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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  awsome - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By tbird - January 12 - 10:00 am

  fast, fun to drive reliable i love it

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  Stay Away - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By iinsic - January 12 - 10:00 am

  I made the unfortunate decision to buy this car based on its design. Build quality has been horrible. I have had to replace window reg., 2 window switches, 3 O2 sensors, had an oil leak, replace a rear brake caliper at 40K miles (!?), now the air conditioning does not work. Fun to drive, terrible to own.

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  VW losing their touch - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Alexandra - January 12 - 8:03 am

  Do yourself a favor and dont buy a jetta. My VR6 has been in my family since it was purchased in 2001 (its a 2000). I paid my brother 5,000 for the car in 2005 which was a steal (or so I thought). As of now, in 2009, ive spent almost 5,000 fixing it. Im a regular at the shop. Ive replaced, like many other Jetta owners, sensors, breaks (way too often), water pump, clutch, struts, some more sensors... The glove box and cup holder broke within the first two years of use (Cant Germans even engineer a cup holder?). All in all, from sensors to cup holders, its not much more than faulty junk.

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  an awesome car to drive - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By plikiti - January 12 - 2:00 am

  I will not trade my GTI for any car in this world..(actually yes im trading it for another GTI, the new GTI 337 25th year Special Edition.) It drives beautiful and, for beeing an sport car, the ride is awesome.

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  I love it - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By sabrina - January 12 - 2:00 am

  it is awesome

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  Stay Away from Jetta! - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Eric B - January 12 - 2:00 am

  Lets see. The window regulator has broken on both windows. I burn through tail lights and headlights as fast as I can change them. The light in the trunk stopped working a year and no one can seem to figuire out why. The volume button on the radio is broken. The cup holder in the dash broke and has been fixed. Stock tires last 35,000 miles. Emergency brake sticks when it is below 32F. Battery used water as quickly as you can re-fill it. Oil cooler went out at 49,000 miles. Spark plugs went bad at 47,000. Finally at 50,000 they have discovered I have a blown head gasket. Buy at you own risk!!!! Nothing but headaches.

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  Jetta 1.8t / tiptronic & Sport pkg. - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By scottw911 - January 12 - 2:00 am

  For the money, the 1.8t, with the sport package and 17" wheels is exceptional. It offers plenty of performance and comfort for the relatively low price point. The small displacement offers good milage and a sense of environmental responsibility while the Turbocharger gives the car some real kick.

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  Great Car for the Money - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By NoEffort4u - January 11 - 10:36 am

  Since buying my Jetta TDI, I have had nothing but fun with it. My gas mileage has been anywhere from 42 - 48 on every single tank full. I love the sunroof and the heated seats. I was amazed at how low my insurance was also. So far, the only thing I have found that I do not care for, is the way the armrest covers up the second cup holder in the console. If you have two poeple in the front seat, it is a fight getting the second drink out from under the arm rest, unless you push it all the way back again. this car has enormous trunk space and lots of power plugs for anything you would want to plug in. Overall, the Jetta has been just super.

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  The Ultimate Road Warrior - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By michael - January 11 - 10:00 am

  The Jetta TDI is an excellent vehicle for the price. This is my second TDI and probably wont be my last. It gets 40 mpg and it isnt even broken in. I would definitely recommend it for anybody who wants a stylish, safe vehicle with outstanding fuel economy.

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  Good Car - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Alisa - January 11 - 12:36 am

  Ive owned my 99 for seven months. I had a 98 Beetle for a year and half before I got this one. When I got into an accident there was no doubt I was getting another Bug. Its a great car, and it does well in the mountains and on long high trips. Ive had to change both headlight bulbs, window motors, serpentine belts and the AC has a leak. Aside from these minor things (which Ive come to find EVERY car manufacturer has) the car runs great, is fun to drive, and I get tons of compliments on my cute red car. Im hoping to upgrade to a newer, higher model soon.