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 car to drive, but unreliable - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By tonester - April 14 - 10:00 am

  Bought the car with 15000 mi and remainder of 48/50K warranty and started experiencing problems within 2-3 wks of owning it. The stock 16 in rims started leaking, VW wouldnt fix. Replaced all rims and tires with VW 17 in and that fixed it, cost me alot. A/C went out, VW said it was fine, but after 3 attempts they finally replaced, EVERYTHING, turned out the car had the entire A/C replaced before I bought it. Next, window switches peeled, and didnt work correctly from the 1st month I bought the Passat. Hit the switch to go UP and the window goes DOWN. VW never fixed this even after trying over 5 times. Radio never worked correctly, again VW refused to fix. Rear hatchback is a joke.

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  Decent - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By K - April 14 - 3:50 am

  Bought this car after having a Jetta. Loved the Jetta; do NOT love the Passat. Gas mileage 23 combined at best. Recurrent problems that were "fixed" (front headlight shakes, lock/unlock button wont work, one of the locks stuck, window stuck open, screeching noise from dash when cold out and using fan, burning brakes smell) and the seat heater was burning me through the seat. (they repaired that for free though). Will not buy again!

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  Allow for lots of trips to dealer.. - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jetta girl - April 10 - 8:30 pm

  Before I bought this car I had a Toyota Camry that I bought new. It was 4 years old when I purchased this VW and I never had to take it to the dealership once. I didnt even change the oil and I never had the slightest problem. Since I bought the VW I am at the dealership nearly monthly for one thing or another. Its way too much hassle and inexcusable to have so many problems on such a new car. I will say my husband bought a VW GTI the same day I bought my Jetta that he loves and hasnt had nearly as many problems as I have (but still has had problems). We also bought a 2003 Jetta for our babysitter in 2003 and she hasnt had nearly as many problems as I have, but still more than she should.

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  Always Something! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By c. bennett - April 10 - 9:46 am

  I loved the look of the Touareg when I bought it and still do- unfortunately that is the only thing I still love about it! Every day there is some sort of call to action - the brakes had to be replaced far sooner than they should have (are they using Beetle brakes?), the tires lasted no time, key never works to open / unlock remotely, the aluminum trim inside dings like a soda can, the radio and other buttons are so cheaply made that the words and numbers are all coming off, it makes strange noises all of the time, and incessantly beeps. The tires always need more air. VW has been awful to deal with. The only good thing left was the awesome lumbar support, but that just broke!

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  BUYER BEWARE unreliable, unsafe, unpredictable - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mespo01 - April 9 - 3:07 pm

  I leased a 2011 Jetta SE with the intention of buying it once the lease was up. One month before I was planning to buy the car, it started stalling out. The 1st time this happened I was driving downhill at approx 30 mph. The brakes and steering wheel locked up - lost control. Very scary. I took the car to the dealer - charged me $500 to have it "fixed". Second time, I was on the highway - lucky to be stuck in traffic. Had it happened 15 min earlier while driving 60mph in middle lane, could have been dangerous. Car had 40k miles on it. VW will not take responsibility for this problem. My car is sitting at the VW pre-owned lot ready to be sold. I feel sorry for the person who will buy it.

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  Just traded mine in for a Turbo Outback - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Syracuse - April 9 - 11:56 am

  After many recalls, and many problems, I finally gave in and traded mine in. Took a big hit, but it was well worth it. My new car has 12,000 on it, and hasnt been to the dealer yet. VW made a great looking SUV that test drives well, but is terrible to live with. Their service department isnt up to the standards set by other manufacturers in this price range. I owned a Saab previously, and although it spent too much time in the shop, the service dept was knowledgeable and always had a loaner. Bottom line, getting rid of my Touareg was worth it (simply so I wouldnt be reminded of my poor buying decision every day).

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  Sad owner - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Tony K - April 9 - 3:53 am

  I had no idea it would eat tires every year! Gas mileage was known, but gas wasnt $4.50 at the time. Its been in the shop so much, my wife wants me to sell it now! Service sucks, they cant order the correct parts half the time so we have to go back multiple times for stupid stuff. I will NEVER buy another VW again. I tried, and it was a failure. They say the car is heavy and thats why it eats tires. B.S. My dad has a huge van loaded with his contractor stuff (much heavier than the Touareg) and he gets 30k miles no problem. I think its the 4WD system chewing up the tires. Im actively looking at a replacement even though it will cost me $. I like to keep cars 12+ years but not this time

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  Jetta TDI falling apart - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Foz - April 7 - 10:00 am

  I am less than impressed with the Jetta TDI I unfortunately purchased.

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  Warranty - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Evelyn Vincent - April 6 - 5:46 am

  Did not have trouble until now at 105000 km. I lost power. Still at the dealership and who knows what all is wrong. They are starting with one part at a time. Since when should a care only run well for 100000 km and then be off of warranty. Does not make any sense to me and I should have checked the warranty closer. Have been told warranty is warranty and you are over the km. Waiting for the final results.

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  My second New Beetle not as good as the first - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By eliteboi - April 5 - 10:51 pm

  I previously owned a 2000 New Beetle 1.8T. That car was GREAT. It gave me very few problems, and it never left me stranded. One of the worse mistakes I have made. Ive had lots of stupid problems come up. I bought the car with 68k miles, and all service records. I had no warning and the water pump went out, at 68.5k. Replaced two wheel bearings, the tie rods, the door speaker. I could go on. I have had this car a little over a year. The best part was when the inner axle snapped getting off the highway. I think my car must be a lemon. It is getting harder and harder to justify keeping it. My car looks great, but it doesnt perform half as well as my 2000 did, which had twice the miles.