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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  Awesome wagon - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Michael - August 5 - 6:36 pm

  This wagon is a blast to drive - it gets 4-cylinder gas mileage when you want it and has turbo power when you need it. It has lots of cargo space and comfortable seating for 5 passengers.

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  CC 2.0T Luxury - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By VARam2000 - August 5 - 2:26 pm

  I had already decided on a CPO 2008 S80, when my wife saw one of these on the highway. She sent me a photo from her cell and said , "Youve got to buy this car!" After seeing this gorgeous car in person and a 20 min test drive, I was sold. Picked it up the next day; White Gold 2.0T Luxury, moon roof, Sirius, extra mats for $29k. MSRP was 34695. Invoice was $30110.

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  Great car! Second Jetta owned. - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By d_vegas - August 5 - 9:57 am

  This is the second Jetta we owned and bought new. The first was a 2004 diesel that we traded at 224,000 miles. We decided not to get the diesel this time because we are driving less. This car averages 35 mpg on the freeway! We are very happy with the car. No mechanical issues, drives great, comfortable to sit in.

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  Those who know it - appreciate it. - 2005 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By russell - August 5 - 3:06 am

  Beautiful exterior; drive for sport, drive for comfort, in the rain, sleet and snow its a champ, enjoy the sound system, massaging seats and share the story with those many inquirers. Some quirky issues correctly identified by other reviews just cannot outweigh the value of buying this car with some gentle miles, and really enjoying it. Its one of the few unique vehicles that not pretentious, but is truly luxurious.

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  2006 TDI practical review - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jay - August 3 - 4:03 am

  I got this car for the great gas mileage, but was blown away by the features. I am getting real world mileage (50% Highway and 50% rural 45 mph stop and go) of 41 mpg. Its acceleration is snappy and fun to drive. The interior ergonomics blew me away. It has the perfect instrumentation, the blue / red displays stand out. I like the little details, like how all 4 window controls can be automatically raised or lowered with one click vs. just the drivers side window. Locking the windows enables the driver control over all windows but locking out the passengers. The daytime running lights extinguish when the parking brake is engaged and the motor running. The radio display that shows all of the channels over the buttons...it goes on and on.

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  Spacious - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Brigitte - August 2 - 6:26 pm

  The Volkswagen Passat 2.0T is a great car and have owned BMWs, Mercedes, Hondas, Lincolns, and more. It has very spacious leg room, heated seats, and huge headroom. My son is 66" and it has enough legroom for him and can even fit a body behind him. It has a great sunroof and more. Its gas mileage is excellent plus it provides great airbag protection.

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  Finally - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By zflash00 - August 2 - 11:36 am

  I drove just about every SUV in this class over a two month period and the Tiguan is by far the best. The Tiguan looks great inside and out and even without leather seats is very comfortable. The difference between this car and others like the Ford Escape or Toyota Rav4 is the way it handles. The drive is more like a car than an SUV. I thought the Honda CR-V was a very nice vehicle too but it was lacking any kind of pick up. Overall I am very happy to have purchased the Tiguan. Some dealers have said that they are not offering any deals for a number of reasons, but I was given a couple thousand off the sticker price.

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  Best Bang for the Buck - 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By carnut - August 2 - 2:00 am

  I tried all the competition, the Phaeton flat out offers more value for the money than anything else out there.Try it and compare to S500,A8L,745IL and you will be a believer like me.

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  Title of Review - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By mojogoboom - August 2 - 2:00 am

  I havent had my car for long...little over a week...but so far I love it. Ive already taken it on several road trips and am in love with how smoothly the car handles turns, bumps, dips, and other road conditions. Its so smooth its almost easy to forget Im driving and easy to speed! Its so comfortable that I could sleep in it! Great car overall. Sporty, efficient, smooth, classy, quick, and powerful. A luxury car with sporty features and plenty of room.

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  Saved my life - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ali Griffin - August 1 - 12:20 pm

  About four days ago I was in a head on collision with a Chevy Suburban in a canyon. I walked away with glass shards in my arm and that is it. My friend who was in the passenger seat walked away without a scratch. Even the highway patrolman said the way the car handled the impact is what saved our lives. I loved that car, too bad it is totalled and completely unsalvageable. Thank you Volkswagen for making a car that passengers can feel safe in!