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 - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By vitriol - May 4 - 10:33 pm

  Love it. Test drove lots of others (Civic Si, Mazdaspeed3, 350z), and none come close to having this cars combo of speed, handling, practicality, fuel economy and build quality. The interior is driver-focused and fit-and-finish is Audi-esque. Handling is near perfect (although I budgeted for them, suspension upgrades may not be necessary at all). Most importantly, its the impression of speed that is so great in this car: it feels faster than other cars, even if it isnt actually. For the performance, styling, fit-and-finish and the all- important fun-to-drive factor, this car is arguably perfect. Great fuel econ and massive cargo space make it a great all-around value

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  Good Travel Buddy - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Steelpanwoman - May 4 - 8:26 pm

  I have put almost 12,000 miles on this car and have enjoyed it with one exception. . They actually found out that this car, being one of the first manual TDI wagons, was running too clean and choking itself. It behaved much better after the EGR valve replacement. Fussy clutch in 1st until it was broken in. It likes to hiccup after startup during the first minute the engine is warm.(Part of EGR software issue) A software upgrade was performed last week, but still have the problem. I drive aggressively and get 32 MPG around town,36 HWY. Drove 525.5 miles on one tank road trip and got 41.2 MPG . A great highway cruiser and fun to drive.

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  Ill Buy Another VW - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By k schlueter - May 4 - 7:50 pm

  I bought the Jetta when I was driving 120 miles a day round trip to work. I needed reliability and fuel economy and a degree of cool was important, too. I am a very happy customer with over 162,000 miles and expecting another 100,000. I love my little red practically perfect VW Jetta. Now I only drive six miles round trip each day. My Jetta is still perfectly wonderful for my purposes. Plus, no car payments! I will strive to keep this car a very long time, But when I finally do buy my next new car, it will be a VW- maybe a Passat next time.

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  Disappointed... - 2013 Volkswagen CC
  By spunkywife - May 4 - 5:05 am

  I recently purchased the 2013 after owning the 12 despite my reservations due to esthetics, namely the grill because I think the grill screams Made in the USA (Offense unintentional). The car seems louder and deliberate during acceleration and idling. I really enjoy looking at the 1" diameter difference in performance tires, but dislike the ride now. On the up side, my visibility at night has much improved with the LEDs. This seems to be the only time at which I am content with this decision.

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  happy so far! - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mgreen02 - May 1 - 3:56 am

  I did lease takeover, 2.0 T w/6 spd manual, leather & s/roof (not highline). I have leased Acura TSX & have a BMW also. Im very happy with the performance & handling of this car. The interior isnt quite as nice as the TSX. This engine sounds more invigorating. I still get 600 km/tank. Huge trunk. Requires premium fuel. Goes like hell when you step on it! Even at low rpms it pulls beautifully! After 1 month reliability has been fine. Before I took over, it needed a fuel pump repair; the car wouldnt start. If it behaves I will look for another jetta.

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  Great car ... but Ive out grown it - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Eloquence - April 30 - 10:00 am

  This car was amazing while I owned it. I purchased it with about 60000 mi on it. In almost 4 years the car has given me little or no trouble whatsoever. I have had to dish out only about $1000 over and above regular maintenance costs. I was in an accident in 2001 and I almost totaled the Jetta. It needed over $5000 in repairs but when I got it back it was just as good as ever. A robust, stout, little beast... thats why I choose VWs. Overall, its an amazing car...which is why I am buying a 2001 Jetta now! Great trunk space, excellent handling, and VW reliability have made this car a winner in my eyes. Keep up the build quality VW.

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  VW Lover - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vwboy - April 30 - 10:00 am

  Bought my Jetta after owning the Accord, Camry, Mazda 626. Outside of the fact that I had a minor problem with my drivers side window, it has been perfect. Of all the cars in its class it is bar far the most exciting to drive. I have driven friends Audis and BMWs and although they are better (I cant lie) for the dollar this car holds more than its own. Great car.

