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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  Hmmm - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Richard Wagoner - August 30 - 6:58 pm

  Great car for the money

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  Trading in for another Jetta - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jessie - August 29 - 9:23 pm

  This is a great economical car that is comfortable for all passengers. Mine survived some 550 mile work weeks and 12 miles of gravel roads a day. The suspension took a hit here and there but I treated it like a farm truck from time to time. Mine still runs and drives great at almost 172k. Im in the market for a new 5spd Jetta.

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  Recaro sSeats Look Good, but... - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Goldie - August 29 - 5:53 pm

  The car is great. Its fun to drive, it looks good, and its not too expensive. But seriously...those front seats are just way too narrow. Im not abnormally huge, but I just cant stand sitting in them for more than an hour or so. And the backs seats are made for toddlers. They have no leg room at all. Everything else is cool. The Tiptronic transmission shifts well, the features and controls are great. The trunk is huge, and nothing has really gone wrong. The only other complaints I have would be the low front clearance (I scrape it on everything) and the low profile tires. A crack in the road in Houston blew out two tires and dented the rims. Oops. All in all, though, this is a great Volkswagen.

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  We vowed never to get a minivan... - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By peninroutan - August 29 - 10:50 am

  ...but we gave in after we had our third child. We looked at the Odyssey and Sienna, but these were ubiquitous and not very interesting to us. The Routan? Looks good, drives well with its stiffer VW suspension, and has huge amounts of space. We know its essentially a Chrysler, but the interior has enough VW feel to be fun. The dual-electric doors are great (Toyota Siennas seemed to offer only one electric door on some models). The exterior has strong lines. Will have to follow up later with a detailed review of reliability. Basically, its a minivan for those who promised they would never get one. As a guy, Im OK being seen driving it, which is worth a lot.

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  Pretty good (mostly) at 182,000 miles - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Dave - August 28 - 6:55 pm

  Direct Injection will require cleaning the intake valves at around 100,000 due to no fuel to clean the buildup on these valves. Wear on the rear tires has been a problem on these cars. One the original tires was worn on the inside edge (into the cord) at 37,000. The other three all had even wear and 50% of the tread left. The alignment was checked several times and found to be correct. Dealer said this is because of the performance alignment(I dont buy it as only one tire (right rear) wore out. There is lots of talk on the internet about damage to rear suspension during tie down on the delivery trucks. Rotation helps mask the problem, but 75% of the tread wear on the car takes place on the right rear. 12 year rust through warranty. Great mileage (you can get 35 highway easily and 40 if you go 55).

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  DO NOT BUY, VW - very streeful - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By VwSucks - August 28 - 5:53 pm

  I purchased BRAND NEW 04 VW golf and within 10 miles I drove from the dealer ship , i started getting ENGINE PROBLEMS. OUT OF the last 18 DAYS since i bought the car, 15 DAYS car was in SHED. Never expected that buying a brand new car with VW is this STRESSFUL.i filed an official complaint with VW-America, they are dead slow in responding. their Customer service is comparable to the cars engine problems. New car should be problem-free atleast for the first 10 miles. VW buyers, READ as many reviews as possible before you decide on buying this crap.

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  Nicest car I have ever owned - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By mark_j - August 28 - 10:00 am

  I have always wanted a European styled sedan but could never afford one. That changed when I purchased my Certified PreOwned 99 Passat GLS V6. What a wonderful car! Compared to other family sedans, it has wonderful handling, adequate power, luxurious well appointed interior, and excellent safety features. However, the car has been in the shop several times for: New exhaust cam, cam chain and tensioner; new control arm(s); new tie rod end; and now is making a mysterious front end noise that no one can identify. Someone speculated the new noise was coming from the differential (!!!)

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  I love my Passat! - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By samster - August 28 - 10:00 am

  This car has been dependable, comforatble and a pleasure to drive. There is PLENTY of room for back seat passengers, and the amount of cargo space is amazing. I have had to make several long distance temporary moves for my job. I can fit all of my essential housewares/clothes/belongings in my sedan with no problem!

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  Life in a Bug - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By kgirl - August 28 - 10:00 am

  My bug is a problem free vehicle as long as I perform all of the maintenance exactly on time. It knows when something is late and will then cause problems. Local repair places wont deal with it however. www.newbeetle.org has a very active community that has taught me much about the car. I also have a Vag-com from Ross-Tech Industries to read my cars computer and save trips to the dealer.

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  fun car all aroun - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By bobby jo - August 28 - 10:00 am

  unique car; interior is fun at night; fun to drive