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:

• 

  The cutest car ever made - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Andrea - January 20 - 7:46 am

  This is like the kind of car only a fun person can drive. its very simple inside..not like those tacky expensive cars...thats why i love it! its original and soo the cutest car ever made

• 

  Great value and fun to drive too! - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Steve - January 20 - 7:40 am

  Just leased the 2010 LE automatic last week. I have to admit this is one fun car to drive. Fit and finish are on par with BMW and Mercedes. I just came off of a 5 series BMW lease, and my wife drives a 300 AWL Benz. I actually prefer the ride of the Jetta to the Benz. Not quite a challenge to the BMWs handling and performance, but for less than half the price its a pretty good trade off. The cabin is extremely quiet, even over rough pavement, and the car corners through turns very confidently with just modest body roll. Acceleration is reasonably quick. The car has a heftier feel to it which belies its actual weight. This translates into what feels like a more substantial road presence.

• 

  Golf Diesel - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By Walter Remy - January 20 - 3:46 am

  This is a really fun car to drive. It gets great fuel economy and it extremely reliable. This car now has over 50,000 miles with no problems whatsoever. The paint finish and interior stll look like almost new.

• 

  2005 Beetle GL 5sd manual - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By aloisio - January 19 - 9:43 am

  Extremely solid vehicle, very responsive to driver command. Good not great acceleration, excellent drivetrain, with smooth shifting and ultra sensitive clutch manipulation. Steering articulates well with little to no tire slippage under severe cornering. Wonderful interior ergonomics and ease of operation. Easy to read clear gauge panel with good back light. Very comfortable seating and adjustability. Overall just a GREAT car!

• 

  The absolute worst car I have owned since.... - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Bryan now hates VW - January 19 - 7:19 am

  This is the worst car I have owned since I only had $1700 and I was 17. Broke down like clock work every 3k miles. New transmission, new fuel injectors, supposed "corrosion build up" that I paid for after 50k miles because the right brands of gasoline werent used...I used the "recommended Top Tier" gasolines per VW. Had to have the whole radio replaced, no bluetooth compatibility, then my car broke down again, then again....then after it broke down again, another fuel injector went out. I was "afforded" a 2014 TDI Passat to drive while under repair. All the electronics we screwed up on it so I couldnt use navigation...due to a yet to arrive "software update" Next, I had a turbo Beetle, the "sport gauges" failed, including turbo pressure and oil temperature at regular intervals, a driving light was already out...all at 8k miles. My advice....STAY AWAY from VW. Absolutely the worst car company I know. I would rather drive a Chevy Cruze than these pieces of ....

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  Why doesnt everybody buy one? - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jerry Rosen - January 19 - 7:00 am

  I bought the 2004 Passat 1.8 turbo wagon with manual transmission. This is the perfect car. It has pleasing European design, as oppossed to those cookie cutter Japanese and US cars. The interior is of very high quality - on par with cars that are $10,000 more and it is very fun to drive. The low end torque, that is a trademark of VWs, makes the car exciting to drive around town and downshifting really causes the car to "blast." It holds the road superbly. I recently drove from Los Angeles to Pheonix in a blinding rain storm the entire way. Nonetheless I drove my usual speed and made the trip in 6 hours. It has a huge trunk and gets 30 mpg on the freeway. This is a great car. Buy one now.

