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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  Ok car but expensive ongoing maintenance - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By spomps - May 21 - 2:41 am

  Bought new in 2003, still going with 172,000 miles. Comfortable and great handling car but it comes at the price of expensive, ongoing maintenance. The check engine light has been on for at least 1/2 its life and I just ignore it. Sometimes it goes off, sometimes it doesnt. Have had to deal with it every 2 years to pass state emissions though. Dash lights stopped working at 107k miles and had a wire meltdown. Required a new wire harness ($3,500) so I just use a clip on book light to illuminate the dash at night. If it werent for the expensive and ongoing need for repairs, Id highly recommend this car, but cant.

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  My car is a recall beast. - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tori Saulnier - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Jetta for 6 months and have been to the shop 3 times. Passenger seat frame broke, window fell into door, gas tank door wouldnt shut, leaks whenever left outside in rain, break light malfunction, and now the stereo wont turn on. Thank God this was all under warranty for me, so buyer beware. The car drives well enough for what I do, but big puddles and slippery roads are very scary with my Jetta. But other than that long list of recalls my car is fine.

• 

  Way Poor Quality - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By BAClayton - May 20 - 10:00 am

  There is no mistaking that this is a beautifu car, especially in the Harvest Moon exterior and black top. Beauty aside, however, the car has been a bit heaache. 1) The dealer didnt inform me that they put a significant ding in the bumper when they detailed it. 2) Within days, the automatic transmission didnt work correctly, and I discovered that the console lock pulled right out of the console - the car had to be serviced before I made my first payment. 3) The Turbo is malfunctioning at 4000 miles - driving a non-turbo is horrendous weak. 4) The door has to be slammed shut so it closes correctly and the window tucks away under the roof. 5) I dread the other problems Ill face.

• 

  Id love it more if it were reliable. - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By pylorns - May 19 - 2:20 am

  The car looks great, it handles well, and it is very comfortable to ride in. Find another car that has so many luxury features for the price. The above said, the reliability of the car has been a nightmare. Ive had the A/C Replaced, throttle body, pcv valves, gas cap, interior buttons, shocks, all replaced. Ive had all of the TSBs that applied to the 2006 model just about - and there are a lot. Ive had about 15-18 services since I bought the car in 2006. Which works out to almost every other month (it wasnt that frequent but sometimes it was 3 times in a month).

• 

  exactly what i expected - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By ucjrh1989 - May 17 - 2:00 am

  it took me quite awhile to find one of these things at the right price but i have thoroughly enjoyed the experience thus far. i kind of prepared myself for the inevitable freak repair but in my case it was simply the stereo going dead at the 10000 mile mark. if you know how to drive a manual, definitely go that route with this car. this was a great trade-up from my jetta and i look forward to seeing what they come up with next.

• 

  sub audi - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Bartosz - May 17 - 2:00 am

  The Passat is as well built as his richer brother Audi, and the GLX on which everything is "standard" is a bargain whereas BMW or Audi would cost me 40k with same options. No brainer.

• 

  Great car - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By NS - May 16 - 6:06 pm

  I bought my Passat at 120k, Im up to 155 now with no major problems. Only repairs Ive had to make were a faulty coolant sensor, serp belt, and a control arm - all less than $300, and pretty routine maintenance. Car gets good mpgs, I typically get around 28-30 on the interstate.

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  Still thinking about it. - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Driver - May 14 - 11:06 am

  The Volkswagen Touareg V6 handles great. It is not affected by high wind and standing water like most cars. Its brakes are a bit grabby, but very effective. The transmission has some slop when starting off from a rolling stop. Its acceleration is very good but has some dead spots unless you use the sport mode or tectonic manual feature. Premium fuel is necessary to maintain performance. I would have bought the V8 except that the price difference was to great. The low range selection is effortless and what a power trip. I love that feature. The seats support 200 pounds without crushing. I have been experiencing some problems with forward vision during turns. The windshield posts get in the way. Im still waiting for all the electronics to stop working; its loaded with them.

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  You cant beat buying a Passat off of lease. - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By jimbogus - May 14 - 4:14 am

  I only buy vehicles that have three or more years of depreciation. I compare VWs to Toyota / Honda in reliability without the price. To purchase a late model competitor like a Camry or Accord youd not only have to shell out more money but you also get a vehicle with more mileage. Im very happy with the Passat as it drives with a more firm / sporty nature as compared to other vehicles in its class. Its like an inexpensive Audi A6 but without the price but also minus the luxury. The 2.5L motor is a quality engine with no turbo to worry about and a timing chain that never needs to be replaced. I get 26 MPG average and the vehicle wont need much maintenance over its lifespan plus its got enough HP with good gearing to pass on the highway with ease. All manufacturers have reliability issues here and there just inspect the car well or take it to an independent mechanic for evaluation before you buy. The best feature about the car is the very spacious passenger compartment and large trunk. Go with the 5 cylinder 2.5L and not the turbo diesel ... the TDI has allot more maintenance and quality issues so whatever you save in fuel cost is spent on keeping it on the road.

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  VR6=Vroooooommmm6 - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By TECUNUMAN - May 12 - 10:00 am

  Just got the VR-6! Fast off the start! So far so good. Getting a lot of stares, people pointing---hey you! Reliability to be seen...