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:

• 

  I wouldnt do VW again. - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By peppi1 - January 1 - 2:38 am

  I happen to like my little car a great deal. I never dreamt that I would have ever owned a New Beetle Convertible. I like the color, build, and style. I rated the interior poorly because any time a part is needed, which is not that often, I find myself having to dish out a heck of a lot of hard-earned bills. To replace a simple part, VW interior parts come with the whole entire assembly... I guess they hope that they will get all of your money. It does not make sense to have to replace the entire assembly just to need one small part. The parts are too expensive.If you touch the dashboard it bruises easily and my car leaks heavily when it rains when the windows are rolled up completely!

• 

  gas gauge - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By sorryIbought - January 1 - 2:00 am

  I have had every part of the the fuel system replaced. the gas gauge moves from full to the 3/4 mark after only driving 20 miles. I never know how much gas I actually have. I am currently trying to get rid of it. My fourth VW I guess I was do for a lemon.

• 

  Strive for Perfection - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By sedan - December 31 - 6:50 am

  Recaro seats would be a nice addition to this car. I find that the upper leg support in its current seats is not right. By extending the lower seat length frationally along with better upper and lower side bolsters the driving experience would be better. A DSG transmission would be a welcome addition. My wife is a curb lover. Is there any way to design a wheel that could help prevent this prevent this problem? We have found in this recent 100 degree weather that keeping the car cool is rather difficult, especially in the rear. My personal driving experiences with the car have been very enjoyable. Its drivability has been taught yet compliable. Its performance has been excellent and trouble free. Keep making cars that exude quality, reliable, and are fun to drive!

• 

  Could be better. - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By RN - December 31 - 5:13 am

  I have owned this car for approximately 3 months. I have 10,856 miles on the odo. The average "real world" economy w/o soft peddling (driving like hybrid owners) is 36.5 mpg combined cycle of which I would say 80% of my miles are highway. I feel that this car could give much higher fuel economy by simply adding a 7th gear or OD for the highway. If you drive the vehicle, you will notice that the engine revs at a higher rpm. With diesel engines having very good low end torque, dropping the revs by 400 rpm could boost fuel economy to a level that could surpass any hybrid in the market.

• 

  Fun but tempermental - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By tim d - December 30 - 9:36 pm

  Bought this car new in 03. Blue Anthracite with Grey Leather. Very well appointed and good performance. Drove great, had the feeling of a safe and heavy car. Had problems that I would not expect of a fairly new car: Short Brake Life, including warped rotors. Bad Breaklight Switch, $900 alternator replacement, a battery that only the dealer can replace (not good when it goes out on Sat. night). 2 bad CV boots. Oil leaks. Improper alignment burned up 2 new tires. Ridiculous price on 40K and 80K maintenance. When this car was getting near 80K, I sold it on Craigslist and bought a Honda. I could not stomach another trip to the dealer for them to find more stuff wrong.

• 

  Wait and See - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By lash - December 27 - 2:00 am

  Thus far, I have experienced the same problems documented by others. My first trip to the dealership was positive, to my surprise given the heavy criticism leveled at VW service. They fixed the excessive rattling (which was present right at the start; what the hell did I pay PDI for?), but failed to fix the intermittent illumination of the brake light. When I telephoned the dealership and reported that the problem was not fixed, I was promised a free rental which they renegged. I telephoned Volkswagen Canada to lodge a complaint. If the problem is not redressed, I will make a follow up post and name the dealership.

• 

  Wont Be Any More - T5 Unlikely Here - 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By mjo_ai_net - December 27 - 2:00 am

  Photos of VWs new T5 abound on the net, but I doubt youll see one in the US. With VW bringing the MicroBus, youll have to decide whether the last Eurovan is for you We purchased a 2003 GLS (built in April 2002) & the Eurovans overall utility is setting in. The Eurovan has certainly made errands & family trips much easier. It rides & handles much better than its height suggests, & build quality is high. We are impressed with its ease around town: power to accelerate/pass, no harder to park/backup than our 4Runner, & right size for a family of 5. All of this could be said about the vanilla minivans. But, the Eurovan has a niche & one youll recognize

• 

  Happy not Thrilled - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By DAB - December 27 - 1:10 am

  Ive had my variant for 38,940 miles now. Only 2 problems, the window regulator broke and my battery died. Both of which the dealer replaced under warranty. The gas mileage is not up to what was advertised on the sticker. I did look at other compact wagons before signing on the dotted line. The Mazda P5 was down on power and the WRX wouldnt hold my golf clubs in the boot with out intruding into the back seat. Each of which you cant throw a baseball and not hit one of them on the street. For the money it was a fine purchase. I did opt for the dealer extended warranty, so Im good up to 100,000 miles. If I did have a family I would have spent the extra grand or so on the Passat Wagon.

• 

  Luv it! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By grcn - December 26 - 1:23 pm

  My Jetta is smooth riding & has great pick me up. The trunk space is bigger than I expected and the stereo is awesome. The only downfall is gas mileage. Only about 18-20 miles per gallon. I have to fight my husband for the keys! He calls it "the sports car".

• 

  Run dont walk from this car - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By San Diego - December 23 - 8:53 pm

  Simply the worst reliability of any car Ive owned. A full on nightmare! Repairs were always covered under warranty, but if not covered would have cost me over $13K over 3 years. From replacing full AC system, front struts, computer, cat-converter, instrument panel, full injection, Electronics a real problem voltage surges move wipers when turning off car. The painted window switches and passenger door handles scratch and interior shows age. If you buy one you must purchase with a good warranty, but they are almost prohibitively expensive as the word is out. Never will by German or American again. Drove nicely but not worth the headaches! Worst car Ive owned, run from this junker!