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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  Fatiguing to drive long distances - 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
  By gemigniani1 - November 13 - 3:10 pm

  Seats are and well shaped and comfortable for about 15 minutes, then you realize they are too hard and fatigue and soreness begins to set in. Road noise is prominent so between the noise and hard seats, the car is not one you look forward to driving long distances. The 2013 Corolla is considerably better for longer trips. I have not driven the resigned 2014 Corolla to see if it is still comfortable on long trips. Another undesirable feature of the Jetta is that the effort required to activate the power windows is very high. Ive never experienced that in an American or Asian car.

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  Reliable at first but .......... - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By DC101 - November 11 - 10:00 am

  Good car at first but always consumed lots of oil, keep an eye on dipstick ! Windows have always been an on/off problem but car has been reliable until 120,000 miles at which point electrical problems (misfiring) started to plague the car. Had it in several times for same problem. Still not resolved, dealership(s) can not find cause of problem so car now deemed unreliable (broke down 3 times in 1 month on major highways). VW Customer care is totally worthless. Will not reimburse me for out of pocket towing and car rental costs for VW parts gone bad.

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  A good and a bad car. - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Tara - November 9 - 11:46 pm

  A week ago I wrote a review for me bug and a couple of days when I wrote the review I have noticed that the transmission is doing some weird noises.

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  Test Drive Carefully and Completely - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By FastFred - November 3 - 7:33 pm

  Ive driven the VW for one year and I am unhappy with it. The dashboard instruments cannot be seen in the daylight! AC display panel is a joke, dark and almost illegible. The Monsoon radio on AM cannot be tuned in clearly. The dealer says: Thats typical of VW radios! My cars gas mileage is quite low for a V6. I am averaging 13-15 mpg around town, 20-23 mpg on thehighway. Overall, consider a Honda or a Toyota for the same or less money.

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  Run, Dont Walk Away From This SUV - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Leigh - November 2 - 2:33 pm

  Where to begin? Everything you have read is true. Brakes seem to go out every two years and when they do, prepare to replace your rotors. Tires go out every two years also and I pay about $900 to have four new tires put on. Oil changes are upward of $100 and dealing with the dealership is a living HELL. Beautiful car, but insane to maintain. I am thankful I dont have car payments. I will NEVER own a VW again!

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  GLX Passatt - Review After Four Years - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Disappointed Owner - November 2 - 1:10 pm

  The Passat is not a reliable / dependable car. Mine is on its third set of new REAR rotors and fourth set of pads in 37,000 miles. The first three times were under warranty (dealership asked NO questions). They made it seem like it was a problem with that year of car. Now, after the warranty is expired, they are refusing to accommodate us with new back brakes and are claiming that we always paid for the pads (which wasnt the case). The radio stopped working and was replaced (no questions asked). You cannot change your taillights and headlights. Ours burned out about seven times! Also, this car has had problems with its electrical system, throttle lag (which is dangerous), and its serpentine belt has already been replaced - tires too.

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  Lemon - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By CDL - November 2 - 2:00 am

  Within 6 mos of ownership: the drivers side window fell into the door and the drivers side tail light burnt out, suspension started making creaking noises, coil pack went out, computer burnt up, sub-frame bolts were stripped and needed to be replaced, as well as other parts on the suspension. Been to dealer 6 times to correct creaking noises, but to no avail. Vehicle has spent more time in service in the past 3 mos than Ive seen it-total of about 40 days. Not my idea of reliability. Appalled by the level of rudeness received from the VW Customer Service Department.

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  I LIKE MY JETTA WLFBRG, BUT....... - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By knickfan - October 23 - 10:00 am

  First i think is agile, easy to park (i live in NY). For a compact car is very roomy and have a big trunk. Now as most of the owners i have a problem with the power windows(fr.driver side , and rear pass.side)they both broke down bet. nov. and dec. of 2002, to get it fix $350 each(ouch!)one of my headlights broke and a used one cost 180dollars. My point is that if you have a problem with this car youll pay more than any other car (in the same category of course). Im switching to the Mitsubishi Outlander.

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  2005.5 Jetta VE - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mikey - October 23 - 7:56 am

  The least "VW like" VW I have owned. It has been near stone reliable for 38K miles. Interior finish weak. Soft touch finish blistering off leaving white plastic. Switches breaking or pushing through dash panel. It does not have the Euro aura of its predecessors and looks and feels more plastic. Excessive oil consumption, in my opinion. Changed every 5K with synthetic and have consumed 3-4 qts. between changes since new. Though not as much fun as previous models, the chassis is superb. Great handling combined with great ride and on 15" wheels. It is roomier for passengers and storage as well as quieter. Its just not as spirited or visually pleasing as past models have been.

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  Shake....Rattle ....Roll - 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Mike Coleman - October 21 - 3:44 pm

  There is something going on with the Tires......BRAND NEW TIRES......And the Shake....Shake ....and Shake....Have been Balance by everybody....Belle....Discount....VW....Everybody....Now I told that Continental Pro-Contact is a Poor Tire for the Tiguan....It wont stay Balance..I have been to the Dealer 3 Times in 2 years...Plus to Belle Tire and Discount Tire. They all tell me it the Tires and Volkswagen knows about the Problem and wont do anything about. I was told UN-OFFICIALLY, That when I need tires....Buy Michellin. They ride better Im told. If VW knows Continental Tires are bad then swap them out. Why make me suffer for 2 or 3 years waiting for the tires to wear down.....Hey Volkswagen REMEMBER FORD/FIRESTONE.....Im Going to keep writing about this problem.