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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  Superb Vehicle - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By Murray - July 22 - 1:23 pm

  Ordered my GTI to get all the features I desired (took 4 months from order to delivery). The GTI is a joy to drive. DSG transmission is flawless. Switches and controls feel particularly solid. Experience only minor turbo lag (when engine accelerates from less than ~2000 rpm). Above 2000 rpm you feel like youre in a rocket! While car can take regular gas, performance is clearly enhanced with premium. After 1200 miles, getting 26-27 mpg for mostly highway driving (75-80 mph). Car is very quiet at speed. Optional 17 inch low profile all season tires are significantly less stiff than the summer tires. Excellent integration of radio and nav system with instrument panel display.

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  Superb - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ultrasam - July 22 - 9:06 am

  My 1997 Volkswagen Jetta is an amazing car. It has been superbly reliable and really fun to drive. The VR6 motor is amazing. Ive spent maybe $400 in unexpected maintenance since I bought car new. VWs last forever.

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  2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jetta TDI Sedan - July 21 - 2:46 pm

  We traded in two gas hogs for this Jetta TDI, and are extremely happy with this car. It is smooth and quiet, has great pick-up and excellent gas mileage. We are headed to Germany and wanted something to zip around Europe in efficiently, have two kids, with ample space for them and their supplies. Previously drove Honda Odyssey and Nissan Frontier, approx 20mpg, so very happy with the diesel mileage. Runs surprisingly quiet and smooth.

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  LOVE IT!! - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By 4hatteras - July 21 - 4:20 am

  Have owned many Audi Quattros but too many neighbors have them now. This is an Audi in SUV clothing! Love this vehicle-drives almost as sporty as the Porsche with many more items standard and a much nicer interior trim level for $10,000 LESS. Hope nobody on my street finds out!

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  Luv my punch buggy! - 2014 Volkswagen Beetle
  By Karen LaGrasse - July 19 - 8:14 pm

  This is a Great car! Agile, fun to drive, lots of power, great on gas, and very cool looking. Have had many beetles thru-out my life, and Im loving my 2014 turbo R-Line! Closest theyve come to the Karmin Ghia design for awhile with a truly gorgeous interior, and exterior even with the duck-tail. A Drivers Wanted dream! A bit pricey, but worth it to me. So sorry about the diesels, but I will always be a VW affectionado!

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  Great Car but with Some Problems - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By big guy cool cars - July 17 - 6:00 pm

  I love the car, I enjoy driving it, and I like the way it looks, but it has some problems. I had the entire a/c replaced twice and down here in South Florida it just extremely uncomfortable. Luckily it was all covered. the other problem was that the radio knobs started peeling, but once again it was completely covered. Also, some turbo lag that is noticeable, but I still like the performance. After all that, I still smile when I press that accelerator and turn that extremely responsive steering wheel. This is my second Volkswagen and it definitely wont be my last. It is safe, good looking, has great performance, and most importantly it is very reliable in every situation.

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  Damn and only four thousand of em - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By obvious - July 16 - 2:00 am

  AWESOME!! No other word will aptly describe this car. Pull up to the light and give everyone a fleeting glimpse before I accelerate ...

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  So far, so great! - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By KathrynB - July 16 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car with 45,000 miles on it, wanting to bring to Greece a car roomy for family & dogs, compact for tiny streets, European-looking to not stand out, with German handling but no German price, clean underside for unpaved roads, great gas mileage and handling, excellent high-speed performance. Thats exactly what I got. It handles Athens packed traffic (open the sunroof, turn up Sting, let it loaf along), very rough dirt roads, & 100 mph highways with equal grace. It can beat the BMWs and Alfas through curves using only the automatic (although it has the no-clutch manual, too) It also parks easily on the sidewalk! Fine, fine car!

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  Best value for the money and A+ design - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By Prashanth - July 15 - 4:06 pm

  This is the first coupe-convertible with a hardtop. Getting this car is definitely my best choice ever. I had to wait some time before I could get a deal on the price, but what do you expect from a best-selling car in Europe? The car as a coupe is exceptionally quiet inside, compared to the conventional canvas-top convertibles. The interior is very classy and the dashboard colors are pleasing to the eye, and not at all a distraction. While driving it as a convertible, the ride is very smooth and with very minimal jerks. The wheels hug the road beautifully while turning and making quick curves, and I was in fact prodded by the test-drive guy to turn it at 60 mph to see that it had no effect on the cars handling.

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  Unbeatable Value - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By bwian - July 15 - 5:13 am

  From the moment I bought my Rabbit, I was smitten. The 2.5 liter engine growls a bit when you step on it (which i like), but otherwise is very quiet and responsive, even in 5th gear on the freeway. The seats are firm but comfy and the dash is laid out nicely. The red-on-violet instrument cluster is complemented nicely by the soft red interior lighting...quite sexy. I didnt think the one-tap lane-change feature was such a big deal until I used it. One tap and the turn signal blinks three times without having to hold it, nice. I whittled my original list of 12 cars down to 5 and then test drove them all. The Rabbit beat them all out in the price-to-value category, big time.