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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  I hate my car - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Karen Bishop - March 22 - 2:23 am

  Reading the other negative reviews before I started mine made me feel vindicated. The dealership made me feel like I was nuts. The transmission is terrible - going around curves slowly the car bucks like a bronco, and God forbid I have to take my foot off the gas pedal. Once in awhile for no reason, the transmission will make a loud "clunking" noise like Ive just run over something. It scares me to death and then of course makes me furious. I have had nothing but trouble with the electrical system; if I believed the displays Ive had braking problems, tire pressure issues, etc. FYI - dont expect the tires to last to 20K miles. Plus, this is the "beepiest" car Ive ever owned! YUCK!

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  First Time VW Owner - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By CS - Cville VA - March 21 - 10:03 pm

  First time owning a VW and I have to say Im very impressed with the quality of materials used in production. Seats are comfortable and supportive. The VW TDI diesel is much quieter than I was expecting after previously driving a Mercedes diesel years ago. Great Car all around so far.

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  Stylish Small Car - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By RadStude - March 21 - 9:33 am

  I bought my Jetta used with 54,000 miles on it and I now have 72,000. It burns a little oil, but that isnt a big deal to me. It has proven reliable, I havent had any electrical issues. Its gas mileage has been around 26 in town and up to 37 on highway 5 in CA. I love this car. I think most of the people complaining about it expected a bargain Mercedes, which this car is not. It is, however, a excellent small car alternative if you are tired of the vanilla vehicles coming out of Japan. Reliability-wise I had more problems with my 1997 Mazda 626 (3 O2 sensors). My one breakdown was mechanic related (non dealership)... He didnt tighten plug #3 and it exploded into the cylinder. I replaced the plugs, and it runs like a champ!

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  Love it!! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By me and i - March 21 - 1:46 am

  Ilove this car. I have had to have the syncronizer replaced and the O2 sensor but what ever the warranty covered it.

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  I love it! - 2000 Volkswagen GTI
  By C. Barrett - March 20 - 2:00 am

  My GTI has been a delight to own; it drives like a dream, gets very good mileage, handles very well, and I have a very spacious cargo area. I can also get into parking spots SUV owners can only dream about. It is the perfect urban vehicle; I love it! My only complaint is that I had to replace the battery when the car was only 2 1/2 years old.

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  Great Pocket Rocket! - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VNMVR6 - March 20 - 2:00 am

  I have owned this car for almost 5 years and it hasnt let me down yet. It runs very smooth and quiet. Quick acceleration. Only problems I have had are the usual VW problems - window regualator failure & loose door molding. No major mechanical work has been needed and my car has 75,000 miles on it! Continues to run strong.

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  The VW Shaft - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By cabo0225 - March 20 - 2:00 am

  Drivers Wanted it should read Suckers Welcome.The cabrio quality is terrible.I have had it in the shop at least 4 X a year for something breaking on it a valve here, an odometer there,plus a bad transmission.I have had problems with dealer ships not honoring my cars warranties.VW customer service is unhelpful.The car had a transmission failure(stuck in 2nd gear) and the company would not set up for me to have a car to use while my car was in the shop,also they seemed not to care when I expressed to them the multiple problems that I have had with car or that I would make sure to go out of my way to not recommend their company and or products.

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  Best Value In Its Class - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By slax - March 20 - 2:00 am

  I researched cars for months and everything consistantly pointed me back to the Passat. For the money, I dare anyone to try and find a car that gives you more value, safety and performance. This car is essentially an Audi with a VW badge. I drove the V6 model also, but the 1.8T has plenty of pep, better milage and saves you a couple grand to boot.

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  first VW more to come - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Zabe - March 20 - 2:00 am

  This was my first VW ever bought. 3 of my friends had bought VWs within the past 2 yrs and they loved their cars (all Jetta from base to GLXs) they handle great in the snow and they are alot of fun on dry roads. So far my exp have been all fun w/this new car of mine. If it keeps goin this way VW has found themselves a new customer for life. VW has put in so many little features that other manufactures leave out and it makes you wonder how you lived w/out them for so long.

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  Great Car - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By liu - March 19 - 8:06 pm

  I bought the Rabbit about two weeks ago and I love it more and more. Ive always been a Japanese car fan in the past but this car definitely changed my perception about European car makers. The 2.5 V5 engine definitely gives you more power than you will need especially if you live in a big city. The first day I got it I took it up to high speeds on the highway and its SMOOTH, thanks to its great power to weight ratio. This is only an entry level European car, I can only imagine what the top of the line car will drive like. Great car, GET IT!!!