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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  My Red Bug - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By jbm - June 19 - 10:00 am

  This is our third car. I drive a Cadillac Seville and the husband drives a Chevy Tahoe...actually it is our 4th car...we also have a 1973 Super Beetle Convertible. I have so much fun in this car. I dont drive it much...only 16,000 miles in four years. Ill keep it forever I guess.

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  So Close - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By jmiller - June 19 - 10:00 am

  This is a good car that could be a great car. It is the best outfitted car in its price range. It handles well, and its great fun. But VW dropped the ball by not offering this car with the 1.8T engine package. A word to reliability. The one issue that I have had was that the battery was not fully charged upon my taking delivery of the car. Which resulted in a few jump starts from Roadside Assistance. The dealership immediately resolved the problem.

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  Well done my good and faithful servant...well done - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By rilezz13 - June 18 - 2:18 am

  This car was a real champ. I bought my silver Jetta back when I was a teenager (Im in my 20s now). Mine had the little 2.0 4-cylinder engine with the 5-speed stick. The engine only made a 115 hp but its favorite speed on the highway was 80 mph...it cruised there quietly and effortlessly. The reliability was nothing short of wonderful. I felt like I could utterly thrash the engine and it would (and was) just fine with that. The doors shut with a nice muted "thunk" and the whole car felt like it was as tough as a mini panzer. I sold it with over 120,000 miles on it. I now drive a 2002 Passat (also a great choice).

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  Germany Wins Again with the New Passat! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By PassatLovers - June 15 - 7:56 pm

  We were in the market for a high-end car such as the Bimmer 328i and the Audi A4, but the price was a bit too high. So, since we wanted a nice price on German engineering (Im German, so Im biased), we went to VW and test drove the Passat. We loved the car from the first drive! This car has power! Shes a classy gold color-a real looker, fun, fuel efficient, very comfortable, and lets not forget safe! It even has excellent IIHS safety ratings! We are very impressed with the ride. And, along with the Lord, the ABS saved my husbands life today, after someone slammed their brakes on in front of him. So, we definitely do recommend the Passat to anyone who wants high quality at an affordable price!

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  Great Car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By vwownerx2 - June 14 - 10:30 am

  We bought our Passat 1.8T this year with 124,000 for $4000 from a private owner. The car drives like it is brand new;however, we have had to replace the water pump at 135,000 miles and the timing belt. The interior components are top notch, lots of room, just a joy to own and drive. Yes, maintenance is expensive but the car drives and rides like a brand new car. I can do basic stuff like brakes etc... We just bought a 1999 Passat VR6 as a third car and hope we are as lucky. When you buy used cars with high mileage, you have to expect it is like rolling the dice.

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  Time Delayed Charging Feature-Forced to Use CARNET - 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf
  By Marc Hartranft - June 14 - 12:54 am

  The ONLY gripe with this car is VWs insistence that one must use CARNET software interface to enable time delayed charging feature@!! Talk about greedy!! Once the free use period runs out, they will begin to charge to use this web interface. Why would VW set up the car to not be able to support Level II chargers which support time delayed charge start times?? The dealer was "uninformed" or unwilling to disclose the limitation.

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  Best car yet... - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By fazzster - June 13 - 4:39 pm

  I have owned over 20 cars in my lifetime and the CC is the best yet. It will be 2 years old soon and I have logged 54k miles so far without a single issue. The only complaint was the excessive wheel gap and soft springs so I solved the "problem" with a set of Eibach lowering springs. Which is the way it should have been delivered from the factory in the first place. The handling is superb while still retaining ride comfort. I am averaging 35mpg on my commutes (80% highway/20% rural roads). Best mpg thus far has been 38. The clutch could have a little better feedback but the shifter is smooth and precise. The quality of the interior is impressive even with the vinyl seats.

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  Great longevity - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Lc - June 13 - 12:24 am

  I have the 2004 model. After 11 years and a great ( indy VW) mechanic and regular maint. and oil changes, Ive had minimal costly repairs. Maybe, Im in the minority but Im holding on to it, with just 115,000. My last VW went past 200,000.

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  We love our 2009 Volkswagen Routan - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By table4five - June 11 - 4:40 pm

  We just bought a new Routan and couldnt be happier with our purchase. The van drives nice, has great styling and convenient interior features. I test drove the Honda Odyssey, Nissan Quest and Dodge Caravan and thought the Routan was much nice & more fun to drive. We have three kids and they are loving it so far, too. The 2 movie screens are great for watching different movies. The seats are also very comfortable and roomy. I feel like I can move around the cabin much more easily than the other minivans, and I think it drives better and more quietly.

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  New Car - 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By Patrick Drimmer - June 10 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive, lots of power and torque, great handling, great styling......better performance than Mercedez S Class and BMW i 740....identical to Audi A8.