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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  So far so good - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dermderm - July 11 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this car because of the styling and the need for the four doors (baby). I have read other reviews in this column after purchasing my car and they scare me!!! But I have had it for a couple months and no problems. Love the handling and the hiss of the turbo but is it just me or does this car have really bad lag? Hopefully a chip upgrade will solve the problem!

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  Scared to drive after warranty expires - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By fast_edison - July 11 - 10:00 am

  Ive brought this car in for warranty realted work 3 times now. Once for ignition coil failure, once for the side mirror knob falling off, and once for power window failure. The service dept at my dealer is very hard to get in touch with. Always very busy and pushing me aside. The car is fun to drive, yes, but I cant handle the lack of reliability. Ill be unloading this within 6 months as the warranty nears an end.

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  room for improvement - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Plasticbike - July 11 - 10:00 am

  This is my fifth Volkswagen, and definately the best to date. The AWD system in this car is absolutely the best Ive ever driven. The car is very comfortable, especially on long trips. My wife, who never uses cruise control, was shocked to discover on a recent trip that she was driving 90 mph. This car begs to be driven fast, and acceleration at speed seems effortless. The transmission however, is horrible at low speeds. It never seems to know which gear it should be in....even shifting manually is less than ideal.

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  Fun Car / Not Reliable - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By m_dsdrc - July 10 - 5:06 am

  I love the design of the 1999 Volkswagen Beetle. Its the cutest car ever made. But it is poorly put together. What ever is made of plastic in that car is going to break. I have had to replace all the window switches in it. And now I cant use my CD player because the plastic switches on the radio have broken. My flex plate in the engine craked and had to be replaced. The actual part only cost $36 but it ended up costing me $800 after labor. So its not that the parts are expensive is the difficulty to replace things in the car. I had to also replace my alternator, air conditioner, and the window units. My fuel door will not open from the inside If they would just fix all these minor problems it would be an exellent car!

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  Poor mans BMW - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By W Brown - July 9 - 12:36 pm

  I purchased a used 1.8 Turbo (2003). My pleasure at owning this car led to the purchase of our new Jetta. I am greatly pleased with the handling and performance of the new Jetta. It does, however, seem so much "bigger" than the older car. The Tiptronic trans. is excellent, and snaps off manual shifts faster than any human could perform.One of the most impressive things about the car, is the build quality. Truly German, a poor mans BMW.

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  Close to Perfect - 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By JR - July 6 - 9:13 am

  A little noisy and slow when accelerating at highway speeds but around town perfect! Fit, finish and handling all feel good. Love the warranty, very close to buying one, would not be shopping around if the Tiguan had a larger engine option.

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  Great Car / few problems - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jeff1971 - July 5 - 3:13 pm

  Great Car, 45-50 mpg w/ or w/o AC at highway speeds (65-80. The anti-pinch on the windows are a little touchy, I had the windows tinted, dealer said that it could cause windows to detect a pinch and go back down.

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  a first class LEMON - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By rnm442aol.com - July 5 - 10:00 am

  Broke down (lost power) the day I bought it brand new. Was in the shop for 2 weeks..replaced entire electrical system. Lost power 6 times since then..oil system problems...tensioner..I feel TOTALLY UNSAFE in this car. VW will do nothing. Ill never buy another VW Worst car I ever had Dick MArshall Pittsburgh

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  Torture - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Barnacle Bill - July 5 - 10:00 am

  A gorgeous SUV promising lots but one major problem. The armrests in the forward doors chafe the arms of anybody over five foot eleven. Really, really annoying and stopped the buying right there and then.

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  Small problems but great car - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By qch2002 - July 4 - 1:53 pm

  I bought my car in Dec.03 but its a 2004. LOVE the Diesel. Only gripes are, rattling in dash, clutch not robust enough, center armrest is not big enough and hides cup holders, back seat too small for rear facing car seat.