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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  Best Car Ive Ever Driven - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By BassDSSO - April 24 - 7:10 pm

  I admit that I am a VW fan and after anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Passat TDI, I can positively confirm that I still am a VW fan. I absolutely love this car, it handles great, the power is amazing (I live in Duluth, MN with lots of hills and climbing the hills is no problem at all), and the performance in mileage has been wonderful (32mpg in city, 42mpg highway). The cabin is very comfortable and the seats are made for long drives with lots of support. Plus the stereo system is totally awesome!

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  Mechanics nightmare - 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By NoMoreVWs - April 24 - 2:03 pm

  Bought a Eurovan used with 60,000 miles. In great condition when purchased. Car computer died at 80k, the dealer told my wife the car had "a head ache" and it would cost $2500. I refused and insisted it must be under warranty and under my persistence was then covered by my warranty. Hmm. The car drive like a giant box. The interior is average, the seat are uncomfortable for long trips. The cup holders and plastic part break. A sliding window took 5 trips to the dealer, 18 hrs, and $600. The transmission is going out at 120k, and the brakes are expensive and require special tools. One door handle is broken, the window is stuck, the dealer says $500 to fix. AC died. Hard to find a mechanic

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  Waste of Money. Do not buy. - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Angela - April 24 - 1:56 pm

  I bought a 2006 VW 2.0t passat, with 48,000 miles in may of 2009. This car is a piece of junk. Thank goodness I had a certified pre-owned warranty on it, good until 75,000.2 months after buying this, a transmission valve (I think that what its called. Not much of a car expert.) broke. Repair costs totaled $1400.00, which I didnt have to pay b/c of the warranty. 5 months later, the check engine light came on. VW told me that my gas cap wasnt on tight enough. I took it to the dealer, $2200.00 worth of stuff wrong. Once again, all covered under warranty, thankfully. Last week, had to have the car towed from work. Engine gasket broke and pcv valve bad. $500.00. Trading it in tomorrow.

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  Burns Oil - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By rrosborough - April 24 - 11:09 am

  I bought my Passat brand new off the show room floor. I was thrilled to have this car. It looked good, ran good, and for the first 50,000 miles I didnt have any problems. Then I began to realize that it burns oil ridiculously. I took it in to have the dealership run an oil consumption test, and of course they said it was fine. Told me it burns 1qt of oil for every 1,200 miles. So I had the option of not driving my car as much, getting oil changes sooner, or just plain ol adding oil. Either way it really sucks. Took the joy of my car away from me. Im pleased with it, but I dont like having to keep up with the oil consumption, adding oil, or changing oil more frequently.

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  My VW Tijuan is a nightmare - 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By myvwnightmare - April 23 - 7:30 pm

  I purchased my VW Tijuan in 2012. Brand new. Right off the lot. It has been nothing but a nightmare. Some but not all of the problems: The driver door screw fell off. Yes, you heard that right. The door was hanging with one screw. The breaks fell on at least two occasions. The rest of the times the breaks are very noisy. The ABS breaks go on - by them self. The sun visor fell on my face twice. The first time while I was driving on the FWY, The second time while I was driving in my neighborhood, Scratching my face, poking me right under my eye, then my nose, then lending on my wrist. The heater is very noisy. VW blames me for all of the problems.I will write more later.

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  Whats with the side chrome moldings - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Go2guy - April 23 - 4:30 pm

  Looked and drove the Highlander Limited, this Passat, and a Camry XLE. This Passat impressed us the most. I just bought the car and when I went to pick up the new car. It turns out both of the passenger side doors had badly damaged chrome strips. I refused to take the car until they were replaced. The manager said the problem with the chrome strips happens in about one in 20 Passat Wagons...he said the manufacture published a bulletin warning dealers about the problem. Im worried the car might have structural damage and the dealer is pulling my leg. Does anybody out there know anything about this problem? I pick up the car in two days. Sure would like to hear about the door issue.

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  Not Happy - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By zorioq - April 22 - 5:03 pm

  The Pros: The car drives smooth and handles well. The blue & red interior lighting scheme makes you feel as if youre in a spaceship. The Cons: The interior moonroof liner broke the day after I got the car. The driver door window fell into the door. The whole window cranking mechanism had to be replaced. The plastic glove door & the center console broke off. The moonroof leaks. The a/c doesnt work at all. And there is a mysterious problem with the cat. converter & sensors. Replaced all and STILL getting the check eng. light. Diagnostics keep saying its a random code, no real problem. Right. TRY to pass inspection with the light on. Not in NY baby! Now I have frost on inside windshield.

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  I Love my Jetta - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Blair - April 22 - 5:36 am

  This is my second Volkswagen Jetta. I am a 23 year old female in the workforce and I feel wonderful driving my Jetta to the office and on the weekends with my friends to go out! It is so fun to drive and I feel 100% safe driving it.

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  Too many defects - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By mixuone - April 21 - 6:36 pm

  This is my second Beetle and probably my last VW ever. Dont get me wrong, if VW had acknowledged the defects early enough I would still consider another VW after this lease runs out next year. This Beetle had the sensor problem twice and I even filed a Lemon Law report with the state of Massachusetts. VW miraculously fixed the problem before the Lemon Law deadline even though the part was supposed to be on back order for two months. Now I have a leak and the whole floor is soaked. They tell me that water leaks are not covered even though the dealership acknowledged that there was no way for me to know if the sunroom drain tube was clogged. It is not anywhere in the manual.

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  Great Poor Mans Beemer....... - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By zelenkajl - April 21 - 6:00 pm

  Being single and sixty the last thing I wanted was one of the classic "family" cars even though I like the reliability of Hondas and Toyotas. Nor did I want a classic "geezer pleaser" (Avalon/Lexus). Not wanting to pay the price for a BMW I find this Wolfsburg Jetta to be an excellent compromise. The 2L turbo engine is sweet with strong response and quite decent mileage even if it does require premium. I try not to look to closely at the Consumer Reports reliability charts as all German cars appear to be lacking but I previously had an 04 Jetta GLS that never skipped a beat in 50K miles! I have no reason to think this Jetta wont be just as reliable but time will tell.