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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  Ive already spent several thousand! - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By butta246 - October 14 - 1:20 pm

  Had the car for 8 years and Its a lot of maintence. Those who havent had problems are lucky. So far Ive had to buy several hoses, my back drink holder broke, new catalytic converter, timing belt, new a.c. compressor, I was actually locked inside my car once (long story but true), and my key got stuck on the outside of the car, I had to call AAA and send it to get it fixed asap. I now need to get my tires aligned because Im going out of tires like crazy. Also my windows wont roll down, if they do they dont roll back up. Its about $400 a piece. I dont know if I got a lemon, but I have spent several thousand dollars on this car.

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  Worst Car ever owned - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By tb - October 14 - 10:00 am

  Ive never had a car that was in the shop more than this car. It started off in the shop at 8,000 miles, and had problems ever since. I just traded it in at 37, 650 miles b/c the engine went. I thought bc I was spending more on this car that it would be better in value, that was NOT the case at all. DO NOT get a VW if you are looking for a new car; this car was more trouble than its worth!!!!

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  All Good - 2005 Volkswagen GTI
  By ndotym - October 14 - 4:06 am

  This is a Great little hatchback, the turbo is excellant, all of the controls are in good reach, and the seats are great. I have no complaints, after pulling the rear middle head reast out.

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  the best car i have ever owned - 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By lori - October 14 - 3:03 am

  i love this car i have not had to many issues with it just the normal things that can go wrong. if it is maintained it will run forever

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  Fun Car - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mike Tubesing - October 13 - 3:43 pm

  The 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI is a really a fun car to drive. It has excellent handling, and is a very good looking automobile. I may have a problem getting used to puting in only 12 gallons of fuel and going over 500 miles. Our firt tank yeilded 44 mpg. Its almost like having a hybrid. I love the large trunk and fold down back seats, although my wife wont let me haul 2x4s yet. (maybe someday). I also like the ride, our last car was a Caddy, and we are really impressed how comfortable the smaller car was. Also, the instruments are well thought out and beautiful at night. The light combination is very striking. I love the safety rating too, althought I havnt tested it. Hope I never have too. I love it.

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  My wife made me get it! - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Impe - October 12 - 4:33 am

  It takes a real man to drive a car this car! I wanted a PT Cruiser Convertible but my wife insisted on the New Beetle Convertible; and it had to be Bback. We now have 5k miles on it and all is well. It is fun to drive and was comfortable on an 800 mile trip to FL. The top is easy to operate, the trunk is adequate for 2 people on 2/3 day trips, and the back seat is perfect for a 75lb Black Lab. The sound system is great, especially the MP3 capability which allows me to play as many as 200 songs per CD. The 28.5 MPG is less than I hoped for, (and both my wife and I drive gently); but the car sure is CUTE! We get lots of smiles and inquiries. All things considered, we are very happy with it.

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  Love this TDi - 2012 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By kerriet - October 11 - 7:00 pm

  I purchased my SportWagen Tdi in February of 2012. I absolutely love this vehicle. It drives like a dream: handling is fantastic, mpg is off the charts (and it is still far from being broken in), creature comforts of the interior are wonderful. I really like the exterior styling. Its a sharp vehicle.

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  Excellent Value for the Money! - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Henry - October 10 - 11:20 pm

  This car is an absolute dream! Ive driven it every day for 8 months now and I still have a smile on my face! This thing is so fun to drive. When I was shopping, I looked at Scion tC, Nissan Sentra, Honda Fit, Dodge Caliber and none of them compare with the VWs power, safety, and standard features! Everything is included in the price! Only small negative I can find is the gas mileage. It could be better but you always have to make a trade-off. Id rather have more power and gas mileage isnt too bad. Ive been averaging 22 mi/gal. 90% city driving agressively. If youre in the market for this, I would wait for the 08 model which will have 170 horses and other improvements!

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  Stay far away - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By georgeste - October 10 - 9:42 pm

  Love driving this car but... Im the second owner since 63000km 16 fuel injectors and 3 bad throttle bodies later I have decided that Im done with constant breakdowns. For sale 1 tiguan 123000km

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  1 year so far no issues - 2009 Volkswagen EOS
  By Paul - October 10 - 7:16 pm

  I put 13k on it so far so good. Absolutely no-issues. I was driving a VW passat earlier and wanted to get a convertible, SAAB, VOLVO and EOS was in my list. With the price , quality , handling and look we decided to go with EOS. Excellent gas mileage Highway I even got 35MPG.