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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  I Cant Hear You - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Doc - September 1 - 4:26 pm

  The poor Beetle suffers. Its gas mileage has been less than I expected, lots. Wind noise? Try wind tunnel! What about the power top, eh? You have to manual twist your wrist off! Trunk? Forget it because the top gets in the way. Leg room in back, not if I drive. Take my car, please! Next time Ill get a Honda, Saab, or the Nissan Z.

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  No trouble at all - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Tara - August 31 - 2:03 pm

  I have a yellow bug for a year now and I have no trouble with it yet. I just love the bug. It has a lot of miles on it and I am afraid one day the bug is going to give up so I am thinking of selling it and getting a Volkswagen Cabrio.

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  Recaro sSeats Look Good, but... - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Goldie - August 29 - 5:53 pm

  The car is great. Its fun to drive, it looks good, and its not too expensive. But seriously...those front seats are just way too narrow. Im not abnormally huge, but I just cant stand sitting in them for more than an hour or so. And the backs seats are made for toddlers. They have no leg room at all. Everything else is cool. The Tiptronic transmission shifts well, the features and controls are great. The trunk is huge, and nothing has really gone wrong. The only other complaints I have would be the low front clearance (I scrape it on everything) and the low profile tires. A crack in the road in Houston blew out two tires and dented the rims. Oops. All in all, though, this is a great Volkswagen.

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  Pretty good (mostly) at 182,000 miles - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Dave - August 28 - 6:55 pm

  Direct Injection will require cleaning the intake valves at around 100,000 due to no fuel to clean the buildup on these valves. Wear on the rear tires has been a problem on these cars. One the original tires was worn on the inside edge (into the cord) at 37,000. The other three all had even wear and 50% of the tread left. The alignment was checked several times and found to be correct. Dealer said this is because of the performance alignment(I dont buy it as only one tire (right rear) wore out. There is lots of talk on the internet about damage to rear suspension during tie down on the delivery trucks. Rotation helps mask the problem, but 75% of the tread wear on the car takes place on the right rear. 12 year rust through warranty. Great mileage (you can get 35 highway easily and 40 if you go 55).

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  Troublesome Touareg Tiresome - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Chunnel - August 27 - 12:16 am

  Pros: When it works right, AmaZING. Cons: VW is arrogant and insists that too many problems are within normal vehicle operating parameters. Driving experience: Drives nicely when aligned properly, which is rarely. Ooops, just hit a curb, need to bring it in again, now the truck is going to act squirrely again. This may have all the bells and whistles to go off road but there is a price to pay. If you off road on anything substantial, I can almost guarantee that you will damage one of the tires with a gash of some sort. And because this is an AWD vehicle, you will now need to replace ALL the tires in order to retain the proper handling dynamics and dont forget to re-align it. So On

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  A Big Fat Lemon! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By A Big Fat Lemon - August 19 - 10:00 am

  The VR6 is the worst car I have ever owned. I feel very stupid for having spent as much as I did for this lemon. Right off the lot I had problems, and now, a year later, I have to replace the transmission or sell it for parts.

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  NEVER...EVER...AGAIN!!! - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Michelle - August 19 - 10:00 am

  Bought the car brand new in 07. "Service Now" light has appeared on dash since first oil change. Electronic E-brake has left me stranded, and now rarely works..gets stuck on daily. Interior "chrome" has peeled on shifter, as well as peeling on door lock buttons. Xenon bulbs have had to be replaced on both sides, twice..$165/bulb!! Drivers side heated seats only worked for one year. Rear seat has loose stitching in spots...seat has only been used a handful of times, ever. EPC light illuminated on dash and caused expensive repairs to fix. Door lock sensor became stuck on and needed to be brought in for service. Engine is now experiencing tremendous turbo lag. DO NOT BUY!!

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  Frustrated with Volkswagen! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By discodancinqueen - August 10 - 2:00 am

  I have taken my car in numerous times for recall things. I had only had it for 1 year when the keyless remote quit working - was told it would cost $200 to re-key it - that it wasnt covered under the warranty! (I shudder to think of paying $200. every time it "loses" its memory!) Then the sunroof wouldnt open all the way - I was charged another $200 and told it wasnt covered under warranty because it was only "dirty" and "needed cleaning!" So Im going to pay $200 every time it gets dirty!?!

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  Good Car but the Seats Stink - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Estabhan - August 8 - 5:43 pm

  I love how the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 1.8T handles and the overall compact design. Its gas mileage is good, though not as good as others have said (27 to 30 mpg). The big problem is the seats - they are too narrow. I am 5 foot 9, 175 pounds so I consider myself average. After 1.5 hours in this car, my thighs have had it. I bought a seat pad from Brookstone that elevates me slightly (watch that headroom!) and relieves the pressure. My wife and all of the passengers I have had in it have noticed the same problem. Volkswagen offered no assistance saying it was "the design." I notice the new Jetta advertises more hip room. Go for the new one, leave this one to the sub 150 pounders.

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  Not Sure - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By redadunes - August 8 - 10:09 am

  I just got the SE with convenience this Saturday. I have been shopping for a new car for 4 months and I test drove about 12 different models out there, I think the Jetta was best for the price. I am not sure about the reliability and resale value though, I hear horror stories about electrical problems and overall reliability. It was better than the Hondas, Kia, Ford, and hyundais for sure. The car looks nice, I dont understand the people making comments that the design is horrible? It drives well and its well equipment for the money. I am having mixed feelings right now.