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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  Worst car (of 8 new) weve ever owned - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Clint_ - February 9 - 2:00 am

  Performance is great. Fit and finish are impeccable. Reliability is deporable. This car has been towed eight times and spent 43 days in the shop for unscheduled maintenance. Clutch failed with same problem four times. We were charged $1000 for a new clutch which failed as I drove away from dealer! Yet they still expected us to pay for it. They only caved in after I promised to dispute credit card charge. After a dozen calls, VWs single response has been to offer $150 of dealer service.

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  GA$$ GUZZLIN - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Mrstr8up - February 8 - 4:16 pm

  Nice car overall, very nice handling will impress and compare with the best, but the gas mileage is so bad my wife and I both prefer to drive out Acura MDX. The mpg is better. Thats bad when a SUV has better gas mileage. Other than that, nice riding car. Very nice

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  Great car - 2011 Volkswagen CC
  By dpt2 - February 8 - 3:17 am

  I purchased a 2011 V6 4 motion 2 weeks ago after trading in my 2008 Audi TT coupe. I initially considered: BMW 328i sedan, 335i sedan, 335d sedan, Mercedes c300. Almost purchased the BMW 335, but was told by a service manager that reliability wasnt great and frankly the interior was poor considering the price. The Volkswagen is a great compromise between a sporty car and a great interior if thats what you are looking for. I chose the V-4 4 motion mostly because of the extra HP, AWD, and the alternate 6sp transmission compared to the 4cyl with DSG. My Audi had the same 200 HP/DSG, and i HATED that trans. It was great for MPG, but what a jerky ride and mechanical problems. I love the VW >Audi

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  Frustration! - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By 4 Paws - February 5 - 12:46 pm

  Bought the TDI Sportswagen manual trans because it was a good looking little car with nice styling and good fuel mileage. Car cant stay out of the shop! In the first 25 days of owning it has been back twice for multi-day stays in the dealership service dept. Dealer is trying hard but the car has mechanical problems. VW just isnt building reliable cars. Spent good money and didnt get good quality.

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  Overall Happy - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Auburn Gal - February 4 - 10:00 am

  I was an SUV, Truck person for a long time, but I purchased my Diesel Jetta last November used and I love it. I am in sales, and it gets great mileage. I would definetly suggest anyone looking for a sleek, fun, and sporty car, look into this one.

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  Not all that Bad - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By LJ - February 3 - 2:13 pm

  Reading all the reviews on the car Im a little surprised. But I noticed most of them come from the wagon or v6 model. Then again Ive had this car for only 6 months. It performs fine. I do have a problem with the abs module. But my brakes work fine for now. Its a German import. The parts are known to be expensive. That is a given and known fact that most people know, its no secret. The car is smooth and has plenty power for a 4 cyl. Good hwy mpg. The seats are a little hot. And engine displaces a lot of heat. But that doesnt make it a bad car. The high octane thing is annoying. Octane booster still helps even with 91 octane.

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  PleasereadMy2000gl - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Oregoncar - February 2 - 10:00 am

  Overall, it is a nice car, but I do not like the rattles in the doors and dash. Started around 7,000 miles. With the 5 speed, I can not believe the fact it burns a quart of oil ever 1,000 miles. The sound system is so nice that it makes the cheap plastic mounting in the doors rattle. I Love the room throughout and the feel on the road (with earplugs on)! What is the issue with the Jettas, mine included, with the rear tail lights going out? A short somewhere?

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  Good, but not great - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By York - February 2 - 10:00 am

  I was expecting more from VW. Though my Beetle was a fine car by all standards, it didnt offer much that was great. The second row was very cramped, and the side-view mirrors were a pain-- they gave a blindspot. It was, however, quite interesting to own.

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  TDi Rocks My Socks - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By THNDR-CK - January 31 - 10:56 am

  The cars not that pretty or that much fun to drive on a hot summer day compared to a BMW convertible, but it beats everything else as a daily driver/commuter. Ive gotten 750+ miles off of a single 12-gallon tank with a manual transmission (62.5 mpg). When driving in the city for the full tank, I still get over 50 mpg. Since the car is a diesel with gobs of torque, you dont have to downshift that often on hills, even when loaded with gear. There is lots of room in the car, enough for three friends, a dog, and camping gear.

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  A very nice SUV - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Jamblastx - January 30 - 10:00 am

  An excellent vehicle for what it is, an SUV (not a big fan of the genre). This is my wifes car and we have been longtime VW owners (we traded in her 2002 Passat 1.8T 5spd). We almost did not get it and went with the BMW X3 because VW does not offer the Touareg in the US with a manual transmission (for shame!). This was a disappointment for my wife but not a deal breaker (it would have been for me) and she does enjoy the Tiptronic automatic but would still prefer the manual.