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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  Nice and fun to drive! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Juan - February 16 - 12:06 am

  Got my Jetta in Jan/04 with 57000 miles on the clock. It has been a new driving experience. Its incredible how the vr6 feels. Get the 5-speed to really enjoy this machine. GLX package is the best with all the options you have in a top of the line European car. I have put 45000 miles with no problems at all, just regular maintenance, replaced the tires at 68k and the shocks/struts @ 95k. Replaced water pump @ 80k (extra warranty covered it). No problems whatsoever.

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  my passat - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By theodrock - February 15 - 2:00 am

  awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  A Great Machine - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Speeder - February 15 - 2:00 am

  This car is a "fooler". It acts as if it is much more expensive, larger, and heavier than it is. It goes like the wind - my memory is VERY bad, Officer, but I believe I saw the speedometer at about 145 when I "let off"! The best car my wife and I ever owned - period!

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  Best Car I have owned - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By sevm - February 15 - 2:00 am

  After many months of research, we finally decided on the Passat. It has been excellent. The service from Volkswagen is also superb which cannot be said for many others.

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  Fun to Drive - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By belliott77 - February 15 - 2:00 am

  I have had the car for 5 days already have 1200 miles on the car and am very happy with it. A couple of trips to the Big Bear, a local mountain resort, and one trip to Phoenix and back. This car is fun to drive. On the mountain roads it was great! Handling is terrific, feels like it is on rails, scared my wife a couple of times, but pushed the car nowhere close to the limit. The engine is silky smooth with a fairly broad powerband. Power comes on around 3000 rpms, but unlike some cars I have driven with a high rpm powerband this one is not taxing to drive.

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  Love it even with problems - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Monifa - February 15 - 2:00 am

  Love the car. Had a bunch of electrical problems with the door windows and trunk. Very expensive repairs. I had a accident in it and was extremely safe. The accident could have been deadly in another car. Fun to drive, great handling. Dream car forever!

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  Great value, no peers - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By Seth - February 15 - 2:00 am

  I was looking for a car to replace my 2000 Acura RL. I wanted a car that was fun to drive above all else, but also one that was a good daily driver and fit my active lifestyle. I considered the following vehicles: Acura TSX, BMW 3 series, Audi A4, Mazdaspeed 3, VW CC and GTI, and Subaru WRX and STi. In the end the GTI ended up winning. It is, IMO, the best combination of fun to drive and nice to live with for the money. This car puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. If you are looking for a car to love, not just drive, I highly recommend it. I love mine. My wife and I did a 3700 mile road trip in it, and it was flawless.

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  Blast to drive, and a looker too - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By neonneon23 - February 15 - 2:00 am

  I took a couple of friends to test drive a new beetle turbo S. It was nothing short of a great time. The turbo spooled up quickly, and left us longing for more. Since a salesman didnt join us, we were really able to drive this car. Favorite part was the performance from the beetle. Ergonomically, the rear seats are useless, however they do fold down for ample storage. Also, it bothered me that the car was all but silent. Small pet peeve that may bother performance enthusiasts. Worth a test drive, so take one, or two or three....

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  My new Jetta is as good as the last one! - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JEM - February 15 - 2:00 am

  I have read some negative reviews about the cheapness of new 2011 Jetta but I have to disagree. I just traded my 2008 Jetta SE in for a 2011 Jetta SE (Comfort/sunroof package) and have been super happy with it and look forward to driving! While the new style loses a couple of the more premium features(ie. automatic seats), it gains just as many as it lost. It gets better gas mileage, seems like a peppier ride and also has the blue- tooth/cell phone feature which im loving. New sterio is terrific and is all touchpoint and easy-to-use.

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  Best Value - 2014 Volkswagen Passat
  By licheenut - February 14 - 6:24 pm

  We were looking for a car that had an upscale feel and appearance without the upscale cost. We were also looking for a car that was fuel efficient and did not want a hybrid. The 2014 VW Passat Wolfsburg met most of our criteria. It looks great and handles well on all types of driving conditions. The 1.8 turbocharged four cylinder engine gets decent MPG but feels a little underpowered. However, it is quick enough to safely merge onto highways with adequate power for most situations. My wife and I really love this car and would recommend it to others.