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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  Ignition Coil !?! - 2001 Volkswagen GTI
  By irritated - May 4 - 10:00 am

  My ignition coil failed at 49,000 miles. This is unacceptable and I got no support from customer service. Apparently this is under recall on other engines, but not mine. They were a terrible organizaition to deal with. The power windows failed 4 times, even though they extended the warranty, it was still a hassle to deal with. The car in general has not worn well, I want to sell it immediatly.

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  After 6 Years of Driving - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Chris - May 2 - 10:11 am

  This is my first and last VW. The cars driving experience was very impressive (when it worked) but my issues with the car are: 1. Fuel Injection issue: I had to deal with fuel injection issues all the time, and every time I had to take it to the dealership and they would change under warranty. When the car was out of warranty, I was paying $400 every year or so to change them. 2. Reliability: I believe in following maintenance schedules and giving the car optimal treatment (oil change before it is due, premium gas, etc.) and expect to receive reliability in return; well, not in this cars case: this thing had to be taken to the mechanic at least twice a year for different issues (I traded it in at 79k miles because I was tired of having to pay a few hundred bucks every few months). 3. Ride Quality: This is probably the only good thing, it is an amazing car that drives much better than the BMW 3 series and Lexus IS (tested both when I was in the market for this one). It continued to drive like new until the day I traded it in.

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  Never Again - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By das_junk - April 30 - 2:49 pm

  My 2010 VW Jetta TDI sportwagen was fine for the first 4 thousand miles then it has been nothing short of a nightmare. In 2.5 years this TDI has been in the shop over 80 days for check engine and service now (glow plug flashing) at this point the car just quits when it feels like it. Parts, parts and more parts has yet keep this VW on the road. Driving down the road no warning..Quits!, make a turn and hit a pothole..Quits! Trade-in value at VW dealers is 4 to 5 thousand dollars off bluebook because of the "issue" with this car. Customer care would only offer 1 thousand dollars and refused to swap for a same year and milage VW.Make things right..guess not. Hitlers dream is my nightmare

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  Junk - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Bud - April 30 - 2:30 pm

  Do not buy the Volkswagen Passat. Ive owned mine for ten months now and its been in and out of the dealership for a total of about two months. My problems started three months after I bought this car. Im plagued with electrical problems and powertrain problems. The dealership and Volkswagen say there is nothing wrong with my car, yet I have to take it back at least once a month because it doesnt run. When I ask about them taking this lemon off my hands both the dealer and VW tell me to take a hike. I am fed up and wouldnt wish this auto on my worst enemy. Whatever you do, do not buy a VW. Save your money and sanity and buy something else!

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  This car bad! - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Shae - April 19 - 3:20 am

  I am a former Toyota owner and this car is poor compared to it. I have been to the dealership 2x already. Low coolant, back tail light out. Minor problems but should I have any with less than 5000 miles? Heck no! Its jumpy at take off and not good on gas. Im so disappointed and I will not purchase another. If youre thinking of getting one dont do it!

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  nightmare - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By alexandra - April 12 - 1:40 pm

  Ive had my 06 passat for almost three years but i has caused me so many problems, I am always at the dealership, it started with my windows not rolling down and it spent about two weeks to be repaired. My carpet in the interior started tearing when it was a few months old, and is reaping again after it was fixed, tire pressure sensor is on and off, air bag failure, to major problems such at recall on fuel pressure sensor that has been replaced three different times, and now the camshaft and fuel pump has to be replaced.....this car is comfortable but not reliable everyday i drive im afraid is going to leave me stranded never again will i purchase a vw! hopefully this is helpful for whoever

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  Brake problem! - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By badbrakes - April 4 - 4:16 pm

  Not a bad car overall. But I guess some lucky few (including me) have experienced defective brakes. I had to replace the rear pads and rotors at 21,000 miles and now again 9,000 miles later! VW claims this is normal wear and tear. Ive owned and driven many cars and never had to replace pads, let alone rotors before 40,000 miles. There is no brake wear indicator light for the rear brakes, only for the front. The rotors are designed so that they have to also be replaced every time the pads are replaced. Very expensive!

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  Dont Ever Buy this car - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Priscilla - March 22 - 11:13 am

  I have had my beetle for three years and will get rid of it in 3 months. This is the worst vehicle I have ever owned. My beetle has been in the shop more times than I can count on both my hands. I only have 35000 miles on it and it is three years old. The cup holders are the worst design. It is almost impossible to put your drink in the holer without spilling your drink. The visors are worthless, I can never get the sun out my eyes. If you get this car make sure to get the warranty because you will need it.

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  Volkswagon Sucks!! - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Michelesb - March 20 - 10:00 am

  We have had so many problems with this car! We have had electrical problems with the radio and windows, the car does not shift well (it has an automatic transmission), we have to replace the rotars every year. We only drive the car 18 miles a day and consistently have to pay between $300 - $700 every year to get the car past inspection. The interior of the car is supposed to be stain resistant but get stained with a small amount of WATER. Our interior is a mess mostly from water stains. We thought that Volkswagons were very reliable, quality cars... we wil NEVER purchase another VW!

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  invoke the lemon law - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By invoke the lemon law - March 20 - 10:00 am

  the only thing worse than the car was the dealership. After 3000 miles the jetta misfires on all cylinders when you first start it up. The dealership refused to deal with this issue and i was forced to have VW buy the car back under the lemon law. In all, a huge, unsatisfying hassle. interior fabric hard to keep clean. trim deteriorates quickly. Dealership was extremely unhelpful and the VW customer service did not follow through or return calls. All i wanted was a car that was reliable when brand new. what is the point of a 4 year warranty when it sits in the shop the whole time.