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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  Unbelievable for the money! - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By HSJ - May 15 - 9:26 am

  Sure there are better-looking and sportier cars, but none can match the GTIs combination of good looks, great interiors, very sporty driving and great pricing. I have the manual base car, and the list of "stuff" that is standard is amazing: 10-speaker(!) kicker Monsoon audio, Bi-Xenon headlamps, Driver Information Display (with 2 awesome trip computers), auto up/down on all windows, heated power mirrors, lots of user-programmable features, steering wheel controls, sports front seats, power outlet in trunk, great "mood" lighting at night, map lights all around - list just goes on. I love the interior lighting at night. After this car, other non-luxury cars interiors seem cheap.

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  2006 Jetta - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Patricia - May 14 - 5:13 pm

  Overall I had a very good experience with this vehicle, I love the way it looks and the way it handles.

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  passat - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By aja_614 - May 14 - 2:00 am

  This car has a good amount of power. The space in side the car is much more than you will expect.

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  Love it. - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By Ebcourmoon - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Peppy, and responsive. Stylish, and convenient. Fun to drive, cant say enough good things about this car. The dealership where I bought this car is great also. I recommend this cat to everyone.

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  2001 Jetta GLX VR6 - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Christie Howard - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Anyone that is looking for a fast, fun car, the Jetta VR6 is the way to go! People tend to shy away from this car because it is so small, but that is what makes it so amazing; a V6 engine in a car like this is great and damn does it move, but yet it doesnt kill your gas mileage.

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  Worth way more than the price tag. - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Cossa - May 14 - 2:00 am

  I just got my V8 Touareg home. Ive opted for the Nav/SSII, conv. pkg, and bi-xenons as well. Im looking at a price tag of about $42,000 (for a list of about $45,500). Ive driven the recently released BMW X3, the Land Rover Discovery and the Acura MDX. I owned a Tahoe and have been the passenger in a friends RX330. None of these vehicles even compare to the Touareg. I had so much fun driving this thing. Its a smooth, tight, powerful ride and the interior is as beautiful as the exterior. Ive never been more sure about a car purchase before in my life.

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  Lives up to the hype - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By eclou - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Did extensive shopping to replace my 01 MDX. Shopped the XC90, Range Rover, X5 4.4, Cayenne S, FX series, ML500. The Touareg made the most sense to me, was the best value, and was the best looking of the bunch

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  More fun then my a6 2.7t - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By JimBresee - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Powerful, handles great.. awesome in the snow. Solid build quality. Overall a great car! Best Ive ever owned.

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  2002 TDI Jetta - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Pink Roxy - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Smooth ride, well-designed interior, easy to handle, perfectly reliable. Unbelievably economical!

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  Awsome car - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By K Carter - May 14 - 2:00 am

  This is one nice car with unlimited upgrades,smooth ride great handling,easy on gas and its a strong vehicle i love it this is the car.