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 quality - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By tracy - November 1 - 10:00 am

  I love my bug unfortunatly since the warranty has expired: I having a variety of problems. The electric window on the passenger side failled. The onboard computer is now having problems again after having been replaced under warranty. The cost for changing of a headlight was $500.00 ( an internal problem ) One of the headlight burned out again 3 months after replacement the other one after 6 months. The molding on the back window is falling off. Volkswagen has spent massive amounts of money on advertisements to make us forget about their not so good reputation. It appears to me that they are still unable to build a car without problems.

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  Dont Buy a Volkswagen - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Emiliy - October 31 - 7:16 pm

  I purchased my Volkswagen Jetta GLS in 2002 and have had to have the engine repaired for three major problems, as well as having it in the shop for numerous other recalls and malfunctions. At less than 50,000 miles the engine has blew up due to an "oil sludge" problem and VW will not pay for repair. Passat engines have been admitted to have this problem, but they will not admit it is an issue with Jettas. Consumers, despite what VW says, cannot control the sludge. Then once you have a problem, VW customer service is awful. Also note, they claim dealerships are independent contractors and will not cover problems in workmanship, etc.

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  Ignition Coil Issues. Again! - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Pittsburgh, PA - October 26 - 10:10 pm

  The car only has 31,500 miles and has been in the shop 3 times - twice for major electrical issues and once for a recall on, you guessed it, electrical issues. The dealership describes as "ignition coil problems." I describe it as the car suddenly loses power and begins to shake making it a very dangerous driving situation. We are totally fed up with this problem and feel as though we are getting the run around from the dealer.

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  Look elsewhere - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By robert - October 22 - 1:43 pm

  I bought this VW for quality German engineering. My mistake. It had chronic (monsoon) radio/cd problems which are expensive to repair. Front door windows fell out but were covered by mfr recall. Transmission went out twice (112,000 and 128,000 miles). It cost $4500 and VW America would not help with either transmission. Even the wheel logos are poorly installed and fall out at $40 each. Cup holders completely block access to stereo while in use. Black velour seats tend to hold lots of lint and dirt. Looking forward to selling this car and buying a Japanese or American car.

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  The 4 Cylinder Jetta Sucks! - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jewel2 - October 19 - 11:10 am

  I have not had this car for a year yet and Im already having problems. Like other owners, I have electrical problems with check engine lights coming on, coolant lights and all seem to be "fine" when checked by mechanics. Also the transmission sticks when driving. It sometimes jerks when trying to accelerate going uphill. My drivers side door squeaks when I open it. Ive lost a hubcap and on a rainy day the tires slip. Also the fuel economy sucks on the highway as well so Im left wondering, why did I buy this car?

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  Poor Workmanship - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jaybird11 - October 15 - 10:00 am

  My Jetta has been in the shop about 30 times in the year I have owned it. The plastic pieces in the interior have all peeled and had to be replaced. The replacements have begun their peeling now. My passenger side seat fell apart, and has been to the dealership and upholstery shop 4 times. The seat is still broken, and was inoperable for over 2 months. I would not wish my Jetta experience on my worst enemy. DO NOT purchase a VW.

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  Dont waste your time or money - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By unhappy vw owner - October 6 - 10:46 pm

  If she didnt wreck my Civic I wouldnt be on here. Parts are outrageous, car has hardly any power looking for new engine now after for months ownership cheap interior, loose steering, radio has bad reception. Seat recliners are bad, nothing good about this car but the sunroof. Turbo is extremely weak. So dont try to talk youre dad into it because its definitely not worth the hassle first hand. Bad idea.

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  Problems with the top - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By buyright - October 6 - 10:13 pm

  We wanted to buy a used EOS. The car we looked at had been taken back by the VW company because there was water leakage into the front pillar. It was fixed by VW and then placed for sale. Our friend bought the EOS and has had the car in the shop for 4 weeks. The problem was getting the convertible top to go up.

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  What a Mistake! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Karen - October 4 - 10:40 am

  When I purchased this car new in 2003, it was my first experience with a Volkswagon. I now now it will be my last. The first month the starter went and I was without a car for days. I unfortunately continued to bring the car to the dealership and never got out of there under $1000, even for routine service. The recalls have been numerous, and my pants actually caught fire with the lovely heated seats prior to the recall. I recently replaced an axle, and now I am told I may need a new transmission. I dont even have 80,000 mile yet. My back doors do not unlock, the handle came off the glovebox, the alarm no longer sounds when I leave the lights on, the sunroof gets stuck open, ....on and on..

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  9 Months old and outside door handle breaks off. - 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By gjoes - October 3 - 4:52 am

  Well this is irritating and one of the reasons I had reservations about buying a VW, weird little things breaking, knobs falling off, etc. I had a new Jetta in 1998 and my trips to the dealership for little things were endless, including the starter going ont within 6 months. I was assured all of these issues were taken care of, and obviously theyre not. Once the door handle was in my hand (not on the car) I noticed that it is actually plastic. Plastic? Hmmmm. I should have kept my Jeep.