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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  Fun Car. Great looks. - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By rbrad - May 11 - 10:00 am

  It was a fabulous purchase. A great car with incredible features. Incredible comfort and truly superior build quality. Drive one. Youll see.

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  Touareg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Jasmin Crespo - May 11 - 10:00 am

  I love it..... that is all i can say

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  A Machine, Not a Appliance - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By BCarl - May 11 - 8:23 am

  If you are not familiar with cars then dont bother buying one. This is car more than any Honda or Toyota appliance. Yes, I had my share of issues (vacuum hoses, MAF, fuel pump) but they are all things that can be replaced by the owner. Or find a good independent shop, you just expecting the worse when you go to the dealer. The car feels solid, drives beautiful, and has good power for a 4-cyl. Plus I average 28 MPG in mixed driving.

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  Ultimate soccer -mom van - 2000 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By frnr66 - May 10 - 9:53 pm

  I have owned two Eurovans and two Vanagons and the VR6 is the best driving car of them all. It has an awesome engine, though more thirsty than the 5-cylinder version and much more powerful. It is a very comfortable highway cruiser especially for hauling the family and dog to the cottage every weekend. It is the most popular car at rainy day soccer games, with kids inside at the table and under the huge rear hatch. The rear seating is such that kids interact more and play cards at the table instead of Game Boys. Maintenance has been reasonable and been limited to the expected parts that wear-out. Since being off warranty, weve used experienced VW mechanics, but not the dealership.

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  Fun to drive but.............. - 2001 Volkswagen GTI
  By karma72 - May 9 - 10:00 am

  I really like this car but I cant believe the problems I ve had the past 2 years. Five times the windows have fallen down into the doors, various plastic pieces inside keep falling off or break, the headlights suddenly stopped working, and the tail lights have had problems. My dealer has fixed most of these problems without charge but Volkswagen will not even admit there is an epidemic with the window situation and are non cooperative on the customer service phone. The car is a blast to drive but I really have to question the overall quality of some of the design, and Volkswagen needs to fess up to the window problem and do a recall.

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  GTI VR6-Fun to drive......to the shop - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By rmarz91 - May 9 - 10:00 am

  The good: Power, car looks good--Interior looks well made--Like the heated leather seats--Radio looks cool--17"wheels The bad: Had at the dealer many times because the check engine light keeps coming on--Have to drive with the seat moved forward about 3 inches if you want to fold the rear seats down--Monsoon sound system has NO bass response--Climate control fan starting to make noise--Factory roof rack mounting bolts not mounted properly into frame on passengers side making mounting a roof rack very difficult if not impossible--No help for previous issue from VW -- Has 5500 miles on it and is developing alot of rattles and noises.

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  Great car, however... - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Lupo - May 9 - 10:00 am

  This car is awesome to look at and drive. It trully is a pleasure to hear the "thump" of the heavy door and trunk. The engine is trully remarkable, however did have some serious problems. I had 3 recalls, oil service where the dealer neglected to add oil, and spent about CDN $3000 in repairs. Too bad it is not the company car where one just gets to drive it and not pay for reparis...

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  Fun to drive, choose your options wisely - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dandadtodandB - May 9 - 10:00 am

  The handling is superb, fun to drive. The automatic transmission shifting is annoying. Going above 3000 rpm is difficult to obtain, really needed when going up hills. Significant loss of power and difficulty in keeping up in traffic on upgrade and in the right gear. The quality of the interior materials are beautiful, reminds me of the BMW. This care has more rattles than any car I have ever owned. Wind drag is awful without more than 2 open. Extremely cramped back seat. Strongly recommend the manual for most fun. Not as roomy as the 97 Civic hatchback. Very poor fuel economy 18 mpg.

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  Loving my car!! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Teresa - May 9 - 10:00 am

  I love my new Jetta. I have the GLS 1.8T with the sport package. I had such a pleasant experience with it, starting with the dealership (Bertolet). They were very friendly and helpful and HONEST!

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  Bleck - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Michael Pollack - May 9 - 10:00 am

  The interior rattles are ridiculous, and the dealers that I have brought it to have not fixed them and do not seem to care. It has had rattles from day 1, and the dealers have only made it worse, or simply lied about serivce that was not actually performed. It has been disappointing, and I cannot wait to get rid of it. Its cute and that is about all it has going for it. Forget about picking up more than one person at the airport.