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  Comments after 1 month - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Bob - April 29 - 11:40 am

  I typically wait at least 6 months before I write a review on a vehicle. But I got bored and decided to write one on this car after having it only a month. This is the second German-built vehicle Ive owned (1982 Scirocco was the first) and told myself I would never own another one again. My wife has owned a Jetta (2001) and loved it. We needed to find a car for our daughter, who just started college and this seems to be a smart purchase. Ok...enough of that. First off, after putting approximately 500 miles on the car, the check engine light came on. I went to the local auto parts store to have the code(s) downloaded. It’s something to do with the air mapping system…after 37,000 miles. I did some research and found this is common problem with this car. Check out codes P0491 & P0442 and do your own research. I also found out that most German cars have volatile memory built into the computer. So disconnecting the battery to clear the codes will not work. I though it may have been a gas cap issue so, I disconnected the battery for 10 minutes and reconnected it. In most cars, this will clear the computer and the light will disappear. Not in this case. You have to have a scanner remove the code and auto parts stores will not do this. On with the review… INTERIOR: Im a 6-2" 240lb 44-year-old male that drives a full-size SUV because I like elbow room so, small cars are not my thing. The cabin in this car is actually pretty roomy. The back seats had decent leg room with me in the driver’s seat (14-year-old 5’6” tall behind me). The front seat positions are decent but, the seat adjustments are sometimes difficult to find and adjust. Thats not that big of a deal for us since only my daughter will be driving the car. If multiple people will be driving the car, that may be an issue. I drove the car 400 miles the day after I bought it and the ride was quiet and comfortable...which surprised me. At 75 MPH the cabin noise was barely noticeable. We had the sunroof open…which took a while to figure out to operate it, and the mesh visor that pops up cuts the noise down a little. The instrument cluster is easy to figure out...if youre use to driving German cars. This car came with the synthetic leather that I actually like a lot. It’s easy to clean and appears to wear decent. The rest of the material in the cabin is nothing to write home about. There’s not much storage inside the car but, I’m used to having ample storage that’s in my SUV. The biggest issue I have with the car is the “entertainment system”. Yes it has Bluetooth but connecting to it is a pain. The touch-screen is nice but, is very basic. I’m an audiophile and the system in this car is lacking in everything. Granted, I purchased this car used and who knows what the previous owner did to it. Like using voice commands? 9 out of 10 times I used the voice command in this car…it didn’t work. I don’t know if it just didn’t like my voice or what. Gave up on that and told my daughter good luck. If you have small kids…don’t give them the keys! The key fob has a “switch-blade” key that pops out when you push a button. I’ve found myself playing with it and could imagine what a 4-year-old would do with it. EXTERIOR: The exterior styling is "OK" and if it wasnt for the front-end fascia, it would be on the edge of boring. The panels fit good as most German cars do and the trunk is large. Windows and sunroof seal tight. The stock wheels are typical for an entry-level car. VW…come back with the Electric Blue paint! Not much more to say on that subject. DRIVETRAIN: I was impressed with the acceleration and the handling. The car shifts smooth and zipping up and down the foothills of Georgia is fun. This Jetta is fun to drive and sticks to the road well. I had the tiptronic style shifter in an older car I had and never used it. It’s the same with this car. Overall I’m happy with my purchase.

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  My 2nd Review, 3 years later - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By flyjetta - April 28 - 2:33 am

  I did my first review in 2002, ony had a few problems. After replacing my MAF (they are cheap in price, because VW recognized they are a faulty part), had my O2 sensor replaced under recall, I had to get my temp sensor replaced. Now, with 64k, it seems to be pretty reliable, still waiting for my windows to fall, luckily they havent, those would be covered under warranty also. It burns oil like there is no tomorrow, but overall, it seems that the replacement parts are more reliable. I have a VW mechanic as a friend and he says that the new sensors that get put in hardly ever come back. Hopefully that is the case, other than that, it is still an attractive, and maybe now a reliable car.

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  decent car, good value - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Joeeeeee - April 27 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this this 1997 white VW Jetta GLS a month ago and I am pretty pleased with the car. I had to fix some minor problems such as the brakes and the wheel alignment but those are typical repair costs. This car doesnt have good acceleration as an automatic and is frustrating if you want to cut lanes on a freeway. However, once you hit the gas pedal, the pickup speed more than offsets its poor acceleration, as I dont have any problems hitting 90-95 with this car.