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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  glx 4motion passat wagon - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By ron stidmon - March 2 - 10:00 am

  the Passat 4motion system works well and the car has a very solid feel. Much more comfortable ride than Subaru Forester but not as firm as most SUVs. Styling is attractive and the controls are intuitive,

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  great car - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By beetletest - March 2 - 10:00 am

  Fun car. Great to drive on highway. Good value. Very good guality. Would buy again.

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  Fantastic Buy! - 2016 Volkswagen Golf
  By Kittens95 - February 27 - 9:25 pm

  Purchased the SE model with automatic transmission. Its a blast to drive. The car rides like a luxury car and is super quiet at highway speeds. The doors close with a solid thud and overall the car feels more expensive than it is. There are w lot of small touches that are really cool like the cooled glovebox, carpet lined bin in the doors, and rear view camera that deploys from the logo when in reverse. The fender audio system is amazing! The car looks small on the outside but is very roomy for the class. Handling is exactly what youd expect from a Volkswagen. It handles corners with ease. Plenty of power. Mileage is at 28 mpg or so but I have a lot of stop and go traffic and the car isnt broken in yet. My only gripe is the transmission. It can be a bit clunky at lower speeds as Edmunds says. Its eager to up shift and seems to have trouble finding the right gear when coming to a stop. There is of course the option to shift yourself. Its not enough to stop me from loving the car but something to consider. Perhaps a transmission reprogram would help. Cant comment on reliability yet. Overall this car would be a great buy for many people but always seems to get overlooked by all the Civics, corollas, and even jettas.

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  Great Car - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By are - February 27 - 6:26 pm

  Solid ride. Great handling. Comfortable seats. Huge trunk. Head and shoulders above the 2005 TDI Jetta that I had. TDI rocks with all that low end torque. It drives fantastic quiet and secure (10 airbags). The DSG automatic transmission feels like a CVT, seemless. Drives comparable to a new Mercedes c300 (My father owns one)

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  A must to consider - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Chris - February 27 - 11:56 am

  The 2007 Volkswagen Passat 2.0T has excellent all around functionality, a great feel, great design and it gets good gas mileage too.

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  Best vehicle purchase EVER!! - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By cdstraw - February 26 - 3:50 am

  Absolutely fabulous vehicle. Purchased as New Jettas were hitting showroom and dealer wanted to clear out old inventory. Within 3 months dealer wanted to purchase TDI back and give me and exceptional trade on New Jetta. No Way! Average city driving 46-48 mpg, Interstate at 65 mph cruise, 60 mpg!

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  great car - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By George Doust - February 25 - 4:03 am

  I went from a truck to this car for better milage. The car is solid, fun to drive and loaded from the factory. This was a great feature. The car drives better than I thought it would and better than any other car of its size I have driven. I would recommend this car to anyone

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  Just Great! - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By Nizefski - February 24 - 10:00 am

  Reliable, Excellent fuel economy.

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  another VW purchase - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By nicole and jason - February 24 - 10:00 am

  I love VWs! I have only owned Volkswagens. I recently purchased a brand new 2003 Golf GLS and I am having a wonderful time. It drives smooth, its reliable, and its sporty. Chaplins dealership provided EXCELLENT service. Carter did not!

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  Great mileage with no problems - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Buesi - February 24 - 10:00 am

  This car is awesome. It gets phenomenal mileage (it is a diesel) at 50-60 mpg depending on driving conditions, a/c useage, etc. It handles well, it is quiet (you can only slightly hear the diesel engine at idle), has awesome storage capacity with the backseat folded down and has a great sound system. 40,500 miles so far and not 1 problem