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:

• 

  Best in class - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By tazdan35 - December 10 - 9:53 pm

  Performance is exceptional and fuel economy is great. Fun to drive. Very comfortable seating for average height drivers. Only complaint is front cup holders, hard to fit two drinks at same time.

• 

  My Pocket Rocket - 2008 Volkswagen R32
  By J. Channell - December 10 - 4:16 pm

  Very cool and at the same time conservative in nature just by its looks, however, press the gas pedal and it bcomes my pocket rocket. Great integration of controls and ease of use while driving.

• 

  I love this car! - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By Steve - December 10 - 5:30 am

  Everywhere i go people say how much they love it...WELL MOSTLY with the top down...IT IS kinda boring styling when the top is up.. I have NO problems at all with the car, Mech. or other.. ONE thing i hate I MEAN HATE is when you break IN the sport mode ...the car slams down into 1st gear N tosses U forward.. NOT IN SPORT its a slug U HAVE to put your foot into it or will go no where...

• 

  One Hot Hatchback! - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By VeeDub - December 9 - 10:00 am

  This car is not for everyone,but if your looking for a very well built an thought out hatchback than this is the one to buy!Its not the best riding car in the world but the trade off is a car that seems to be on rails.The six speed gearbox is smoth as silk linked to 180 ponys its just a fun car to drive!Not to mention it looks great too!

• 

  Great Value - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JP_1.8T - December 9 - 10:00 am

  This new Jetta replaced my old 98 Jetta. The physical difference between the two could not be greater. The level of refinement and power I have in this car compared to its predecessor is amazing. And the sticker price on them were virtually the same! VW made truly amazing strides with this generation.

• 

  Excellence Pure Excellence - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mollie Sauers - December 9 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely LOVE this Car. I will remain with a Jetta TDI GLS its the perfect Sports car!!

• 

  VW owner - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By 1.8t stageII - December 9 - 10:00 am

  This is a fun fun car to drive. The VW Jetta is a great all around car to to drive for the person who would like a loaded great featured car for a bargain price. This car has tons of safety featues that you dont have to pay extra for. They also are a great handling car. VW puts all the metal where it counts for structure rigidity. Unless you are looking to pay for a BMW the VW line offers great products for the money. I have had my Jetta 1.8T for almost ten years and I have not had any real problems with it. They have a great warranty if your worried.

• 

  Best car for the money - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By H-DUB - December 9 - 1:30 am

  As I get older, I place a lot more emphasis on value. In terms of what I value, I wanted economy, acceleration, utility, and styling. In my opinion, there is not another car that can beat the GTI. When I did my research, the two most important criteria were gas mileage and acceleration. So I came up with my own measure, which was average gas mileage divided by the 0 to 60 time. The GTI was far away the best performer in that measure. Ive owned BMWs exclusively up until this purchase. Ive got to say that I enjoy driving this car more than any of my previous 7 BMWs. Ive had this car for a month now and still cant get over the great VALUE.

• 

  im buying GTIs for my whole life. - 2001 Volkswagen GTI
  By nj_vw_punk - December 7 - 10:00 am

  Ill make this short. This is the best all-around car you will find. The car is fun as hell to drive, looks good, is practical (as most hatchbacks are), is designed intelligently (for the most part) and the build quality is great. you wont get this much car for this little money anywhere else. forget what you think you should be driving (especially inefficient SUVs), and go to a dealer and take a test drive. Power is more than sufficient. Handling is good for all but the most performance minded. My only complaint is that some dealers are genuine jerks. Reydel VW in Edison NJ is quite good.

• 

  coil packs and windows regulators??????? - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By sil - December 7 - 10:00 am

  great car