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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  Great Car - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Dagar882002 - October 2 - 2:00 am

  I think that this car is great because of its power and any SUV except for the Porche SUV doesnt compete with it.

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  After 15, Best vehicle owned! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By toyphd - October 2 - 2:00 am

  My wife and I each buy or lease a new vehicle every three years and after driving; BMW,SAAB,NISSAN,LEXUS,DODGE, FORD,ISUZU and HONDA, this is the best thing we have ever driven. The Design, build, fit, finish and reliability is among the best of any brand weve owned. Rock solid, a pleasure to drive and yes, we also get more comments, questions and compliments on the Touareg than on anything else we have owned because VW Managed to build something special in a world of boxes and "Me too" SUVs.

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  consistency - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By stefi - October 2 - 2:00 am

  First fell in love with Passat overseas. This is my first brand new Passat, but even two different used Passats were so well built and reliable, I had to have a new one. I never worry about this car leaving me stranded with mechanical problems. Besides routine maintenance, I have not seen a mechanic in years! Buying a Volkswagen is a perfect way to enjoy smart,solid German engineering without the prices of Mercedes and BMW!

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  VWPassat GLX Sedan - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By J.Haidar - October 2 - 2:00 am

  If you have not bought one, please do and you better go for the best,GLX.

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  Great Car - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By CGK - October 2 - 2:00 am

  Wonderful Car. If you love fuel mileage you will love this car. I got 54 MPG on a 750 mile trip.

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  Chriss ride - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By charliev - October 2 - 2:00 am

  Just a fun car to drive. I wanna autocross it!

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  Run for Your Life - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Karree B. - October 1 - 9:43 pm

  I fell in love with the Volkswagen Touareg after one test drive. Had I known the issues that were going to crop up I would have made another choice. I love the ride and handling of this SUV but Im reaching the point where that doesnt matter anymore. Ive had this truck in for service at least once a month since I bought it. Ive even had to take it in for service while on vacation. How much does that stink?! Many of the problems have been linked to the electrical system (which they know is bad and refuse to fix) but now its my transmission thats going wonky. Not only does it jerk while shifting gears, now its making a loud screaming noise. VWoA needs to get a clue and own up to the issues!

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  Great choice - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mustafa - October 1 - 8:50 pm

  We love our TDI Jetta. It works great for our long trips. No need to fill up for over 500 miles on a highway. First diesel and loving it. Interior looks and feels great. Heating is not that great, but heated seats help a lot. We had issue with check engine light, and it was fixed under warranty. A lot of space in the back for all the bags.

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  Lemon! Terrible! Money Pit! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By whitewolf1145 - October 1 - 6:01 pm

  This car breaks down more than any car ive ever even heard of! Something anything breaks at least once a week and being a vw parts cost $1000+ for the simple crap! Bought car 6 months ago at 107,000. It now has 117,000 and after $2000+ in repairs the transmission is going out. The car has ruined my financial life! i owe $4000 still thats twice what i could sell it for if it worked! -__- Very expensive lesson learned! DO NOT BUY THIS CAR!

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  Fun To Drive, Feature Loaded - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mike T. - October 1 - 2:50 pm

  Having owned the New Jetta for a month now, Ive had time to learn all the little features packed into this car. I am really impressed with acceleration. Pressing your foot on the gas the car accelerates from 0 to 40 in a heartbeat. Road grip is amazing (as is overall handling). The care easily handles double the speed limit around curves without body roll or protestation from the tires (ie. a local interchange between two highways has a 25 mph limit and the Jetta easily handles it at 50.) Lots of little convenience features have you discovering something new for weeks. Id be surprised if a sales rep covered 25% of them.