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:

• 

  From BIG to small - 2015 Volkswagen Golf
  By kruby2 - August 28 - 11:19 am

  I was tired of pumping gas for my LX570 2 times per week so i made a big move or shall i say a small move.I always liked my daughters 2008 rabbit and have loved diesels in the past so i sold the suv and bought the golf. What a great car to drive. it is so responsive and fun. I am 65" and cannot have the seat all of the way back. I have more legroom than in the big LX. Go drive one, you will love it. my first tank took me 500 miles of mostly city and some highway driving. I am impressed. They look great too.

• 

  Great European Car - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Bogdan G. - August 25 - 9:03 pm

  I previously had a 2002 VW GTI and loved the car. The only reason that I didnt go with the GTI but with the Rabbit is because there is no 4-door on the GTI (I know they have it in Europe). In my opinion it is the best car in its class. It looks great, feels solid, drives sporty, has a roomy and classy interior.

• 

  Great Car, but... - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Island Dude - August 25 - 10:00 am

  Had the Passat now for four years and it has never failed us. Car has everything, great looks, good performance, lots of room, but in my line of work I have placed alot of miles on the car--105k in four years. Ive recently had to spend $1500 to replace a water pump, timing belt, and an axle boot along with the 20K interval service. Im concerned that this might be a trend from here on out, but up to this point, the car has been very reliable. One disturbing note--service cant readjust my factory setting headlights without a fee, which I thought was pretty bogus.

• 

  Great Fun Car - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Evan - August 25 - 10:00 am

  I travel alot and love how this car handles. The 5 speed shift makes it fun to drive. After 4 years, the purple lighted dash board still gets alot of oohs and ahhs. I have owned alot of VWs over the years and for the price, I think it is a great value.

• 

  Great Smalll Car - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By AtlantaAl - August 25 - 10:00 am

  Compared to all other small cars, the Golf wins as the best quality and best value. No car at $16K to $19K is perfect, but the Golf is the closest. At 3000 lbs., with 8 airbags, standard 4-wheel anti-lock disks, and available ESP, it is the safest. It is also fun to drive, with solid handling and a remarkably compliant ride for small a car. High resale value makes VWs the only econoboxes that are worth leasing.

• 

  Car Guy loves it! - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By artsy - August 25 - 10:00 am

  Im a car guy and Ive owned some great ones (and a few not so great ones). I had high expectations of this car, since it was by far the most Id ever had to pay for one, and it has exceeded my expectations. Excellent ride, handling, comfort. Weve drive a family of 5 loaded to the hilt 550 miles and got out feeling like we had flown. I cant believe some of the bad reviews here - build quality doesnt vary that much in VWs - they must work at Mazda dealers! Own an Audi for thousands less. This car is absolute best in class!

• 

  FANTASTIC - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Pcarnera - August 25 - 10:00 am

  BEST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED!

• 

  LUVMYBUG - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By M3Cats - August 25 - 10:00 am

  New Beetle Convertible is fun to drive. Not the most powerful convertible on the market, but definately the funnest to drive. You cannot drive this car without someone rolling down their window to tell you how great the car looks.

• 

  Keep it German but think American! - 2009 Volkswagen Passat
  By Emeka - August 25 - 3:10 am

  Two months after purchase, I was at the service station due to some rattling sound coming from my front bumper.Come to find out that something was coming loose. The following month, I was at the service station again due to a hissing sound that comes on each initial pull out.After these issues were fixed for free of-course, I have enjoyed every ounce of my car. Everyone who sees my Passat all say the same thing.."wow, your car is beautiful". Some think its a BMW at first sight while some say they never ever considered a VW until seeing mine. German engineering rocks but they need to understand that Americans love comfort and convenience together with reliability.

• 

  Love it with some reservations - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By love it but - August 24 - 2:50 am

  I bought my EOS used, it had around 8,000 miles on it. It has been a blast to drive. I have had an issue with the top. The sunroof will periodically stay open when I close the top. The dealer had a very difficult time diagnosing. They think they have fixed it but not so sure. The back seat is too small for adults to travel comfortably but I did not buy it for passengers. This is my main transportation on a daily basis and I love it. I get approx 28mpg with combo of highway/city commute so cant complain.