• 

  Surprising - 2017 Volkswagen Jetta
  By John Smith - January 19 - 6:14 am

  Bought this May 20th after looking at several different choices; lowest out the door cost, good dealer experience and great interest rate sealed it. Pros: Great fuel mileage and good performance from the 1.4 (surprising considering the size of the engine). Wanted a TDI but last re-released 2015 was gone before I could get it; with this engine I dont miss it (40+ MPG on 87 octane). Surprisingly comfortable and equipped, even in base trim. Most people pan the interior; I like a more basic car, much like what was the norm 20 years ago. Seats folded, this thing holds a ton of cargo; hauled several fence pickets, a couple of bags of mulch and potting soil plants and a few groceries with room to spare. I even appreciate the exterior styling; not bland, certainly unoffensive. The MK IV Jetta may have had more Audi styling, but they also suffered from a ton of fit an finish, as well as mechanical, issues this car seems to have avoided. Now for the Cons: Car handles like youre driving through a wind storm; constantly have to make steering corrections to keep in my lane. I blame the Ecopias, steering and suspension eco-natured and commuter friendly tuning; a set of springs and 205/50 17" tires would greatly help here. The drivers door rattles when shut, like the panel is loose, and the dealer plainly stated that every new Jetta does it, and there is nothing they could do to fix it. However, its a sub $20k car; I recently drove a couple of BMW F10 cars, and their doors had worse rattling issues than mine, which is unacceptable in anything that costs $51k. The radio is a little too basic. At the price of entry I would expect alloy wheels and a 6 speed manual. As expected, turbo lag and economy gearing do little to get this thing off the line, which can be dangerous if youre local traffic is as bad as mine. The interior light gray seat fabric will get dirty in a very short amount of time; invest in a good set of seat covers. The rear headrests greatly hinder rear visibility; I cant remove them due to my chosen rear seat cover, which utilizes the headrests as a mounting point. Overall, there may be better choices out there, but the dealer experience won the day. And, considering the cost, I believe the S is the best value; moving up in trim only gets more equipment, and not necessarily a better car (the GLI excepted). Higher trims in non-GLI either get the same 1.4 combo (stick or auto) or are saddled with the much thirstier 1.8 and auto combo.

• 

  Surprising - 2017 Volkswagen Jetta
  By John Smith - January 19 - 6:14 am

  Bought this May 20th after looking at several different choices; lowest out the door cost, good dealer experience and great interest rate sealed it. Pros: Great fuel mileage and good performance from the 1.4 (surprising considering the size of the engine). Wanted a TDI but last re-released 2015 was gone before I could get it; with this engine I dont miss it (40+ MPG on 87 octane). Surprisingly comfortable and equipped, even in base trim. Most people pan the interior; I like a more basic car, much like what was the norm 20 years ago. Seats folded, this thing holds a ton of cargo; hauled several fence pickets, a couple of bags of mulch and potting soil plants and a few groceries with room to spare. I even appreciate the exterior styling; not bland, certainly unoffensive. The MK IV Jetta may have had more Audi styling, but they also suffered from a ton of fit an finish, as well as mechanical, issues this car seems to have avoided. Now for the Cons: Car handles like youre driving through a wind storm; constantly have to make steering corrections to keep in my lane. I blame the Ecopias, steering and suspension eco-natured and commuter friendly tuning; a set of springs and 205/50 17" tires would greatly help here. The drivers door rattles when shut, like the panel is loose, and the dealer plainly stated that every new Jetta does it, and there is nothing they could do to fix it. However, its a sub $20k car; I recently drove a couple of BMW F10 cars, and their doors had worse rattling issues than mine, which is unacceptable in anything that costs $51k. The radio is a little too basic. At the price of entry I would expect alloy wheels and a 6 speed manual. As expected, turbo lag and economy gearing do little to get this thing off the line, which can be dangerous if youre local traffic is as bad as mine. The interior light gray seat fabric will get dirty in a very short amount of time; invest in a good set of seat covers. The rear headrests greatly hinder rear visibility; I cant remove them due to my chosen rear seat cover, which utilizes the headrests as a mounting point. Overall, there may be better choices out there, but the dealer experience won the day. And, considering the cost, I believe the S is the best value; moving up in trim only gets more equipment, and not necessarily a better car (the GLI excepted). Higher trims in non-GLI either get the same 1.4 combo (stick or auto) or are saddled with the much thirstier 1.8 and auto combo.

• 

  No more VWS - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By 3RDVW - January 19 - 5:36 am

  Ive owned Jettas before, but this Passat is pure junk. Its been in the dealership more than with me. Replaced Throttle Valve Control, Crankcase Breather Valve, CV Joint Boot, Catalytic Converter, Compressor Condenser, the list goes own! It also has intermittent noise when accelerating (but only I can hear it). Bought extended warranty-at present Ive spent $400 this year already in deductibles.

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  My GTIs Big Brother - 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By npsgti - January 19 - 1:33 am

  Just got the 13 Tiguan S w/panoramic sunroof & mat kit for my wife and we love this car. Small CUV that handles like a sport sedan with all tried and true German automotive attributes: sophisticated & understated interior and exterior styling, satisfying performance & handling and rock solid build. After driving both the S and SE, the S is already so well equipped incl. leather wrapped multi-function steering wheel, MFD display, bluetooth etc. that we couldnt justify the extra $5k or so for leatherette and lower profile tires. Great ride, great family car, excellent lease deals to be had.