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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  Keep the Good times rolling! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dave B - January 29 - 5:36 am

  Had some initial problems with minor emissions and secondary systems but dealer took care of it. Probably due to previous owner nut using 91 octane and keeping up service records. Enigne runs excellent and very smooth power. Ride is solid and very comfortable for long trips.

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  What a POS - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Roque - January 29 - 5:29 am

  We purchased the 2010 in 2012; we have had the radiator replaced (leak), intake manifold replaced (cracked) fuel injectors replaced, spark control modules replaced, motor replaced (blown) and two months after the motor was replaced, I now have an engine light code P2187. We give up, trading this POS in this weekend. VW should call this POS a lemon.

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  Delightful Ride - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By stan3010 - January 29 - 2:00 am

  I went to the VW dealer in Denver to check out a Jetta TDI Sportswagen and stumbled on the EOS. That was it. Drove it home that day. The ride is surprisingly comfortable. Very peppy 2.0L Turbo moves this convertible coupe along confidently on the freeway. I get 30+ mpg overall in my daily commutes which are 90% highway miles. In city driving, 27-28 mpg. This is my sole vehicle. My wife loves it. Audio system is suprisingly good & I added a Kenwood Nav deck. Ive owned my CPO EOS for 4 months now. Only problem was the cruise switch repl under CPO warranty. Trunk space is decent with the top up. I have to raise the top to retrieve items under the cargo limit partition.

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  EV - Passat Review - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By evera - January 29 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for about 18 months and I love it.

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  Baby Audi - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mike77 - January 29 - 2:00 am

  One of my favorite things about this car is the way that it drives. The ride is very smooth and the engine is extremely quiet. I have had the turbo waste gate replaced, but all in all this is the best car that I have ever bought and I would not hesitate to buy another one tomorrow. My only complaint is that the back seat is a little snug for taller people.

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  Passat 1.8T, best combo of fun and room - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By wwein - January 29 - 2:00 am

  After driving my Passat for a year and a half and putting over 26k miles on it, I am still amazed by how the car does so many thing so well. Its wonderfully comfortable (Im 64") and not tiring even on 500 mile trips to Maryland from New England. I use Michelin Pilot Alpin snow tires in the winter and am able to go through almost anything. No surprises in a hail storm with 2 inches of slippery hail on the roadways. I love this car. The engine sounds great and pulls from idle. In traffic I can put it in 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear and it will pull itself uphill without me pressing on the gas pedal.

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  Almost 1 year with not a single problem - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By sailflorida - January 29 - 2:00 am

  Still love it after 10 months. Have still not found anything wrong with this car. I have looked since day one for build defects and found none. As a perfectionist it has given pride. I am however waiting for window problems because I hear alot of complaining about it but so far OK. I am sorry my warranty is the old 24 month one because I hear bad stories of dealer charges (and ineptness) where I live. I am hundreds of miles from selling dealer and that is a bummer.

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  Excellent Choice - 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By M Webber - January 29 - 2:00 am

  have about 1200 miles on the Tiguan so far. i looked at CRV, RAV4 as well before buying. the RAV was too "loose" in driving, and the honda was nice, but the Tiguan is a lot more fun, and tigher (great german engineering )to drive. Dealership was amazingly easy to deal with in Belleve WA.

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  Cant afford to get rid of it. - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By 3livsn88 - January 28 - 12:16 am

  My family of 5 has outgrown our Jetta TDI but every time we look at buying something bigger we cant afford to lose the Jetta. We bought this car when it was 2 yrs old with 55,000mi on it. We have since put 55,000 mi on it in less than 3 years. We love the exterior styling, we love everything about the interior except the cup holders, although the AC vents do keep your drinks cool forget doing anything with the radio. What we like best is that its just plain fun to drive. My wifes car is an 06 Pontiac G6 GT and its fun, but we still find ourselves fighting over driving the diesel. If you get a TDI make sure its a manual, the auto is a little sluggish off the line.

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  Great car for the money & blast to drive - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By BostonNorth - January 26 - 12:23 pm

  Terrific car for the money, love everything about it. Would have liked the nav radio with bluetooth but thats the only concern. Great gas mileage and the 2.0t with manual is great.