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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  Sporty, reliable, but slow - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By blackjettak2 - April 24 - 12:06 am

  This is a a fun car but when the shocks wear out, as mine have it drives like a waterbed when you push it hard, it is fast off the line but it is overall a slow car this one really needs a turbo....:) The protective door moldings do tend to come loose, and my car is have some issues with door pulls that turn white in the sun... other then that, super reliable, easy to work on, and a head turner even when in factory state, and most of all those heated sport seats in our cold canadian winter..:)

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  Ive loved my used Volks - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Lilly - April 23 - 7:46 pm

  I love my 2003 GLX 4-motion Volkswagen. I think it looks great, it drives great, and I love the way it handles. Only problem I have in Salt Lake City, Utah is the dealership is the last place I want to take it after having a problem with a recall on the fuel pump--which they insisted I should have them replace since it was free! and two days later when I was going up a hill, the car stopped on me and I had to be towed. I guess the "new" fuel pump was defective. The dealership in Sandy, UT also told me I needed a new serpentine belt when they had just replaced it within a year. I have found an independent repair shop in SLC now that I trust; otherwise I would never want a Volks in SLC, Ut

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  one of the best cars on the road everyone loves it - 2013 Volkswagen Golf
  By steven mckay - April 23 - 2:47 am

  love this car, and my son does too. i am almost 300 pounds and stand 6 foot 4. i fit in it just fine and so can three other men my size plus my son loves it. the mpg is amazing. get the tune intake and exhaust done and youll get over 50mpg. pros: everything from mpg to comfort handling and over all quality. cons: the transmission needs to be serviced every 40000 and its expensive. if you dont get the transmission tuned with an aftermarket tune youll notice a hesitation for half a second when going from a stop to pulling out in traffic. depending on your driving style could be dangerous. the aftermarket tune corrects this issue or if you like to leave your car stalk just drive safer.

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  good car if u get a good one - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By my buggy - April 22 - 4:43 am

  i bought my beetle used with 12k on it and it has 122k now, i love it ive had small problems like, driver window relay went out, water pump replace last week my brakes r great the were replaced at 100k, it drives like a high quality car and brakes like no other car ive had i love it and plan on getting another soon, its to bad so many people have had alot of problems out of them b/c they r a great car for the price

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  A fantastic Golf GTI - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By Arturo Guerra Smith - April 21 - 2:00 am

  Is like a Magic Carpet.

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  Loved this VW, repairs expensive though - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By thstraus - April 21 - 2:00 am

  I loved this car more than any other car Ive owned. Performance, great looks and excellent internal design and comfort outstanding! Maintenence however has been rather costly and a two year warrenty didnt cover much. The design and performance did cover the high cost though and I cant wait for the new 06 design. Love VWs

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  V10 at 6000 miles - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By cctdi - April 21 - 2:00 am

  The car went back to dealer two times; one time was the oil change, the other was to ask the question of the restrictor in the fuel tank neck. I havent experienced any scary stuff that have been post on this review. Except the clock gain one minute a day and the dealer doesnt know how to fix it.

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  The New 5-speed Diesel Beetle - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By jsbach2 - April 21 - 2:00 am

  The 2004 5-speed stick shift VW Beetle diesel has gotten me 52.1 mpg, average is 49.0 highest of any car I have owned. And more fun to drive than the 2003 4-speed auto model which never got over 40 mpg.

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  Still Great at 25K Miles - 2008 Volkswagen R32
  By J D Sharp - April 19 - 4:23 am

  I wrote about my car shortly after receiving it in 2007. Here we are nearly two years later, and I still love it. No mechanical problems at all. Gas mileage is still mediocre (25mpg at very best, all highway driving, more like 18 in the city . . .) but understandable when theres so much power on tap. Seats continue to be completely supportive even after two years. Just wanted to chime in and say that the enthusiastic glow that so many of us feel right after buying a car has continued with this one. My favorite car I have ever owned, and that includes a long string of Audis, BMWs and various Japanese makes. No regrets whatever.

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  Terrific Car - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By AHC - April 19 - 4:20 am

  My 2000 Volkswagen Passat has been perfect for 63,000 miles. Well, not absolutely perfect: the knob that adjusts the exterior mirrors has broken twice, and a few minor pieces of interior trim havent held up under our two kids abuse. But thats it - no other repairs were required at all. It gets 33+ MPG on the highway, is quiet and comfortable, and still looks sharp six years later. We love it.