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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  Horrible Car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Infuriated - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Owned car for 1 year. In shop 5 times for total of 3 weeks. Towed 3 times. Transmission failed and was replaced. Ignition coils failed one at a time & dealer would not replace them all, even though VW knew they were defective. A/C inadequate. Seats uncomfortable. Interior cramped for a "family car." Engine hesitates at rest; then surges forward. A truly awful car. Ill never buy another VW product. Consumer Reports must be on the VW payroll to rate them so highly!!

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  My First and Last VW - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By fougera - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Has 20k miles. For the people who are writing great reviews for this car, I would love to hear how you feel about your car after a year. Since day one, nothing but problems. Speedometer gauge stopped working after 3 days. Fixed and broke again the next day. They took another 10 days to fix it. New Jetta in the shop first 15 days of the first month I owned it. Other problems: Stereo broke and had to be replaced, instrument panel had to be replaced, center counsel broke, problems with breaks, and doors rattle..turned out a cable that was loose inside the door. I should not have this many problems with a new car.

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  she sucks! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By 8675309 - July 31 - 10:00 am

  at 3000 miles and my windshield wipers stopped working on the middles of the highway. i was almost killed. i want my honda back!!

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  Poor quality - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Viola - July 29 - 11:10 am

  Car has multiple problems, not simple wear and tear either. Window fell into door (generic problem) Trunk latch broke Side lamps fell off one day Dome light cracked Oil leak (less than 50k miles)

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  Awesome car until your engine blows - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By jeem8 - July 25 - 1:42 pm

  Brought car in for fuel pump recall/warranty. It was running rough and finally the oil pressure light came on. Had car immediately towed to dealership. Told that the engine with 80K miles is ruined due to lack of oil. Car always had plenty of oil, but apparently the pressure was just low enough to damage engine even though the warning light never triggered before this episode. So a 2006 with 80K miles is toast. Worst car experience we have ever had and we will never buy/lease a VW again. Terrible reliability.

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  Hate This Bug: Buyer Beware - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By ekl - July 23 - 1:40 pm

  This was the car I always wanted. Although parts of the first two years of ownership were fun, overall this is the worst purchase I have ever made. I will NEVER buy another Volkswagen! Ive owned this car for 4 1/2 years. In the last year, my bug has been towed into the dealership 3 times because it will not start, and Ive shelled out $3,000 in repairs. Ive had the seat handles replaced multiple times, the trunk will not open on the first try, the headlights short out constantly, etc. To date, Ive had the following replaced: throttle body ($800), front airbag sensor ($450), alternator ($500), windshield ($350), front grill ($500). I know the bug is very cute, but dont buy this car!

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  Do Not Buy - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By JLCJR - July 21 - 3:03 pm

  I was very satisfied with the dealer and the vehicle until today. I have 15k miles on my vehicle and the tires have already worn completely out. They are Dunlop 8000s. They dealer has said that they have had major issues with these...Some people are only gettin 12k miles. I called VW about it and they said that they would give me ONE tire. What a slap in the face. They will not stand behind their product. Do yourself a favor and buy a Porsche, BMW, Lexus, or Merecedes. They are known as luxury vehicles for a reason. They stand behind their cars and they give great customer service. I will say that the dealership has really stood up for me, but I will never buy another VW.

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  Dont go near this car! - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By stayaway - July 18 - 8:50 am

  Stay away from this car, unless youÂ’re OK spending thousands of $ on repairs. Unreliable, constant repairs. VW Service Center unable to appropriately diagnose. $1OO each visit for them to even diagnose - never fixed. From check engine warning light to cracked hoses, leaks throughout the history of the car. A Lemon. Worst all around car experience from purchase.

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  Very disappointed!! - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Josue Lopez - July 14 - 11:45 pm

  One of the worst Volkswagens I have ever driven. A car with less than 70k miles had to get a new engines, throttle issues, oil leak issue, and much more. I have never had any issue with other makers such as Toyota and Nissan. I highly do not recommend this vehicle or anything else from VW please do not purchase VW it so unreliable.

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  Never buy a VW - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vwnightmare - July 13 - 2:35 pm

  This is by far the worst car I have ever owned. I bought it used w 100K miles 18 months ago. One month after purchasing, the turbo diesel failed, with significant power loss. I have replaced the waterpump ($500), radiator ($500), brake switch ($180), alternator ($250), and now the transmission is badly going out. The interior is falling apart, the ceiling is hanging, the fabric on the doors is falling off, the glove compartment no longer latches, there are creeks and rattles all over the place. I am so disgusted by the poor quality and poor craftsmaship in vws product. I used to have a toyota b4 this, it ran for 300K miles with out engine or transmission problems. Forget about buying a VW!