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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  Nice Combo - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Shaun - October 25 - 9:40 pm

  This is a unique blend of qualities. Nice design and build. Nice interior. Great fuel economy (30 to 40)and nice performance from this drive train. Fun transmission that can drive like a manual in sport mode. Good handling from this zippy car. From 0 to 50 mph this car is quick which is not expected with this kind of economy. It also has Audi interior cues such as info center on dash. It is the same as my A6. No diesel smell or noise. Pleasantly surprised from a former BMW 328 owner.

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  This VW likes to spend time in the shop. - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By Oldguy10 - October 24 - 5:13 pm

  I always wanted one of these Passats having heard much about their value. The value must be with the way the dealership keeps their hand in your pocket for repairs. Things started out fine till the first repair of the transmission slipping. Then it started leaking oil from a gasket. At first maintenance, found out the air filter was missing. Normally these bugs are corrected in earlier models, but I was more than nickeled and dimed to death with the heavy repair bills that werent covered under warranty. It sat for a week at a airport and the battery ran down, but it was winter and battery was dead so the doors wouldnt even unlock with the fob.

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  GLX...With tons of problems - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By EME - October 24 - 10:00 am

  I bought my 2000 Jetta VR6 GLX in 2002. It has been in the shop all the time. It stalls spiratically, and no dealership or independent shop knows how to fix it. Engine Workshop Light and Emission Workshop lights always go on; I take it to the shop, and the code the car gives is wrong. The window fell one day and had to be replaced, along with the underside of my bumper. Regardless of all the machanical problems, it is a fun car to drive when it runs. Great interior.

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  7 years and counting - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By walter67 - October 24 - 5:08 am

  1st owner of my 2005 Jetta Diesel, have station wagon auto trans. Travel from North East to Florida each year, so it has avoided winter salty roads. Ive replace the timing belt at 85,000 miles to be on safe side. Will need new rubber on my struts both normal ware. Still have original brake pads at 90,000 miles at every oil change I expect to be told its time to change so far not yet. Fuel economy.... average 34 to 39 miles per gallon I can get 42 miles on a gallon if I drive at my RPM sweet spot which is 38 to 41 miles an hour, at that speed you will get the 42 per gallon. Would I buy this vehicle again YOU BETCHA I would. Paid $21,5000 in Jan of 20005

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  Bought out the lease - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rickpw - October 22 - 10:00 am

  Ive been driving this 1998 GLX VR6 five-speed Jetta for four years on a lease. I like it so much, I decided to buy the car at lease end. Its still way fun to drive. Every friend whos ever driven it says, "wow, I love driving this car." The pick-up is great and sporty. This GLX is a completely different beast from a regular Jetta, but you probably already knew that. Id recommend the leather seats, which are especially nice heated. My only problems have been an electrical repair. Also, the tires, because of the sport model, I recently found out are quite expensive! I only have slightly over 50,000 miles on the car, so why not keep driving it?

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  Think of it more as a Euro truck - 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By Frank Eurovan - October 22 - 10:00 am

  No, it’s not a "minivan", where that term is currently defined as an overgrown passenger sedan. It is almost the size of a full size van on the outside and inside, but it is so much more driveable than any other full size van. The driving position is the popular "very high" - I can see over all other minivans and even most SUVs on the road. On separate occasions, Ive hauled 1) 7 adults very comfortably, 2) a large roll-top desk, and 3) several pieces of 12-foot long 2x6 lumber. It all fits. We also used it on our family vacation last summer with great success. Too bad 2002 is the last production year.

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  Smart car for Power lovers!! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Atee - October 22 - 10:00 am

  Nice car with nice stable handling and smooth ride . The interior well designed and color schemes great! Engine no problems at all ....

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  As a Tow vehicle - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Jim Quick - October 21 - 11:10 pm

  I tow a 31 travel trailer and have found the Touareg to be a excellent tow vehicle. The six speed transmission along with the 310HP V8 do a very good job, much better than the full size PU I was using before. Also better gas mileage than before.

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  Love to drive it, but tired of problems. - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By SunBear - October 19 - 3:40 am

  When I bought this car, it had about 60ish thousand miles on it. Has transmission problems, doesnt like to go in reverse or it slips around the third gear. (Automatic). And VW wants 3k+ for a replacement! Even rebuilt ones online are over 1k. Replaced the water pump twice, the timing belt once. The headlights have both gone out, and take forever to replace. We have done all of the work at home, to save money, and it is a pain to do work on it, things are hard to get to. Car burns oil Recently replaced the starter and battery. I love driving this car, I can take corners at 45+ with no problem. The CD player it came with never worked, and my seat heater stopped working- but its a sturdy car

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  Great for 30,000 miles, then problems - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By Andy - October 17 - 11:26 pm

  I had always wanted a VW Golf and after driving several comparable models, researching (not good enough, apparently) I decided on a 2004 VW Golf GLS. 5 speed tranny, everything else needed was standard - big selling point. The first 30,000 miles clicked by without fail or problems. But along the 32,000 mile mark, my ECT light came on, and after a few trips to a dealer, the problem persisted. The result of the light coming on was that the car operated at around 60% of its power, with cruise not working and as you ascend any hill, you cant even grab a gear to accelerate. Finally sold the car (took a big hit) and bought a Toyota - what I should have done in the first place. No more VWs.