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 loved my Jetta - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By noofie - June 4 - 10:00 am

  I loved my Jetta until some jerk pulled out in front of it and totaled it. However, my daughter and I both were unharmed basically. I never had any probelms with the car except for the power windows broke alot. They are expensive to fix! I was never stranded because the car was very reliable. Overall, I enjoyed the car immensely.

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  Junk Jetta - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jetta Schmetta - June 4 - 10:00 am

  2000 JETTA = Worst Car EVER! Problems since day one, it was a lemon. Within the first year i had to have the full TRANSMISSION replaced 2 times, the trunk replaced -would not shut, the two front windows replaced. After my warrantee ended the car fell apart even more: O2 sensors malfunctioning, Wheel Speed Sensors failing, etc. Most recently I took because my ABS/Traction lights flickered on, after 6 RETURN TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP in two months + $3,900 they ?fixed? my car. They had to replace the ENTIRE ABS BREAK SYSTEM, THE MASTER BREAK CYLINDER, 2 MORE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS, A Wheel ROD, and A BALL JOINT. The car rarily WORKED!

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  the best vehicle ever - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By ni - June 4 - 10:00 am

  Wonderful car is all i have to say

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  WOW - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By WOW - June 4 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Touareg for about a week; V6, Premium Pkg., and Xenon Lights, and am totaly amazed. I had a deposit on an Infinity FX35, and pulled it after driving the Touareg. The inerior is extermely high quality and comfortable. The detail that VW put in this monster is to be commended. After you get past the $38,000. for a WV, and decide to take one for a test ride, you will love it. Despite some other comments that I have read, as long as reliability does not become an issue (I cant rate reliability yet, since Ive only had it a week), VW will definitly be a contender with this one.

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  Fun to drive, when its not in the shop. - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Dr.Go - June 4 - 10:00 am

  I enjoy driving this car, like the style, but am frustrated with the many repairs needed in the first six months of ownership. Needed to replace an interior door panel (defective), the windshield (distortion), repair a vibration noise in the ceiling, and replace the gas tank (this took 4 attempts to fix!). Very poor quality control, resulting in 7 days in the shop in four months. Dealer has been very helpful, but still not the carefree ownership I had hoped for.

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  Poor quality and poor Service - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By nchezy - June 3 - 11:05 pm

  The car has had numerous issues and it is only 27 months old with 38k miles. Most recently and now 2k miles after warranty coverage ended, the turbo intercooler cracked which caused the particulate filter and EGR cooler to fail. My extended warranty covers the IC but the DPF and EGR c ooler not covered. Cost to repair is $2100. VW offering to contribute $1000. 2-year old car and I owe $1,100 for repair...POOR Quality and VW not standing behind there product. BEWARE this car and extended warranties purchased from VW

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  What a great little car - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Ms. Shawn - June 3 - 4:36 am

  This car is fun to drive, gets great gas mileage, and is easy to park. People should take a closer look at this little shuttle, they would fall in love with them also.

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  Lemon Vehicle - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By momi60 - June 2 - 3:32 pm

  I own a 2006 passat sedan, the first year of owning the car my catalytic coverter went out. From that point each year a major componet on the vehicle goes out. Now I keep getting check engine light, the oil has to be replaced often and the cost to repair vehicle continues to rise. Now I have a camsgaft issue that is causing the regulator to leak. This is by far the worst vehicle I have ever owned. I tell everyone I know and dont via reviews to stop buying vw vehicles. They dont stand by their product. Its pure garbage, since owning the vehicle I have spent approx. 7500 in repairs. Please dont be fooled into buying this product. Its DAMAGED and UNTRUST WORTHY!!!!!!!

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  Our Best Choice! - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Ken - June 2 - 5:06 am

  We test drove all the small SUVs out there and when we drove the Tiguan there was no comparison. First off I noticed the power was better than even the competitions V-6 models. The fit and finish is exceptional...I love German engineering! The handling is great, the cabin is very quiet, the sunroof is nothing short of spectacular. We bought this vehicle for my wife and I usually drive a BMW but love any opportunity to drive the Tiguan. I dont have to use the manual shift feature as this transmission shifts beautifully in the automatic shift mode. Had this vehicle 3 months now and am looking forward to driving it this winter. Just plain love the fun drive!

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  Excellent - 2007 Volkswagen Touareg
  By ehd - June 2 - 1:10 am

  The Touareg has excellent build-quality, power, handling, comfort; and it is fun to drive on and off-road. Despite some of the complaints, the FSI V8s fuel economy is on par with any comparable performance AWD vehicle with 350 hp.