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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  THIS is a Volkswagen? - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By FarFromSatisfied - August 24 - 3:20 pm

  This car was a gift from my parents, as a first car. At first I was thrilled; the car was fun to drive, it had great features and it looked great. So far, Ive had the car about a year and a half, and the car has been in the repair shop about 5 or 6 times for major repairs, including: the transmission, alternator, head gasket, a/c compressor, power steering, water pump, and a few others. I dont have a lead foot, so its not my driving thats causing these problems. Not to mention I average 16 mpg, if that. Nevertheless, the car has great features. I just expected more from Volkswagen, especially with the car being one of their "Certified Pre Loved Cars".

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  Best looking interior among all minivans - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By Krishna - August 24 - 9:13 am

  The drive on this minivan is absolutely fantastic. The drive feels manly and more like a car. I drove Honda Odyssey for 10 years and I loved it as well. But, it has that minivan feel which most of my friends used to joke about. Routan doesnt make you feel like you are driving a minivan. Also, the seating really helps towards that feel. I was not looking to won Routan as I wanted to stay with Japanese maker as I never had any issues with my 2000 Odyssey on which I drove over 200K. For a change I wanted to buy Sienna and almost got it but the promotions on 2009 Routan made me go to the dealer to check it out and once I test drove and saw the interior design there is no going back to Sienna.

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  Stay away - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By cuse311 - August 23 - 10:06 pm

  Ive had this car for almost 6 years now and while it was fun during the warranty period, lately it has been a real drain on my finances to keep it running. Problem after problem keeps showing up from sensors, coils, thermostat. If you like to be punished then go out and buy one, otherwise stay away. This car is very unreliable and very, very expensive to fix.

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  Great hybrid - 2014 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid
  By Linn Ardner - August 23 - 7:42 pm

  Sharp car....two tone seat..great wheels...sports car handling👏👏👏

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  Worth the money when compared - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Cdog64 - August 23 - 12:26 pm

  Ive had the Rabbit for 1600 miles and have enjoyed the drive. The fit of the car is good. The perfomance is great. The comfort is good. The 2.5 with the auto is a fantastic match. I have had plenty of go when needed. You have to watch your speed til you get used to the ride at speed (youll be doing 80 before you realize it). The Rabbits handling is very responsive with good road feel. When the weather is bad there is no problem either. The sound system is very good and easy to set up. Im 62 and 250 and fit in the seats comfortably. The car has more room than you think. All in all I have enjoyed this car a lot and find myself smiling when driving. Drive it and compare.

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  WHAT A CAR!!! - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By psyopgod - August 22 - 10:26 pm

  All around best car Ive owned in 30 years of driving. My advice: GET ONE! Oh Wait - there arent that many left. Well - good luck. FUN FUN FUN!!

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  Young again - 2005 Volkswagen GTI
  By redhead - August 22 - 8:13 am

  After waiting 6 months to get a GTI w/V6 and cloth interior, I am very pleased with my new Volkswagen. This is my first car with stick shift since my Corvair days. My wife and I took a 500 mile trip in a rain storm last weekend. I felt totally in control while driving on wet roads at interstate speeds. The GTI is very steady on the road and has plenty of power for acceleration at any speed. My red GTI really attracts attention and turns heads when this 67 year old guy gets out of his new car.

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  Its almost everywhere perfect car!!! - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By Tim - August 22 - 5:23 am

  I have been so satisfied with my Passat Performance 200HP 207TQ is good enough when I need power and its comfort as well as my dads E350. Surprisingly, it still has great fuel economy I can get 60 MPH/ Cruise 37.5 MPG 65 MPH/ Cruise 35 MPG 70MPH/ Cruise 32 MPG In local way, I usually got more than 25 (26~27) Not to mention that it looks awesome in and outside. I dont know whats gonna happen in the future though but the Reliability is so far so great. and I can kinda feel this build Quality which is so much concerned by VW I love it so much!!

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  Great Car, Great Value - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By James - August 21 - 9:13 am

  Pondered over buying this car for months. I am glad I pulled the trigger. Lots of power, sweet 6 speed. Build quality is great, better than the BMW, Audi,or Infiniti I have had in the past. Good sound system (not great). I think this is the best 21K car sold in the past 10 years. Test drove the DSG and that was pretty awesome but I had to go manual.

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  Underrated All The Way. - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Earl - August 21 - 2:16 am

  Ive had the Touareg for 7 months now but I still feel in awe walking up to it and getting in. Its a beautiful vehicle. It handles really well. Its cornering, breaking, and acceleration (with the Tiptronic transmission) are great. Two things Id like to address: 1. its fuel economy isnt that bad on the V6. If you compare it to other SUVs youre getting just about the same if not better MPG than an Explorer or even a 4Runner. 2. It is agile. The reason why it feels sluggish at times is due to the fact that it goes to the 6th gear almost immediately. I see my car in 5th gear entering the freeway; of course it wont have any torque. Learn to downshift. It has awesome features, apples to apples its the best value ever!