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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  Poor Choice - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By LX470 - September 22 - 10:00 am

  After years of driving a Toyota Land Cruiser I opted for something different. Given the generally glowing reviews of this vehicle, I decided to try my first VW. Bad decision. The LC performed above expectations while this vehicle typically disappointed. Ive sold this vehicle after four months & bought a new LC (actually a Lexus LX470).

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  First year faults??? - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By David Stetkiewicz - September 22 - 10:00 am

  Great ride & build quality.. Have had intermittant problem with accelerator hesitation that the dealer has not been able to correct. This hesitation has caused many near miss accidents at interscections. Problems with air ride suspension....bags will deflate without warning, causing fault message on in- dash display. will correct itself after 10-15 minutes Fuel economy is much less that expected (15-19 mpg higway, 65/70 mph)

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  jetta - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By CACYE - September 22 - 10:00 am

  this is by far the best car it is comfotable, stylish, great on gas, very reliable

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  No wonder these are all over the place! - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Deutschmobilers - September 22 - 10:00 am

  We traded in our 2001 Passat wagon for the 2004 Passat wagon. We shopped around & narrowed the field to this wagon & the Volvo 70 wagon. The Passat won out as it was $5000 less expensive, with all the bells and whistles included, felt roomier in the front driver & passenger area, had a nicer looking rear-end, and saved us money on auto insurance due to the on board On-Star.

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  Fun to Drive Car with low Gas Mileage!! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By maruxue - September 22 - 10:00 am

  I love my TDI. We consistently get great gas mileage, plus the car has so much power its like a little sports car.

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  Not very reliable - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Brenda TC - September 22 - 10:00 am

  I had many problems with my car, i.e. electrical problems as well as problems with the windows and the catalytic converter. It was very disappointing.

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  Amazing car!! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By evolution16 - September 22 - 10:00 am

  This car is so awesome. Everything about it except perhaps the gas mileage is amazing. But thats to be expected with a 180 HP Turbo engine! Its so much fun to drive and is very comfortable. Trunk is huge! In fact, they could take away a little trunk space and add it to the rear seats, but other than that, the car is perfect!!!

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  The Ultimate Car! - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By PhatVeeDub78 - September 22 - 7:30 am

  So far the cars been great. I was specifically looking for a black one with the 18 inch Hufeisen Wheels. It took a couple of days but a dealer found one and gave it to me for its invoice price ($24,000). I didnt get leather because leather stinks in the summer time. I love the performance and look of the car...and the xenon headlights are the Icing on the cake!

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  Blue Tooth needs a Dentist - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By tinf7jp - September 22 - 6:39 am

  Have had the car for several weeks and like it as much as on day 1. MPG is 40+ and love the huge sunroof. Having had Audi and Mercedes vehicles, we have good perspective for what the vehicle should drive and handle like...and it does so nicely at the much lover price point.

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  Pretty but Dumb - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Pretty but dumb car - September 21 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car on impulse during a sad time in my life. It cheered me up for about two months. Unfortunately it has had four engine repairs, a broken hatchback door, battery died three times, and the a/c had to be replaced twice. I also replaced the clutch, air filters, and multiple electrical components. Its a beautiful, fun drive vehicle, but its reliability stinks. I am trading it in for a Toyota Corolla. I forgot to mention how lame VW dealerships are.