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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  Best car I ever drove - 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By bernardo - August 6 - 3:36 am

  Terrific ride. Floats along without any effort at 100 mph. Never a problem mechanically. Awesome technology.

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  My first car, the GTI. - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By Mike - August 6 - 3:13 am

  I did a lot of researching for my car and finally decided on the GTI. I wanted something fuel efficient, cool looking, fast, but not too pricey. Compared to any Honda (Civic, Accord), Mazda (3), Mini Cooper and Audi (A3), this car by far took the cake. Some of the best handling Ive ever experienced. This is an extremely fun and fast car which has a very subtle look about it, but shines when youd like it to. VW may not be on peoples radar for amazing cars, but the GTI has my full backing 100%. This is easily the best investment Ive ever made.

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  2006 GTI - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By Nick Walker - August 5 - 9:36 pm

  On a closed track I have run my 2006 GTI 2.0 against the following. 2003 Subaru WRX. I beat it. 2006 Dodge Charger Hemi, short track, only about 1/8 mile, I beat it. 2006 Pontiac GTO short track, I beat it. 2006 Pontiac G6, long track, I beat it. I know the GTO and Charger should have beaten me but it comes down to the driver as well. I have driven all of the above cars and mine is the easiest to drive as well. Only thing I dont like about my GTI is that the shifter feels a little sluggish. It has no problem shifting, but it doesnt have the crispness that the short shifter in my Acura had. Overall, this is an outstanding car. I havent been beat yet!

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  I love Diesel - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Sean La Garde - August 5 - 2:00 am

  I have put all but 17 miles of the 97000 miles I have on it. I get great fuel mileage and have had very little problems. The only major problem was a cracked valve in the brake vacume line. Scared the pants of me. I plan to keep her for another 100k

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  Diesel is The Way to go - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By Paul S - August 5 - 2:00 am

  Previously owned 95 sentra,92 GTI, 89 Shadow Turbo. Wife owns a Matix. The Golf has more quality than the Toyota. Test drive both and youll see. Golf almost as fast but will get 80% better MPG. GM should be sued for giving diesels such a bad name in the 80s! Power delivery is enjoyable as it has a liquid feel. My Shadow turbo felt the same way.

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  Solid Sedan - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Mattlmitchell - August 5 - 2:00 am

  Never had a problem with it. The turbo is certainly sufficient (theres no need for the V6). The only bad thing was the short 2 year warranty. Fortunately this has not been an issue.

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  GLX Passat Wagon, 5 Speed Manual - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By citispot - August 5 - 2:00 am

  I usd to be a valet car prkr and hve drvn thsnds of cars, rngng frm Yugos to Lmbrginis. Fr undr $30,000, the Pasat is an absltly fblus cr cmprd to othrs. I also cnsidrd the 2003 Hnda Acrd but I didnt lke its mre desensitized sterng and suspnsn; tpicl of Japnse cars. Dont get me wrng whn you read my sugsted impvemts; I thnk the Psat is a fblus cr. Its jst tht car cmpnes wld be wise to hire me to fnd thngs wrng with ther crs. I excel at that. Thre are ltraly hndrds of outstndng thngs about ths car. Only 300 chrctrs ar alowd in the nxt two clmns, so I am gng to wrte sgstd impvmts in bth clmns.

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  Great Wagon - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Aurelian - August 4 - 8:33 pm

  This is a great family car. The interior is absolutely gorgeous, and I love the elegant exterior. To me it looks like a car that should be twice as expensive as it actually is. The mileage is very good, close to 40mpg on the highway. The diesel engine performs very well. It is a little more noisy at idle than a gasoline engine, but once you start driving it, you wont notice any more noise than a gasoline engine. The standard features (no extra cost) on this car are numerous. The only options are leather seats, Climatronic (electronic climate controls), and bigger wheels. It is a very well appointed car. Highly recommended.

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  "Ultimate Driving Machine" - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By AudiGuy18T - August 2 - 10:36 pm

  I traded from a 2001 Audi A4 1.8T with Quattro. This Passat beats the Audi out in every way. Tornado red with tan leather! This car is great in the snow with 4 snow tires...as good as quattro..yet it is FWD. The car drives amazing. Since Ive owned it over 1 year and 21,000 miles, ive had to replace the low note horn and an oxygen sensor. The dealership is not the greatest, but there are plenty of places to go for service. I love this car, I get many compliments everywhere I go from people who are 18 to 70! Its a real head turner. I did the APR chip upgrade which boosts the HP to 257hp and the torque to 303lbs of torque.WOW! a Porsche in disguise! Go buy a Passat..you wont regret!

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  Fantasic Value for the Money - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Sabatical - July 31 - 9:06 pm

  There is nothing on the market for $21,000 that compares. Ive owned a 1990 and a 1997 Jetta and they keep getting better. I was worried about not getting the turbo but the 2.5 inline 5 with the manual trans has great torque and performs really well. Ive only had it for 4 months and no problems at all yet. I got the black with black interior and it looks pretty refined. It is hard to justify buying an Audi A4 when the Jetta is pretty similar for $15K less.