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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  Red Jetta - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Alvinm3 - May 16 - 2:00 am

  Great car. I love drivimg it. And driving it fast!!!

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  Camper Van Nightmare! - 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By JoeySass - May 15 - 8:46 pm

  I have the Winnebago Camper version. Original owner and its a horrible lemon. Im on the third set of tires (recommended tires are no longer manufactured!). A/C ($1500) went out at 3 yrs., 58,000 miles. Brakes replaced 2x so far. And now I have to replace my timing chain ($2000). All this on a 5 year old, 75,000 mile vehicle. Oh yeah, the transmission is starting to slip a little, thats next! Dont buy this lemon!

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  6 year review - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By bjss - May 15 - 3:53 pm

  Wagon running as good as new....yes, there have been a few recalls and maintenance can be expensive ($75 oil changes). But maintenance is the key to these cars. I would never buy Used unless I had copies of all oil changes, etc...

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  My First New Car Treated Me Well - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By Claire - May 15 - 2:33 pm

  My Golf was perfect until after I had put 60,000 miles on it, then things started to fall apart. I had some mechanical trouble that ended up being quite costly. Other than that, I loved the car. It was fun and sporty.

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  Volkswagen of Alabama - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ALABAMAJETTA - May 15 - 7:50 am

  Ive been a Honda/Toyota man all my life, Came across a good deal on VW TDI GLS and I have not looked back, would love to own Tiguan TDI (maybe one day) Hope VW comes to ALABAMA! Thank you Germany. With many Honda accords and Toyota RAV4 behind me, give me a VW any day with a diesel and Ill enjoy the drive.

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  From Honda back to VW - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By radin2son - May 15 - 5:36 am

  Planned to downsize from 99 Accord Ex & 02 Civic Si to 1 car in future, but VW pricing & incentives too good to pass up. My foreign car mechanic, who always said buy Honda or Toyota, vouched for the newer TDI engine and Passats. Hes not seeing problems in his shop. Wagon choices are few, and this one meets our needs. (This is not a "sport wagon.") Very happy with fit & finish, plus there are plenty of diesel stations nearby. Have to get used to startup; seems too slow, but more pressure on accelerator is too quick. Have to get used to this along with engine hum, not growl, and low rpms on tach. Letting 5 speed auto do its thing.

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  Unity - 2016 Volkswagen Golf
  By Lars Andersson - May 14 - 8:38 pm

  Smooth engine, precise responsive steering, clean tasteful styling, better ride height and visibility won me over from the 2016 Civic. I wanted the lighting package so migrated to the SE which gives you an amazing Fender stereo. Wasnt planning on the driver assist safety package but given the how distractable life can be, and the non-obtrusive nature of this German version, I decided to fork out the extra $1500 in hopes it may safe my life in some way. The seats dont look impressive but are very comfortable and supportive. The new Honda Civic is their best version yet with lots of features on the touring. The best way to describe the difference between these two cars is the German car reflects the near perfection of unity between car and driver and the Japanese car reflects excellent car parts put together well but you still know its a puzzle and not a photo. The Apple car play is a nice feature. Wind noise is exceptionally low. Not a fan of Mazda, but always rated high by professional reviewers.

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  Expensive to Own and Operate - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Lars - May 14 - 4:50 pm

  I bought this car new and still own it. At 67,000 miles the timing belt broke causing the valves to hit the pistons. This was covered under the warranty, but the dealer was very confrontational and I thought at one point that I may have to sue them. The ingition module has gone out twice, and now it has some other yet to be determined problem. If you buy one of these be aware the timing belt needs replacement (~$750) every 60,000 miles or you will ruin your engine and you need to uses synthetic oil in it

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  I love this car - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Midori Alexandros - May 14 - 4:46 pm

  It has been a great- car. We have had to do a lot of mechanical repairs to the car, who ever sold it did not do them and that was probably why they sold it in the first place. We have done timing belt/tensioner, both drive axles, breaks, struts, engine mounts, and turn signal switch, spark plugs, plug wires, and had the engine detailed. The car has been excellent with no mishaps.

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  My Dream Car - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jennifer - May 14 - 1:35 pm

  This was my dream car. I bought it new for a good price back in 2007. The front seats are comfortable but theres not much space for the back unless you drive with small children. The AUX hook up is very inconvenient, it is located on the far upper right side of the glove box (inside). The a/c is actually really loud, you pretty much have to yell with your passengers to hear. The a/c vents in the back do not blow as much as what they should. I had to replace the outside door panel (black part) because of the South Florida sun beating on it. So in the beginning it was a very good, reliable car. Once you hit the 65k+ miles on it thats when the problems start .. first my a/c went. At first they told me it was the antifreeze but then it turned out to be the compressor which cost a lot. Then my coolant holder broke, unknowingly I was driving from work and I noticed that the engine temp was sky high I pulled over only to see that it had broken. The leather seats began to crack and the dealership said to repair it would cost a lot. My car currently has 83k miles and the transmission is starting to go. Needless to say, I am getting rid of it and getting a new NON-Volkswagen vehicle. Good car at first but just be aware of the costly repairs down the road.