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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  Dont believe the hype - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By IhatemyJetta - October 2 - 2:00 am

  I bought a 98 dealer-certified Jetta in Jan. 2001 for about what I would have paid for a 2001 Corolla, thinking I was getting a better car. And in terms of comfort and handling, I was. The positives end there. This car has been a nightmare. Transmission (automatic) died at 54k; the powertrain warranty was only good up to 50k, so the dealer politely informed me that I was screwed. Cost of a new trans: $3,000. Car still doesnt run right: Jerky, inconsistent shifting and acceleration, runs hot, idles rough, burns through coolant. Dealer insists with a straight face theres nothing wrong with it. In short, a total piece of crap. Never again.

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  Run for Your Life - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Karree B. - October 1 - 9:43 pm

  I fell in love with the Volkswagen Touareg after one test drive. Had I known the issues that were going to crop up I would have made another choice. I love the ride and handling of this SUV but Im reaching the point where that doesnt matter anymore. Ive had this truck in for service at least once a month since I bought it. Ive even had to take it in for service while on vacation. How much does that stink?! Many of the problems have been linked to the electrical system (which they know is bad and refuse to fix) but now its my transmission thats going wonky. Not only does it jerk while shifting gears, now its making a loud screaming noise. VWoA needs to get a clue and own up to the issues!

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  Lemon! Terrible! Money Pit! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By whitewolf1145 - October 1 - 6:01 pm

  This car breaks down more than any car ive ever even heard of! Something anything breaks at least once a week and being a vw parts cost $1000+ for the simple crap! Bought car 6 months ago at 107,000. It now has 117,000 and after $2000+ in repairs the transmission is going out. The car has ruined my financial life! i owe $4000 still thats twice what i could sell it for if it worked! -__- Very expensive lesson learned! DO NOT BUY THIS CAR!

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  Im stuck with a VW lemon - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By edgar215 - September 29 - 12:50 am

  I purchased a nice 03 Passat with 65k miles last year for my daughters 1st car. Now, Im faced with buying a new engine because of sludging. I had never heard of this problem. Apparently, the engine is ruined and VW will not warranty it without all past service records. I am the 3rd or 4th owner so I dont have them. Ive owned over 25 cars in my 52 years and have never had a problem like this. I is going to cost me over $4,000 to fix it. I will NEVER own another VW!

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  Bad bad VW - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By BillfromJersey - September 27 - 2:00 am

  Most unreliable car I have ever owned. This list of problems is endless. Mass Air Flow sensor, headlights, dashboard lights, glove box..twice (and do you think that VW has even reconized this problem?), ABS, Hydraulic brake unit, radio and on and on and on. Thank goodness that I have roll down windows...I see that many people have had problems with their power windows.

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  Up In Flames! - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By diannr - September 27 - 12:46 am

  Bought our 2002 TDI in December for our daughter. Two weeks later we discovered it had a messed up transmission. Counting on fuel savings over the next 5 years, we spent $3500 to have the transmission rebuilt. There were alot of rattles in the interior but we planned to address those after recovering from the trani. expense. Last weekend the brakes failed while parking, proceeded to smoke from the rear then caught on fire! A total loss for us however the salvage yard is scoring a good engine. Apparently firewalls work from both directions. I would not recommend this car!!

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  First year faults??? - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By David Stetkiewicz - September 22 - 10:00 am

  Great ride & build quality.. Have had intermittant problem with accelerator hesitation that the dealer has not been able to correct. This hesitation has caused many near miss accidents at interscections. Problems with air ride suspension....bags will deflate without warning, causing fault message on in- dash display. will correct itself after 10-15 minutes Fuel economy is much less that expected (15-19 mpg higway, 65/70 mph)

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  This is a Bug Mobile - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By VW Lady - September 20 - 10:00 am

  This car replaces the Beetle as the new BUG, as it is so buggy. The electric seats stopped working a week after I bought the damn this. Now the fuel gauge also gave out. What junk.

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  Cant afford to drive it - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Brad - September 13 - 9:40 pm

  This car has got a beautiful interior, nice looking, body not rusting, but my wife and I are scared to take it anywhere. It sometimes starts and sometimes not. The mechanics cant find the problem, this gets expensive. All repairs on it are expensive. Im a 200 lb man and not much room for me. I have a sore back and this car is very uncomfortable. My old beat up Dodge van is fine. Id never buy another VW. Its not dependable. We have put so many repairs in it already. I will ride my Harley any day, much more reliable

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  never know if it will start - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By jogarza - September 11 - 10:00 am

  This is an expensive vehicle that sould be a Suv to use it in any ocasion, but unfortunatly Im always nervous of using it because you never know if it will start when I want to go back home.