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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  Wascally fun at a weasonable price - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By chromewheels - May 21 - 6:26 am

  After exhaustive research and test drives, I went with the Rabbit. I bought the 4-door with the manual transmission, which I hear is a combination that wont be available next year. Not to mention I really dont like the looks of the next generation Rabbit. I knew the gas mileage wasnt great before I bought the car, so Im not all that disappointed. I love the torque, this thing really pulls even from off-idle. The driving position and controls are top notch. I wish the diesel was available when I bought this, wouldve been a no-brainer. The inline-5 is a weird-sounding engine, not really worth revving up. All in all, Im happy with it.

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  Back to Our VW - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By Back to a VW again - May 20 - 1:56 pm

  We traded in our 2002 Jetta 1.8 turbo for a PT Cruiser GT. We missed the VW performanace after the deal was done. Three years later we sold the PT and purchased a GTI with DSG. We put 1100 miles on it before we took it on a trip to Calif from Wa State. The GTI was a pleasure on the whole trip. Plenty of power, cornered well and we got 29.5 MPG on our 2500 mile trip. This car was well worth the investment. I tried to buy a bra for the trip but they dont make one yet, however after returning home and scrubbing the car I was delighted that there was not one chip on the front end (nice design ). Try one and you will be sold.

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  Is this a typical VW experience? - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By eyebiz - May 20 - 4:05 am

  This is my first experience with a VW. While I love to drive it and the gas mileage is great, I have had 3 repairs since my warranty expired. First my hatchback latch broke. At 41,000 miles a glow plug had to be replaced. Lastly, the car quit on me at 49,00 miles. The fuel injection pump failed and there were metal shavings in the fuel line. Apparently there is a technical bulletin for the 2009 model. Thankfully VW of Pasadena paid for the replacement at no cost to me.

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  Fun, Cheap (Relatively), and German.... - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By Smyrnios - May 20 - 12:26 am

  My GTI has been with me for two years and 17K miles, and the experience has been positive. This is the original "hot hatch", the benchmark for this class. If youre looking for outright performance, go for a Mazdaspeed 3. But if youre seeking European character and sophistication, the choice is clear. The GTI goes about its business in a most German way. Feels solid as a bank vault when you get in and shut the door. On the interstate, its unflappable and deceptively fast, so invest in a good radar detector. This model has ceased production, as the sixth-generation is already out and headed to the US in the fall of 2010. There should be many pre-owned examples to choose from.

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  Love the TDI - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By TDI MAN - May 19 - 7:23 am

  I have owned my TDI since 2002. I have had almost no problems. The 2002 TDI was the last year for this motor. In 2003 they added horsepower, but got worse gas mileage, which is the wrong move with todays gas prices. The 5-speed has tons of power and mid 50 mpg. This beats the these cheesy hybrid trash that has two systems to go potentially wrong, for a lame 30 - 40 mpg. Get a TDI, theyre proven and reliable.

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  Great 3rd Row! - 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
  By Alyssa - May 19 - 7:09 am

  Over all the car is great. Amazing cargo space. Love the panoramic roof. Takes a while to get used to all the lane control etc...I personally think theres a lack of cup holders.

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  Wonderful Car - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By mdtgr - May 19 - 12:50 am

  This is the best car I have owned- it is fun to drive, gets OK gas mileage (the Golf is actually quite a heavy sturdy car so it wont be as good as say a Civic), and has a huge array of safety features. It handles great in the snow and never misses a beat in the cold weather. Best of all is the storage room when you put the back seats down. For $15K, you cant beat it!

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  realy is fun to drive! - 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By dave - May 18 - 4:46 pm

  nice looking really fun to drive! great acceleration fantastic breaking wonderful power top quietest convertible i have ever been in roomy and not cramped even for a 62" man not much room in back seat for adult (but who cares!)

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  Not Again - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By kyle clinton - May 18 - 3:23 pm

  I received a new GTI for graduation. On my first trip to college with less than 3,000 miles, 6 weeks old, the compressor cracked and backed off the engine shredding the belt. This car stranded me 120 miles from home. My parents brought car back to VW to be fixed. The fix lasted five days. My parents attempted to drive up to my college and the compressor shut down again, this time 590 miles from home. My parents brought it back to VW again, now they are saying two weeks at minimum. This car only has 2000 miles on it. The Honda Civic Si is looking really good right now.

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  Horrible experience - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By rachelnoli - May 18 - 11:34 am

  I owned a 2001 Jetta that ran like a dream, never had any problems even though it was 6 years old when I bought it. I bought my 2006 in 2009 with 28k on it. Right around 50k miles the check engine light started coming on and no amount of money would fix it. I took it to 3 different mechanics but as soon as I fixed one thing another problem would arise. Do your research before you buy a VW! If you find a good one, they are great cars. Otherwise itll be a nightmare.