - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By dbug - November 13 - 1:13 am

  I have owned the car for two years. I bought it with 33k miles on it and it now has 86k. The major problem I had with the car was the plastic grill. A plastic highway cone hit the front grill and broke it. $3600 dollars worth of damage! Then a week after I got the car back the compressor failed. The VW dealership who did the work claimed that one didn’t affect the other but since they had to take the entire front of the car apart it seems rather suspect. They want $1700 for a new compressor. Everything on the car is plastic and either breaks or falls off. I won’t be buying another VW product.

• 

  Great so far - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Kreul - November 12 - 4:20 am

  Well we just bought our Bug so well have to wait and see about the reliability. I bought this car for my wife. Its her dream car and shes always wanted it so I finally did it. I was initially embarrassed to even be in the thing because it seems like such a girl car, however, I am sold thus far. This car is extremely fun to drive and it truly looks cool, especially with the top down. Im 64 and I fit wonderfully in either front seat with plenty of leg room. The back seats are tighter, thats for sure, but if youre buying the car for space in the back seat then youre looking at the wrong vehicle. I love this car!!

• 

  Buyer Beware - Tires Defective - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Ed Slater - November 9 - 2:00 am

  Tires defective at purchase (Micheliin MXV4) - pulled and "wobbly." VW dealer refused to replace. Michelin authorized dealers continue run-around. Rotated on 10/28/02, told to drive for 5000 miles. Re- rotated on 12/13, and pulled other direction. Michelin dealers refused to replace - advised to return to VW dealer. Dealer refused. Dealer offered to "replace" tire for $150 including balance, valve stem and mounting. Caveat emptor.