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 love my Jetta but.... - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jeff - January 13 - 11:10 am

  I love my 2001 Jetta, its really a great car for the money, rides well, reliable, and overall very solid. I dislike however how everything is so very expensive to fix. Any time I walk into the dealership its going to be $200 + in order for them to do what they need to do. I had a relay switch go out on my turn signal (recall), my trunk latch just failed (fixed myself for $40.00), check engine light has been on for about a year with no apparent problem, interior collects lint, side door arm rest is peeling, and the transmission feels like its slipping in second gear. I think for a used car you cant beat it.

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  Great Car but Not Inexpensive to Own - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Bob H. - January 11 - 8:16 pm

  I bought my 2002 new in August 2001. It has been a relatively problem free vehicle but repairs and maintenance are not inexpensive. Dealer labor rates make up most of expense which are currently $90.00/hr. The body and trim finish is very good and interior materials excellent. The car is very comfortable on long trips and is fun to drive. Gas mileage is excellent. It rides like a much more expensive car.

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  Long term relationship is working out - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Bucky - January 11 - 2:10 pm

  At 160K, my Passat Wagon is proving to be quite the reliable workhorse. I may have lucked out, I realize, but she has been running nearly flawlessly. Annoying stuff along the way but has been limited to mostly quirky VW stuff. The module in the drivers side door was a MAJOR bummer 3 years ago ($1K+). Was rear ended very hard recently and frame didnt budge. The Ford Focus that hit us -- front end was utterly destroyed. Body guys were quite impressed. And so is my mechanic. The 1.8T is one of the best European engines (sad its no longer) -- fun, reliable, fairly efficient. I will drive this car into the 200Ks -- because I can hardly find another Euro wagon in stick! Again, sad.

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  Couldve been great - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By SyrNY - January 10 - 1:26 pm

  I was initially very pleased with my Touareg, but poor reliability, $99 oil changes, and many many invasive warnings are starting to wear me down. Recalls and expensive maintenance aside, its actually the overengineering thats causing me the most frustration. The warnings are loud and intrusive. Pull into a parking lot and undo your seat belt to prepare for a meeting, and the warning beeps for 5 minutes every 30 seconds or so. Outside temp drops below 40, ding, low fuel, ding, tire pressue drops, ding. The range on the remote is also very poor. Just another nit pick, but all of these collective items make it very difficult to recommend this vehicle

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  Disappointed - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By paul m - January 10 - 9:03 am

  While the Tiguan looks good and is very comfortable to sit in, I do not enjoy driving it. The throttle response when first pushing on the accelerator pedal is non existent, and just never feels normal. VW service says that it is. (Issue addressed in review dated 5/5/10). And changing the vehicles settings or convenience features always requires pulling out the three ring binder that is the owners manual. I am disappointed that we did not buy the Honda CR-V, a much better value for the money. (Though we would then see our car everywhere). Since my wife likes to sit higher, she drives the Tiguan. I much prefer driving our 4 year old Acura TSX.

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  Worst vehicle I have ever own - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By maczya - January 10 - 4:35 am

  You will get a love hate relationship with this SUV. It drives great, great in the snow, has great power. It is fun to drive and looks nice. The SUV has some stupid build designs, like the battery is under the drivers seat. Lets talk about how expensive it is to own this vehicle. Replaced thermostat $1200. that right $1200.00 the front part of the car has to be taken off the thermostat is in the front of the engine, so you might as well replace water pump and belt. Your going to have problems with the airbags, the tire monitoring system. The worst part is the battery drain as I hate a car that wont start. So it gets expensive to own the vehicle. Oh and the brakes that was another $1100.

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  looks nice but think twice - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dizzle - January 8 - 10:00 am

  3 months after i bought the car the power steering went out and i almost got into an accident. The headliner started to fall down about 6 months later. Then the cd player quit working, they replaced it under warrenty. Also the paint started chipping on the door buttons and radio. The warrenty is over now and still falling apart. Most expensive piece of crap I ever bought. Now the drivers door stopped locking with the buttons. My last VW!!

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  2011 jetta - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dshibi - January 8 - 10:00 am

  I just wanted to shed some light on the unrealistic views of some comments on here. I purchased a 2011 jetta tdi today and also own a 2006 jetta tdi. Everyone seems to be talking about low quality but i dont believe thats the case. My jetta is very well equipt with disc brakes all around, touch screen, bluetooth, heated seats and all the regulars VW has always had...for less then 25000. For those who want a cheap car they offer that as well in a bearbones model with drum rear brakes etc....but quality is still there. Bottom line is you get what you pay for, so instead of complaining about what your not getting..pay the extra few bucks and get what you want!! VW is quality and always was.

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  Good Car - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Kevo - January 7 - 10:36 pm

  I love my Passat. I have a Wolfsburg Edition(built in Germany) with a manual transmission. I dont know what happenned with the other people getting bad gas mileage because I get up to 54mpg on the highway which makes this car good for my long commute. I love my Passat, and Ive never had to make any major repairs. This car is very quick and very durable. I pull away from Corvettes and Mustangs all the time. Ive driven Volkswagens since 1985, and thanks to this car, Ill continue that trend(unless I buy an Audi, hehe)

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  Big Truck, Small Feel. Drinks Gas - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By RedDog - January 4 - 2:00 am

  I have had my new V8 Touraeg for about 2 weeks now an love it! Lots and lots of power. Good looking interior with attention to detail. Quiet and smooth ride (my old truck was a Ford Explorer). This truck is a lot larger than it looks.