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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  Ignition Coil Issues. Again! - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Pittsburgh, PA - October 26 - 10:10 pm

  The car only has 31,500 miles and has been in the shop 3 times - twice for major electrical issues and once for a recall on, you guessed it, electrical issues. The dealership describes as "ignition coil problems." I describe it as the car suddenly loses power and begins to shake making it a very dangerous driving situation. We are totally fed up with this problem and feel as though we are getting the run around from the dealer.

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  Burns oil?? - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Orion Cavins - October 26 - 3:06 pm

  I traded my 03 Honda Accord for the Passat. Love the car except the premium fuel requirement. Recently oil pressure light comes on in between oil change (10,000 miles between as recommended by manual). Had car towed to dealership. They said car can consume 1 qt for every 1200 miles, and Volkswagen considers that normal? This sounds like a design flaw to me. My accord went 10,000 miles between changes and never lost a drop. I had it well into the 80K area. I am not satisfied with their response to this so far. I didnt win this car in a raffle, and want it to last without worry. Other problems is radio had display glitch and air bag on drivers side had to be replaced. Not happy at this time

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  TDI...Great Towing, Comfort & Power! - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By TJ - October 25 - 10:06 pm

  This is my second Touareg. The first was a fully loaded 2004 V8 which I really loved. It replaced my Range Rover Classic. Did everything the Rover did, for $20K less and towed better too. With 100K miles on the V8, I figured I would take advantage of the current discounts on the 06 TDI. The vehicle is identical except for DVD navigation on the new one and of course the V10 twin turbo diesel. The V8 was very fast, but this thing flies. Better yet is the fuel economy.

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  Dont Buy One - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By Eos - October 25 - 10:13 am

  I have had my eos since jan 2007 and have had a lot of problems that the dealer has not been able to fix. The first was a leaky drivers side window. Which still leaks but not as much as it use to. Then it was the car bucking on acceleration, still have that problem. Everyone that gets in my car feels whip lash and tell me to get my money back if the dealer says they can not fix it. Now winter problems are Frost on the inside of the front and back windshield.. Yes inside the car... And if it not cold enough for Frost I will get condensation on the same front and back windshield. I have to take a credit card to scrap the inside Windows on a brand new car.

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  Why buy a 325 - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Sajohns - October 25 - 5:43 am

  Remarkably quick acceleration and handling for a front wheel drive. 17" wheels and window tint are a necessary upgrade for the value edition. Interior has held up extremely well and I have had no problems with the car so far, but of course it is still under warranty. It does seem to get out of alignment easily, which burns up the tires.

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  It could be so much better... - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By DJ - October 25 - 5:26 am

  I Bought this car Brand New. With in the first 3 Months they charged me $623 for a new passenger window and supposive a bad regulator as well. That being said I didnt take the car at all for any work to be done on it until a Airbag light came on and the passenger side airbags didnt come on with someone in my seat.. The dealership said it would cost $870 for a new module for the seat AND that there wasnt any available but luckily they fixed the problem for $106 to reprogram the computer.

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  awsome and reliable - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vwjettaisgreat - October 25 - 2:00 am

  I have to drive about 1000 miles a week for my work and have driven from pa to ca and back and pa to florida and from pa to ohio many times, me and my wife love it. The 5 speed auto. is great. very comfortable inside and excelent build quality. I have almost 60000 and i have had it for 8 months. No problems except oil changes.

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  LOVE IT! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By AnonymousMe - October 25 - 2:00 am

  I LOVE my new passat. At first I wasnt too sure when I was considering it, now Im so happy! The only thing that my passat doesnt have is power adjustable seats, otherwise everythings great!

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  All around best vehicle - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By jw - October 24 - 9:36 am

  I bought my Passat brand new 7.5 years ago (51K miles) and I have never had an issue with the car! Love the interior (except cup holder) and exterior.

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  VW Wolfsburg - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Shambur1980 - October 23 - 8:43 pm

  This has been a sporty, well-built vehicle and I have not had a bit of trouble w/ it in 4 years. PROS: - tight steering / drive (typical of European cars) - safe - advises if road is slippery - appearance - sits up high CONS: - more costly to maintain (e.g. oil changes) - not super comfy for longer trips - fuel efficiency (average)