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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  notified NHTSA. - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jmbcorex - October 9 - 5:26 pm

  Bought 2009 Jetta TDI. At 720 miles had a severe problem with the transmission. In park, with engine running shifted into reverse...trans acted like it was in neutral engine raced, shift indicator lights started blinking, depress brake pedal before starting light came on, and car went into reverse and lurched backwards almost hitting other car...next nite,10pm 50 miles per hour, engine goes into neutral even with gear in drive, gear light blinking brake pedal light on simultaneously.just like ex. above. Almost got rear ended. had car for less than week...now told need a transmission tear down and evaluation of all sensors. I want my car replaced with a new one!!!

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  Interior- with color clothing- faded on the seats - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By Mary - October 9 - 9:28 am

  Please beware of tan interior with color clothing. Have been back twice to have seats, head rest, and arm rest replaced. Very upset how my new jeans changed the color on the drivers seat and my friends red jacket faded on my seat, arm rest and head rest only riding to work 30 miles one time. I am not the only person this has happened to.

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  Like marriage - its the little things - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By behamsa - October 7 - 9:43 am

  I still love my bug after 8 yrs, but there are definitely some little & not so little design flaws that cause $$ and growls. Frequent headlamp replacements costly. Plastic "butter tub" under front of car gets thrashed regularly due to ridiculous clearance (Replaced several, lost count. Also the oil pan went with it 1 time!) Paint and rubber continues to come off door panels. Anything interior plastic is subject to break/replace over & over. (Window & climate controls, cup holder, gas door cable) And I have replaced so many cheaply glued hub cab emblems that I finally gave up! The devil is in the details on this car. Dealer service is $$$. But all said I still love to drive this baby!

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  jetta tdi - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By yenlo - October 5 - 10:00 am

  this has been one of the worst purchases Ive ever made.Multiple breakdowns(wheel bearings,fuel injection pump,fuel heater) at29000 mi.on this piece of junk 2000 Jetta TDI

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  I got lesss than i expected, way less... - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Frodzilla - October 5 - 10:00 am

  I have had this vechile for about 18 months. I have had to have the transmission worked on twice and it is still slipping. The power windows never seem to work right and tend to fall down when you are trying to close them. I am very disappointed in this car. If i wanted to purchase a car that was this faulty i would have bought a cheaper one. I love the way this car looks and the way it handles, when the transmission isnt slipping, but i wish i had known about these problems prior to spending $26,000 +.

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  Sad but true ...a lemon! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By falsetto - October 5 - 10:00 am

  I loved the car...but if not driven every day, the battery went dead. Fun at the airport!! After three battery replacements, five weeks in the shop,seven false we found it reports. The slippery factory reps. offered me a new vehicle and gave me $18,000 for my 8 mo. old GLX! That cost me $11,000 to drive 28k miles...when it would start!

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  Two month review - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Schiafone - October 4 - 9:06 pm

  After a 1,000 mile break-in period in town, we took our Jetta on a 2,000 mile round trip from Florida to the high elevations of North Carolina. We were very impressed with the guts of this diesel engine on very steep terrain. It had no problems passing uphill! The biggest complaint we have are the front seats. They are very uncomfortable! One of the best features are the back seats that fold forward allowing for plenty of luggage and our 100 pound black labrador. We would, however, like the seats to fold flat. The cruise control is somewhat confusing as it is right next to the directional signal control. So far our average fuel economy has been 36 city and 42 highway. Overall we are very pleased.

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  1st Volkswagen - 2012 Volkswagen Golf
  By jdhtx87 - October 3 - 9:42 pm

  After approx 2 years of reviewing everything out there, i finally decided on a car that had the best balance of everything I was looking for. Entertaining to drive, practical, versatile, and high quality interior. It is designed for those who love to drive. MDI is the best feature. Being able to select from your connected ipod, iphone, am/fm, sat, and sd card is amazing. Voice control is icing on the cake. DSG works exactly as written. You have to understand that this is not an automatic but an automated manual. Averaging 41mpg after 800 miles. So far, all the positive hype has proven true. Coming from Honda and not looking back!!

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  Not bad, but the cost-cutting is obvious - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By LA Golf Leasee - October 2 - 11:16 am

  The good: Exterior styling, particularly in silver is pretty nice and an improvement over the last gen. Performance is ok for the class, but definitely go with a stick. Interior design generally a step above competition, but there is some definite and annoying cost-cutting. The not-so-good: No covered interior storage outside of the glovebox, junky radio with sat option - touchscreen with Sirius only available on TDI, no armrest - seems small, but gets annoying quickly. I got the base Golf only because I couldnt afford a TDI and there are no Mazda dealers close to me to get a 3. With a few upgrades, it could be a great compact, but the skimping makes it better than avg, but not great.

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  i used to loved my car - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By ann - September 28 - 11:20 pm

  I choose my car because perfect for me, but after I buyed is trouble after trouble , the seats , the seat belts , the battery, the engine light, the roof leaking, the front glass leaking, and I just think about and make me mad because you buy a new car and you should feel secure well Im not with this one. the car is pretty and fast thats it .