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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  VR6 - 2000 Volkswagen GTI
  By Big Mac - January 3 - 10:00 am

  This car is great. Even after 71000 miles I still enjoy opening up on some deserted back road. She has lost a step or two since she was new. The windows gave he alot of trouble, finaly they got it right with the new regulator clip. No problems since. Well see after another 70000.

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  New Beetle - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Casey B - January 3 - 10:00 am

  WE bought this car used with just under 20,000 miles on it.We had a hard time finding the automatic trans. ,but really tired of shifting. This is my wifes car and I dont drive it a lot,but handling and comfort are very good and it is very quiet at freeway speeds.We already replaced a window regulator and oxygen sensor under warranty no real complaints.

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  Disappointment - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By diggum - January 3 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this car for 3 weeks & it has been in the shop for more than 7 days of that 3 weeks. Ive written VW about it & they called the service center & ticked them off while my car is still in the shop! I had trouble before it had 1000 miles on it. Some kind of malfunctioning sensor in the steering column. They tore the entire dash out of the car to get to it. Theyve had it for 5 consecutive days now and act like I shouldnt be upset. I really would be happy if I could just drive my new car.

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  My Alaska Green turned Lemon - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Syracuse - January 3 - 10:00 am

  Out of the two weeks that I have owned car, one week has been spent in the shop, and the car is still there. Problems with the computer and sensory stuff. "CPU" and dash console have been replaced...car only has 200 miles on it. Id now rather be owning my loaner than my new jetta. So sad, discouraging. While the car will be fixed, I have no assurance this wont happen again. I have lost all trust in my new car. The jetta I was so excited to own and drive is now my heart ache.

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  Buggy about my bug - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Rich Palatini - January 3 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Turbo New Beetle because I considered it to be a great fun drive when I test drove it. And 3 years of driving it hasnt disappointed me. The ride, power and handling continue to impress me even to this day. I love driving a rolling piece of sculpture. Especially something that looks unlike anything else on rhe road. About the only problem I encountered was a short that appeared as a warning light in the instrument cluster. It seems that 3 times in the first two years the air bag indicator light came on. Each time my dealer indicated that it was an electrical short and replaced the cluster under warranty with no charge to me.

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  go bug go - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By hotmomma - January 3 - 2:00 am

  kids love it ...easy to get in and out of the car.

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  Turbo Boost - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By gni55 - January 3 - 2:00 am

  I alwasy liked the Jetta and finally bought one. The turbo engine is going to get me in trouble it accelerates quickly. The body styling is clean and very european. The interrior is functional and comfortable. Roomy up front cramped in back. For me it is perfect I seldom have passingers anyway. Very fun to drive.

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  GTI in SUV clothing!!! - 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Roberto 1235 - January 1 - 8:11 pm

  Fun to drive with a definite German car feel......this is my 3rd Tiguan lease and they get better and better....I needed : towing capability to transport my 16ft fishing boat with gear,a roomy drivers cockpit,powerful turbo engine,a reasonable lease price,and, fun to drive.This SUV meets these and then some.The previous lease was the SEL model,fully loaded.In hindsight I would have been better off with the S Model considering my requirements and saved a bundle.This gives up the sunroof ,fog lights and Nav system. My take on the 2013 Nav system was mediocre at best.Miss the cornering fog lights.VW added the backup camera,upgraded fabric,keyless ignition,and rain sensing wipers probably to sweeten the deal for all 2016 Tiguans until the 2017 redesign becomes available.MSRP was also lower.VW also needs to recover credibility given the TDI disaster.The 16in wheels give such a good ride compared to the 18/19 options(which I had on the previous SE/SEL leases.Much more rubber to absorb bumps and grinds.As far as space goes the Tiguan is fine for grocery shopping,running errands,EZ parking,and trips to Home Depot for fertilizer etc. Wish the transmission shift points were more crisp(I like to use the manual shift feature) but maybe they have been tweaked to improve MPG which seems to be better than previous models.Early results are giving 25MPG since I just took delivery of the S being reviewed.This little SUV behaves just like much larger models only tighter,peppier,once again...fun to drive!

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  Huge and easy to handle - 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By JF - December 29 - 10:00 am

  This minvan has more room than any others. It is great and handles really well for such a big vehicle. The engine is a little noisy in low gears but is great at high speed. The interior finition could be a little better. We like it!

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  Excellent design/mediocre quality - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By TeddyT - December 29 - 10:00 am

  I have a love-hate relationship with this car. Great fun to drive, adequate power, fantastic fuel mileage (43-52 mpg). I drive 40K per year & have pretty pleased. Repairs & maintenance too expensive. $650 timing belt expense. $450 air flow sensor @ 85K.