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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  Designed to Hemorrhage your money - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By fedup2002 - February 18 - 4:26 pm

  This car bleeds you!!! Don’t let its beauty & handling sway you. I bought this car in 2005 w/ 4,600 miles. I loved it & had no problems with it. But since Jan. 2007, I have averaged $1K per/yr. in repairs - axles, brakes, check engine light(3-5x), dead batteries (2-3x), dead headlights(2x), dead radio (2x), & dead car(nothing worked, not the alarm, not the clock, not the engine). The recalls didn’t cost me money but they cost me time. Repairs I paid for + repairs via recalls = lost time. Many times I went to work late, left early, or took the day off to fix my car. Even if you had a money tree just for the costs of fixing this car, it’ll cost you time. This car isn’t worth the trouble!

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  So far so good - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By L. Mazza - February 18 - 6:30 am

  After driving an X5 for 4 yrs I decided to buy a fuel efficient vehicle. The Passat is awesome in this category. The car is fun, fast and elegant. As far as durability, it is too new to rate it. So far however, I am very happy.

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  Mellow yellow - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Missy - February 17 - 4:49 am

  I love my bug, I have one constant problem the head liner pops out from the back window every time I put the top down .Has been to the shop numerous times

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  Clunker trade in - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ken - February 16 - 8:10 am

  Drive 30K miles a year. Cost for diesel will pay for itself in 1 year. Range 500 miles using 12.5 gallons. Came with 6 months free Satellite. Now do not have to listen to the political hate shows. If American companies had this engine they would need to be bailed out and we do not need to rely as much on foreign oil. Traced in 1999 truck(clunker) getting 12 MPG and now getting 40+ MPG Great car so far(6500 miles)

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  Love my new TDI sedan - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Eugene - February 16 - 2:40 am

  The last car I owned that was actually fun to drive was a 1988(?) VW Jetta. This car may not be quite in that class but its hella more fun to drive than the trucks and SUVs Ive had over the past 20 years or so. My reliability rating is based on only 1 week of ownership, but so far so good. Since nothing has gone wrong, I give it a 10.

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  One of the best cars for under $25k - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By 55bc - February 14 - 10:00 am

  Let me start by saying, everyone should stop comparing this to the BMW 3 series. Its more appropriate to compare the sister car, the A4 to the BMW. Compare the Jetta to the Acura Integra, but not cars priced about $10k more! Although, the fact that people compare the two says a great deal about the car. The car handles great, its got plenty of power, it was reasonably priced especially considering all the features the car has. Ive put a lot of mileage on the car in the first year and had no problems.

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  Needs Better Build Quality - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By fyrepower - February 11 - 2:13 am

  I decided to make a switch from Japanese vehicle to the 2006 Volkswagen Passat 2.0T after all the glowing reviews. Most have been spot on, but I must say Im very disappointed with the build quality. The interior materials have a very cheap feel to them (especially the audio / control dashboard). I also hear small rattles coming out of dashboard and doors everytime I hit small potholes. Otherwise the car is a joy to drive.

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  Better Than the Rest... - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mjmorty - February 9 - 8:26 pm

  For the money you cant get a better car. Solid construction. Coming from a Honda, Lexus, Acura and Audi background I can say without reservation the German cars are far superior to the Japanese automobiles. People complain about the pops, squeaks and rattles that accompany the Jetta; my car only makes a small noise from the center console. All cars have interior noises at some point; my mothers Lexus and fathers Acura make quite the racket and theyre 3 and 4 years old, respectively. This trim level is the most I would spend on a Jetta; the GLS and GLX models are great and all, but when you start spending 23-27K, its time to start thinking Audi or Passat.

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  good looks but bad service and engine - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By gtidude03 - February 9 - 2:00 am

  master cylinder went out at 15000 miles the clutch was sticking from the time i got it. the dealers kept telling me nothing was wrong. sounds like a diesel when until it is warmed up. climate control went out at 25 k miles.

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  Expensive to service - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Pet sponge - February 9 - 2:00 am

  Handles well. The seats collect fuzz- balls, however with a little work and a pet sponge they can be removed. Rubber interior parts peel. Weve replaced the door handles twice and now the armrest is peeling. By the way the armrest also broke it wont hold position. Some of the interior lights work sporatically. The regular sevice maintenance is expensive. The 50000 mile scheduled maintenance costs about $375 and cosists of mostly checking things and replacing plugs, air filter, a tire rotation and an oil change. Good news is my windows havent yet fallen out.