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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  Love the Look, Hate the Repair Bills. - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By paige - March 9 - 5:20 pm

  I love the look of the Beetle, it looks like a smiling face. I however, am not smiling anymore because of the numerous repair bills, including replacing the tail, head, and brake light bulbs all of the time. I have replaced the auto window switches numerous times. I have had my car for 8+ years and I expect to replace and repair things, but this car is nickel and dimeing me to death! Its a horrible feeling taking your car somewhere and not being sure you will be able to get back home. I had to replace a plastic component in the gear shift that broke and I could not get out of third gear, then some months later, a gear shift cable broke and I couldnt get out of 2nd gear. Time for a new car!

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  Love/Hate Relationship - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By DG - March 9 - 11:06 am

  I ordered a 2003 VW Passat GLX 4Motion Wagon in 2002, direct from VW. Consumer Reports had written a review that said this was the BEST wagon you could buy, so I believed them and switched from my 20-year relationship with Mazda. At first I LOVED this car, and I especially loved the dealership. Over the years, I have never had a car have so many recalls - and in my case, everything that could break did break prior to the recall - so Ive had to have these things replaced twice!

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  Much love here!!! - 2005 Volkswagen GTI
  By **Heather** - March 9 - 7:40 am

  I cant tell you how much I am impressed with this car. It definitely feels like it has more power than it actually has, and the handling is amazing. Lots of mods are available. The inside has alot more room than expected (and this coming from a mom of 2). The seats actually fold up like a jeeps would, so its quite easy to get in and out of the back. The monsoon radio is great. Im very pleased with my purchase, and encourage to test drive this car. I think youll be pleasantly surprised.

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  Worst car ever driven..... - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By suma120200 - March 9 - 1:27 am

  I fell in love with this car from the moment I laid eyes on it, how ever the moment my warranty expired my nightmares began. Luckily, some of the problems started when I still had warranty. Since I bought me car, I had to replace the septic system, I had electric system problem where my sunroof didnt open and my radio did not turn on. Now Im having intermittent problems with my gas cap not opening. I looked to see if there is a manual release, but unable to locate. Im driven a Mazda, Toyota, and a Honda, I have never seen so many problems on a car under 35,000 miles.

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  5,000 miles, so far so good - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By cadrm123 - March 8 - 9:39 am

  I bought this car this summer and so far have quite enjoyed it. It accelerates and drives well for a more family friendly car than my Audi convertible. The seat is comfortable, and I am getting between 30-31 mpg on the car. I have found that cabin space ample for my trips around town.

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  VW Lacks in Customer Service - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Mike - March 8 - 6:00 am

  This has been the worst built car I have ever owned. The transmission, a 5 speed, needed to be replaced at 35,000 miles. Since it was three months out of the time warranty, VW offered no customer support. This, along with numerous other minor problems, including the key lock breaking, check engine light coming on and off at different times, and many more, has led me to believe that VWs reputation for quality is only a myth. I will never buy a VW again and I will tell everyone I know not to buy a one.

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  Knock Sensor issue - 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By scoutandhuck - March 8 - 3:30 am

  I just got my 2009 Rabbit 3 weeks ago and I mostly love it. It has a cozy feel, the dash is easy to use, the lights are distinct and easy to read, and it handles nicely, even in snow (which weve had about every day since I got it). It has a jaunty overall feel and I am quite pleased overall. The sales staff was also really informed and helpful.

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  Unreliable - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jj78586 - March 7 - 1:53 pm

  I should have known this was a bad car the first time we started it at the dealership. Has always made a horrible sound when first starting. Everyone asks what is wrong with it. Dealer said this was normal for this engine. First 8 months were fine, then the problems began. Trunk would not stay closed, noises in the dash, cooling fans went out, bad spark plugs, bad coils, headliner falling down and headlight covers are cloudy. No more VWs for this family. We are going back to Ford.

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  Much Improvement Needed! - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By bucnasty - March 7 - 11:30 am

  This is my parents car, but i drive it mostly, and have to deal with the dealership on the ongoing problem with the check engine light coming on. It comes on all the time and they keep telling us its a computer code that has to be updated, and they are waiting for it. Theyve been telling us that for a year now. Furthermore, the cup holders are awful you cant even fit a "pony" in them. They are poorly designed. Also, how can a car as tiny as a bug get only around 27 mpg? My grandmother had a huge Mercury Grand Marquee with a V8 and it got around 28 mpg. The engine needs to be revamped, there are so many larger cars out today that get a lot better mileage than the Beetle.

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  Great Little Car - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mark - March 7 - 11:06 am

  This car has served my faithfully and reliably in the entire time only once I was stranded due to a dead battery. Have not even changed a light bulb yet. Got about 45 mpg highway and about 40 city.