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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  A sweet shifting ride - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By jeffster - July 1 - 12:37 pm

  Bought this CC Sport with manual 36 months ago with 30K miles. Now up to 58K and still very pleased. Was looking for something fun and kind of distinctive to replace a 10 year old Maxima and wanted to keep a manual transmission. Was concerned about VW reputation for problems, but so far, its been okay. Had to replace water pump this last year for $900, and there were two other minor issues (under $250 to fix), so keeping fingers crossed. The transmission and engine are terrific and, so far, seem bulletproof. Plenty of power and love the turbo. A little lag, but that just makes it more fun when it spools up. Manual transmission is wonderful, smooth shifting, excellent ratios. Teaching my wife to drive stick and she likes it. I encourage everyone out there to seek out manual transmissions. They are disappearing and they shouldnt. It makes driving more fun and your maintenance costs will be lower -- there is a lot less to go wrong with a manual. And any complaints you hear about auto transmissions -- taking too long, software must need an upgrade, blah, blah, blah -- disappear with the manual. You decide when to shift, not the car, problems all solved. Okay, moving on, I am very pleased with this car. It looks great, nice lines, best view is from side. I have silver. When clean, it kind of looks like a spaceship. Tough to get out of, but that is the trade-off. Very comfortable once you are inside, cool red lights at night. All electronics still work. Bluetooth good. My only complaints are you cant get sunroof with the manual and I really, really miss that. Also, would really like a back up camera, because the sightlines on this very sleek car are really bad. For those reasons, and as I approach 60K miles, I started looking for a replacement, but after testing 13 G37, 15 Mazda 6 and 12 A4, I am actually more satisfied than ever with my CC. Think I will keep it longer and see what happens.

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  VW Experience - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Larry - July 1 - 8:16 am

  Compared to many others, the appearance caught my eye when shopping for a vehicle. Had planned to buy Toyota, but couldnt deal, and salesman was easy to talk to and arrange a deal when we bought both Touareg and Jetta for cash, no trade. Purchased both and drove home from Saskatoon to BC. Several recalls dealt with at Vernon VW, with staff there just the best! Hard on tires - 4th set at 112000 km! At 114000 both fuel pumps failed - go figure. Vernon VW replaced with goodwill partial warranty. Hope nothing else goes!

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  Happy 1st time VW owner - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Scott Erickson - June 30 - 11:03 pm

  I have owned the car for 2.5 months and overall, Im very satisfied. I also considered the Acura TL and Infiniti G35. Good blend of performance, fuel economy, and price for equipped features. The ride is firm, but not harsh. The interior is laid out nicely and is very comfortable. Lots of well-thought-out little touches, like the sun shades that are integrated into the rear doors and rear window. Some minor annoynances are the throttle lag, the satellite radio didnt work (after activating the service), the auto unlock sometimes doesnt work, and the car will creep forward with Hold active. There is also an annoying airflow/buffeting issue with sunroof open when speed is 35-45 mph.

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  115k and Nervous - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By solerider - June 30 - 2:30 am

  All I hear about this car is for the most part contrary to my experience. Its my wifes car, but I am the car buff. She bought CPO and it does have repairs early on that I am not accustomed to, being a Honda/Acura owner - things like control joints, axles, water pump - all went in advance of 100k (Hondas need brakes/tires and nothing else until 100k) and yes these repairs were significantly more expensive when compared to a Japanese car (30-40%), but overall it is a great ride sporty/luxury family sedan. Again, I am nervous because we have dumped some coin into it, so we are about to trade it in, but overall weve had a good experience with the car.

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  You get what you pay for. An Ok vehicle - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By a701440 - June 29 - 2:00 am

  Initially I liked the vehicle a lot. However after a while it developped a number of problems and needed 3 visits to the dealership for variouse non maintenance warranty items in the first year of ownership ($200-$400 each if out of warranty). Rattles are everywhere. VW dealerships have a very bad reputation in general. 1 week to get an appointment is considered excellent. So far the wehicle barely meets my expectations. Based on the service, reliability and rattles I will not buy a VW again. And to top it off I did not even mentioned the ignition coils debacle going on.

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  Beautiful Piece of Trash - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VDUMB - June 29 - 2:00 am

  bought a previously owned 99 Jetta last summer thinking I could save myself some money... Ive lost track, but Ive been back to the dealer at least 14 times in 7 months! A stereo which has been replaced twice, new brake rotors, oil leak, a alarm that goes off by itself, non-working cigarette lighter, interior lights which work when they feel like it, and a engine light that mysteriously crept on by itself..Currently the stereo is not working once again..but ive been too busy and tired to go back to the dealer. If i werent a poor 23 year old..I would be well rid of it.

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  A Peppy Jetta! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jlr0926 - June 29 - 2:00 am

  As a GLSTurbo Jetta owner, Im very satisfied w/the car in the short time Ive had it. Turbo runs like a dream and the automatic is very smooth. Best handling car Ive ever owned. Heres hoping I dont have any of the problems other longer-term owners have had. Build quality, fit and finish, thus far appear to be excellent. A very solid car. Wasnt going to buy a volkswagen, until I test drove this little rocket. And, glad they changed the placement of the cupholders in the 03 model. Drop down cupholders, in front of controls, are rotten. Had that on my Subaru and hated it.

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  Adore it - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By NewBeetleDriver - June 28 - 12:40 am

  I adore my New Beetle. Even though Im a male, I get compliments from my other guy friends, especially after theyve driven it. Convertible a must! The only problem Ive had was the wiring harness shorted. Fortunately, the car is still under warranty, and will be back to running soon!

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  Relibable Little Car - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By reignevryd - June 27 - 2:20 pm

  I have to say that my first experience back with a Jetta wasnt a good one. It was a piece of junk. It was a 1995 GL, however it could have been a good car at one time. Now, I have the 97 GLS, bought used, and it has been a very reliable car. It feels good knowing that every morning when I go to work, it will fire right up. My car has had a few minor issues with the electrical system, such as the door locks and sunroof, but otherwise it is a great ride. I like the dash setup, and as a parent, this is crucial in order to control the locks, windows, and lighting with one hand.

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  2005 Jetta - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By John - June 26 - 7:53 pm

  Not much power from the 5-cylinder motor when compared against comporably priced cars, but a more sophisticated and expensive looking and feeling interior. It is annoying that the car forces both driver and passenger to put a seatbelt on or it keeps beeping.