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:

• 

  Lemon - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By t shirt man - February 26 - 10:00 am

  New car had to be jump started in showroom I should have known not to take it. They told me it was from the doors being left open. Ive had the car three weeks,I got to drive it for 8 days. They say its a short in the clock but the part has to be made in Germany. I guess I should have bought the magic beans that Jack bought because I would have believed that sooner. No Help from VW Hotline also. I asked for my money back or a new car, they said you bought the beans now you are stuck with them. As of my car they still do not know when it will be repaired. PLEASE DO NOT BUY VW.

• 

  Lemon - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Winston Grey - February 19 - 1:13 pm

  I have owened the car for a month and so far it has been in the service shop for three weeks. It has braken and and had engine problems and the service is extremely poor. This is my fourth Volkswagen but it will probably be my last.

• 

  Shame on You VW! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By For shame! - February 7 - 10:00 am

  This car is TERRIBLE! Once you get past the cool blue lights, youre stuck with a lemon. I read other reviews, and wont bore you by repeating that ALL of those things have happened to my car too - O2 sensor, windows, door locks, glove compartment, door leaks, sunroof, creaky sounds, temp. gauge - in 3 years! Putting this kind of car on the market should be a crime! Anyone want to join a supp

• 

  Bad Car - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Brian Drown - February 5 - 1:00 am

  I bought my car in Aug of 2004 and have had it now for about 7 months. The car has been in and out of the shop about 10 times and for the most serious replacing the engine. It was a certified vehicle and everything was taken care of but I have missed so much work because of this car I would not suggest the Jetta to anyone looking to buy a car!!!!

• 

  45 mpg nightmare - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Chris - January 26 - 9:47 am

  The engine is a magical 1.4 liter torque monster that seemed to never eat or drink. I regularly got 44 miles per gallon. That was good. 44 could be had at 70 with the Air conditioning on. 50mpg wasnt unreasonable at 60. The trunk is a colossal cavern. I got a grandfather clock into my car. A sedan. (the trunk was closed) Everything that isnt mentioned above ranges from sub-par at best to unforgivable at worst. The 5 speed is great as a means to send the cars fuel mileage into the stratosphere. The shifter linkage may have been found in a box in wolfsburg marked "1975 rejects". The throw to fifth is within a knuckle of the distance to the passengers knee. The release for reverse sometimes failed to activate reverse. This caused a great deal of unpleasantness. Camera on, clutch out, car goes.. forward. Sometimes the camera didnt come on. The backup camera came on a couple times in 1st. That was amusing. And theres all that torque but nowhere to go, because the traction control cannot be turned off. This causes problems when the car can smoke its wheels easily. If it was raining, the car was sketchy. Traction control would have a meltdown. If it was snowing, there was a good chance that traction control and skid protections constant freakouts made you and your vehicle a danger to the public. Lets see, App-Connect hardly ever worked. Only the misfortune of driving a 2016 base model made me thankful for the former plymouth designer (I presume) who designed the cheap, monotonous interior of the SE trim - its black plastic. The dashboard is harder than the bumpers. And its cheap. the inner door reflectors fall out. often. The mirror control button is counterintuitive, Seat heat was great, and the heater was great. The glovebox was huge. Thats good. The dashboard had old school gauges. I like that. Unlike many vehicles in its segment, it looks like a car. The problem is that its a lousy one. It was a riot to drive in the dry and a nightmare in the wet. they could have spent two hundred dollars more per unit to have a great car. The problem was that VW didnt, and the car is lousy. If fuel mileage is your only concern, this is a winner. If youre going to lease - dont. VW might delete your payment history and report all kinds of strange things to the credit bureau. VW credit has an ongoing computer glitch that is affecting several hundred people, but they wont fix it. Also, the cars mediocre at best. If youre basic, its perfect. Its failings will be lost on you. If you need a cheap, newer vehicle, dont do it. Its german. Its turbocharged. The parts are expensive. Its not made well. And neither the dealer, VW Credit, nor VW itself were willing to stand behind its product.

