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:

• 

  Fun to Drive - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By VW in Colorado - October 15 - 3:16 am

  On the day of the 2nd anniversary of buying this car I turned over 72,000 miles - so we have had a lot of experience with this car. This car is fun to drive and the sunroof is great! The Tiguan displays a lot of info on the dash and every month there is something that needs to be serviced or looked at. If you take the car to anyone other than the dealership then the warning light will not be reset. You will still have to go to the dealership or it will bing at you every time you start the car and the warning light will be on. Most of the bells and warning lights are annoying and not major defects. Due to the constant high maintenance on this car - I will not purchase another VW.

• 

  Disappointing Fuel Mileage - 2005 Volkswagen Golf
  By Juliet - October 13 - 10:40 am

  Im very happy with the Volkswagen Golf in every respect, except for the fuel mileage and the coating on the middle console is peeling off. I consistently get 38 mpg in town and on the freeway is about the same. I check my mileage religiously at every fill up so I dont know if my fuel is off because CA diesel is supposed to have additives or what. Why is everyone getting better gas mileage than me? I drive 60 mph on the freeways and never accelerate fast. The black coating on the armrests and middle console is peeling off also. I dont know why. Our 2000 Jetta had the same problem. Very wierd. Beside that, very happy. However, #1 reason I purchased was for the mileage and THAT is disappointing :(

• 

  Great Car, but Watch the Options - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By Marshall - October 12 - 1:26 am

  I love my new EOS, but the dealer charged list for it. AND, be warned, VW will not let you order Navigation ($1,800) without also ordering Turbo ($2,000) and the Luxury or Sport Package ($3,490 / $3,690). Therefore, Navigation actually costs a minimum of $7,290! And if, for example, you dont want to be part of the animal trade, and prefer the "leatherette" upholstery to leather, you cant have Nav at all. Get lost! (iterally..).

• 

  Good car, with the right dealer..... - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Auto Wholesaler - October 11 - 2:43 pm

  I have 95,000 miles on my 2001 Jetta TDI. I bought it with 13,000 miles on it about 3 years ago because I wanted a comfortable car with great mileage as I am in the auto wholesaling business. The TDI delivers on these primary points. Handling and performance are great, the TDI while short on HP delivers great torque and acceleration for most situations. I am averaging 42 mpg consistently with the automatic transmission in combined (mostly highway) driving. I buy and sell up to 50 used vehicles a month, mostly late model and of all the Jetta models the TDI is tops for resale in this regard.

• 

  Great car for the dollar. - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jason Elvidge - October 9 - 8:53 am

  I really like this car. It handles like a champ. After purchase I noticed a vibration during shifting. I took it back to the dealership and they uploaded a new flash memory for the computer. It has worked flawlessly since. Not real big on style, but if you are looking for German engineering that feels like a more expensive european model, yet unpretentious enough to not upset your boss and co- workers with envy and jealousy. If that is what you are looking for, you couldnt find a better car for the parking lot or your wallet.

• 

  A nice all around cruiser. - 2005 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By Stew Tetreault - October 8 - 10:00 am

  This car has all one could want in a cruising car. I bought it for long trips on the freeway and trips into NYC and Boston. The suspension is wonderful and with the W12, the car can get out of its own way also. As someone who races GT cars in 2 professional series, this is a great car for what its meant to be. A nice street car with ample power, predictable handling, and the best interior space I been in.

• 

  Just read the Lemon Law!!! - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By happy - October 5 - 10:00 am

  If you have any recurrent problems with your car you should just read the Lemon Law in your state. Mainly it says if it had 4 unsuccessful repairs for a serious defect/safety defect or it spent more than 30 days in service, no matter if finally repaired or not, the law gives you the right to ask VW of America to repurchase or replace your car. Yeah, thats true, your money back minus some offset mileage and you can buy another one. Just stay away of VW next time. They are SOOOOO POOR at customer support. You dont want to get another car with problems from them. Just read the Lemon Law! Its that simple. And next time, dont buy a VW!

• 

  Pass on the left, if you can! - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By Doug - September 30 - 9:02 pm

  When merging on to the highway, this car is like a thoroughbred race horse jumping out of the gate. Left signal on, metal down, take to the express lane and hit cruise at 82. Slow down for the inevitable traffic delays with the left (-) paddle shifter & open the sunroof if it is a nice day. The sound system will easily drown out anyone elses sound system. I bought this car for its storage. Right away it needed: igniters, fuel pump, axle, alignment, brakes, lights. Timing belt broke two weeks after dealer "inspected" it. Now, with rebuilt engine, performs like new. Body & paint are in great shape. Glass is all like new. Plastic body panels require ArmorAll. For an "old" car, the design is still fresh. Turns heads wherever I go. Blacked out all the chrome & lowered it, with some 18s.

• 

  Do not buy VW unless made in Germany - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By unhappy - September 28 - 2:13 pm

  VW are not made like they used to be, and until they do, do not keep one for more than warranty period. I grew up with my parents owning a beetle, Vanagon, rabbit, jetta, and all lasting 10 years plus with no issues. I bought a 00 jetta, kept until 45k miles and sold it to my sister, and thats when everything started failing. I bought a 03 jetta in 02; has 65k miles (fine until 50k miles when the warranty expired). Have spent $4k in past year in repairs. The electrical system is horrible! Factory radio died, temperature control module died, radiator fan and auxiliary fan failed, catalytic converter died, coolant leak, ignition coil problem, now my car wont start. Cant wait to see why.

• 

  my motor home got better gas milage - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By tony-f - September 26 - 11:36 am

  my van gets only 12 mpg in town and that is driving the speed limit.it has missed a few gears when you down shift.