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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  Great Car... - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By scalif20@aol.com - August 14 - 10:00 am

  My jetta has served me well but have had a couple little issues with it...Whats up with the noise while the car is being turned???Need to get it into the shop...and what about it being really loud at 75mph and up...its screaming for a 6th gear. But the Car is fun and lots of compliments...especially abuot the dash and outisde appearance. I do love the car but my eyes are turning towards that 2003 Toyota 4 Runner

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  Luv My TDI!!!!! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By fresadulce - August 14 - 10:00 am

  This car has far exceeded my expectations....Downgrading from an 01 Jetta glx V6, I was expecting to be a bit disappointed. Not So! Although I do miss my heated leather bun warmers!

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  Better than its competitors... - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By JDyck - August 14 - 3:40 am

  Simply put, this car blows away the competition with its combination of build quality, design, safety, and standard features. Nuff said.

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  Great so Far - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By Brent - August 13 - 2:03 pm

  Ive owned my Eos for about 2 months now. I have NEVER enjoyed driving a car as much as this one. Im disappointed everywhere I go that the trip didnt take longer. I think about driving it all day. Yes, it has a couple of weirdnesses, a faint thumping sound sometimes when shifting, and the shifting isnt smooth when its cold. But litterally other than this, its the perfect car. It is honestly therapeutic to drive, and I find myself thinking up reasons to go places just to have more time behind the wheel. The top is totally sweet. When its closed, you can see the sky. When its open you can feel the sky and the moonroof is great for quick little breaks in the rain. Thanks VW

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  Passat 1.8 GLS - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By pawwap - August 10 - 11:56 am

  After 1 month of ownership, all is superb. The bad rap that VW has often had has not been the case with me. Great deal, good dealer experience and the car is great to drive. Plenty of room for 4 adults; interior quality is excellent. The "leatherette" is very well done. I love getting in this car every day. It handles wonderfully and is a joy to drive. With a new Passat on the way, the current models are being dealt on, and they are going to have to go pretty far to improve on this model.

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  Great Sedan - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By big_guy - August 9 - 3:06 am

  I have only owned my Passat for 6 months but really love it. It handles great and provides the two most important features for me . . . lots of head room and lots of leg room. Im 6-7" tall and dont fit into a lot of vehicles but the Passat definitely fits the bill.

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  A car that you can have fun with - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By rainer - August 8 - 2:50 pm

  I have had this car now for almost a month. I have driven 2,675 miles. I It handles like a charm. There is no excess lean in corners. In rain or shine it sticks to the road like it is on rails. I am waiting for the winter and snow. My fuel mileage so far has been 22 mpg - city, 31.5 mpg - highway, avg. 27.2. I am using the Triptronic when I first start the car and drive in that mode it gives me better gas mileage. After the car has warmed up, I switch to standard auto. I also use Tiptronic in the city for the same reason.

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  Sweet car - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By Rieger1.8t - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Really nice car, very fast, fun to drive. Roomy interior for a 2 dr. Reliable, great features. Sporty car for half the price of most.

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  Good Car - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By dP3 - August 8 - 2:00 am

  The Golf is fun to drive, it has however some reliability flaws, according to many people, I have not experienced any, yet (knock on wood.) The pricier models have nice amenities, the stereo sounds good (serious audio buffs might want to change a thing or two.) and the engine responds nicely. The front part of the interior has space, and theres enough space for people in the back. However, if youre looking for a more trunk space, you might want to consider a Jetta (same chassis and everything, but added space.)

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  VW Touareg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Dublin Hawk - August 8 - 2:00 am

  If you can get by the funny name, the Touareg is well designed midsize SUV. The interior is comfortable and has a lot of standard features that were options on other SUVs that I looked at. It handles the snow without any difficulty, and rides like a dream on the open highway. If it does have a downside it is its fuel mileage. This is the SUV I picked after test drives in the Lexus RX330 and Infiniti FX35 since the price was the same and I felt I got more for my money with the Touareg.