• 

  45 mpg nightmare - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Chris - January 26 - 9:47 am

  The engine is a magical 1.4 liter torque monster that seemed to never eat or drink. I regularly got 44 miles per gallon. That was good. 44 could be had at 70 with the Air conditioning on. 50mpg wasnt unreasonable at 60. The trunk is a colossal cavern. I got a grandfather clock into my car. A sedan. (the trunk was closed) Everything that isnt mentioned above ranges from sub-par at best to unforgivable at worst. The 5 speed is great as a means to send the cars fuel mileage into the stratosphere. The shifter linkage may have been found in a box in wolfsburg marked "1975 rejects". The throw to fifth is within a knuckle of the distance to the passengers knee. The release for reverse sometimes failed to activate reverse. This caused a great deal of unpleasantness. Camera on, clutch out, car goes.. forward. Sometimes the camera didnt come on. The backup camera came on a couple times in 1st. That was amusing. And theres all that torque but nowhere to go, because the traction control cannot be turned off. This causes problems when the car can smoke its wheels easily. If it was raining, the car was sketchy. Traction control would have a meltdown. If it was snowing, there was a good chance that traction control and skid protections constant freakouts made you and your vehicle a danger to the public. Lets see, App-Connect hardly ever worked. Only the misfortune of driving a 2016 base model made me thankful for the former plymouth designer (I presume) who designed the cheap, monotonous interior of the SE trim - its black plastic. The dashboard is harder than the bumpers. And its cheap. the inner door reflectors fall out. often. The mirror control button is counterintuitive, Seat heat was great, and the heater was great. The glovebox was huge. Thats good. The dashboard had old school gauges. I like that. Unlike many vehicles in its segment, it looks like a car. The problem is that its a lousy one. It was a riot to drive in the dry and a nightmare in the wet. they could have spent two hundred dollars more per unit to have a great car. The problem was that VW didnt, and the car is lousy. If fuel mileage is your only concern, this is a winner. If youre going to lease - dont. VW might delete your payment history and report all kinds of strange things to the credit bureau. VW credit has an ongoing computer glitch that is affecting several hundred people, but they wont fix it. Also, the cars mediocre at best. If youre basic, its perfect. Its failings will be lost on you. If you need a cheap, newer vehicle, dont do it. Its german. Its turbocharged. The parts are expensive. Its not made well. And neither the dealer, VW Credit, nor VW itself were willing to stand behind its product.

• 

  Be afraid - be very afraid! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By SO UNHAPPY! - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I was so excited...my first NEW car. No more worrying about breaking down or having my car in the shop - I was buying a VW! NOT! This car stinks so bad - I dont even know where to start - Im so angry w/ VW I just cant stand it. Gas tank was replaced after having the car for 1 month. Sunroof leaks, mass air-flow sensor had to be replaced, passenger & driver window regulators both broke within a week of eachother. VW Customer Care has reminded me that VW is not obligated to help its customers after the warranty expires - even if they know the parts they used to build the car are crappy. Please save yourself the trouble - buy ANY other car!

• 

  NOT FUN FOR LONG - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Chris Cain - January 18 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car just over a year ago. I have never owned an auto with such poor reliablity nor have I dealt with a company that has such poor customer service. If you are thinking of buying a VW, I urge you to think again. I have owned many cars and none have been as poor in service as the New Beetle.

• 

  NEVER again - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By neveragain1209 - January 12 - 6:45 pm

  I had nothing but trouble with this car. I actually feel badly for the person who bought it after I traded it in.We were a VW family but that has come to an end. 64000 miles in 6 years and the motor was blowing black smoke. Always changed the oil, replaced several major parts. VW didnt care at all-called them and no resolve. Do no buy this car! Junk-wagon. Back to being a Ford family.

• 

  Lemon - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By ismael guzman - January 11 - 8:56 pm

  This truck has had frequent, repetitive breakdowns associated with the powertrain. The interior trim, though attractive is too fragile. The service is very poor and you should be prepared to wait many weeks for parts. I sure miss my Acura MDX.