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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  Seriously beware of VW - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By esther - April 5 - 2:46 am

  My overall experience with VW has been terrible. I leased my 2003 Passat and it has broken down 3 times within the last year, all with mysterious, major warranty issues, the final one being called into question even though I have a platinum warranty. It was fun to drive but I am now at the point where Im afraid to drive it. Oil pumps, fuel pumps, cam shaft adjustments, engine trouble? Should that happen all by 50000 miles? They also PROMISE an alternate car yet it was never there.They let me go three weeks without a car for warranty work that I still dont know what was really wrong with it all three times. Looks arent everything!

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  Make good commercials-but horrible cars - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Anakin - April 1 - 1:13 pm

  I bought this car in February of 2009. It had 87,000 miles on it. I got it for a good price because the glove box was broken and the seller wanted to get rid of it. Bad idea. Soon after driving it around the grill fell off, the drivers mirror fell off, the seats dont recline, the lid that covers the outlet didnt close, the MAF sensor has been replaced 3 times, if you spill water on the seats it stains, and today my trunk decided to stop opening. Either do your research before you buy a Jetta (I would not recommend it however) or buy a Mazda, which I am about to do if I can sell it.

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  Volkswagen is a poor Quality Car - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By girlie*girl - March 30 - 10:36 pm

  let me just say that I only thought I wanted a bug :0( it was one of the worst things I have ever done in buying that car. it has noises in the cabin that is so irritating! and the cup holders are NOT convenient.. and The Transmission is a major problem !! and almost everyone that has one has problems with the transmission, volkswagen needs to fix this now!! and recall them because of the transmissions!!!!!

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  not good at all - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By patty - March 25 - 5:33 am

  I have had this car for two and a half years and i have had no good days with it. The check engine light wont go off. The brakes keep squeaking, even though they have been changed twice, the oil light comes on only 1000 miles after its been changed, and the transmission is slipping bad. I always have problems with this car, and all i hear from people is that it was a mistake to buy. The radio is really poor, not loud at all. The six cd changer will never work. The electrical mechanics are bad, nothing works right. Very expensive to fix, would not recommend buying.

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  THE WORST LEMON EVER - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By DOWNONVW - March 22 - 7:53 am

  I bought this car 4 years old and I cant remember the exact amount of miles then, it has about 110,000 now. Everything that could go wrong went wrong luckily I had an extended warranty. I always loved VWs but this car has turned me off to them completely. From now on Im sticking with Toyotas or Subarus.

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  Dont believe everything you read - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mlgates - March 19 - 1:13 pm

  I made every effort to thoroughly research before I bought a new vehicle. I like to keep my cars for a long time and wanted something reliable... The only good thing I can say about this vehicle is that I am glad that it came with a good warranty!!! I have had the vehicle in for some of the same repairs two and three times. A few weeks ago the transmission went out entirely! The gas mileage has been less than impressive, the diesel is loud and now diesel petrol is up to $2.79 a gallon! No more Volkswagens for me...

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  NOT TO FOND - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By JOE DON BAKER - March 13 - 10:00 am

  THE CAR IS JUST SIMPLY NO WORTH THE MONEY, FOR THE PRICE OF THIS CAR I WOULD MUCH RATHER DRIVE A MERCEDES OR BMW. BUILD QUALITY IS POOR

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  Whats all the excitement about? - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By sw - March 7 - 10:00 am

  My Passat was delivered with a defective radio and an indifferent attitude. The dealer in Libertyville, IL was unconcerned about my problems. Besides, the car has lousy gas mileage (burns 92 octane for a V6?) and a mushy ride for a VW. Otherwise, the hard seats and spare interior add up to an uninspired choice for a compact/mid-size car. These cars are nothing special.

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  Dont buy one - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Gary - March 2 - 1:06 pm

  This is the worst car I have ever had. It stays tore up, clutch 3 times,Turbo went out 44000 miles,new water pump,you name it. This car will break the bank. STAY AWAY!!!

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  Poor quality - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By James - February 28 - 4:00 am

  I got this 2001 Jetta in 2004. Very loud, poor power. Hard to start until I cleaned out a part of an emission(eat your own exhaust) part. Just to get to the alternator is over $200 in labor, and labor to replace the alternator belt is $107, very hard to get to. IF this car would not break down so much, it would be good, 45-55MPG. I thought I would save a lot of money with this good gas mileage, but how much gas can you buy with a $1200 repair bill? I have not saved any money, and it is not dependable, I do not trust this car enough to drive it cross country.