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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  Satasified - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Happy - July 31 - 4:16 pm

  Since purchased it has meet all my needs. Exceptional mileage, worst 40 mpg best 53 mpg. Just what I was looking for, fells strong drving over bad roads. Comfortable even for 6 footers. Only issue getting to it before my wife. Although it only has 4000 miles if it maintains 80% of what it is now, I will buy a new one again.

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  Best bang for my buck - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By criag - July 31 - 10:00 am

  The Jetta will give you a lot of car for a modest amount of money. I have the 1.8T, 5-speed manual version of the vehicle with the sport suspension, sun roof and 17" wheel package. When I bought the car I was looking for a combination of performance and fuel efficiency. The vehicle gets about 27- 28 mpg during my city driving. 180hp under makes the vehicle very fun to drive. The trim materials in the car are above standard for this price range and the mechanical quality is usual Volkswagen, very good. I think one would be hard-pressed to find this combination for the ~$20,000 I paid for the vehicle brand new.

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  Wonderful to drive wagon! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By KLJ - July 31 - 10:00 am

  My previous car was a 1995 Dodge Intrepid, and this Passat wagon beats it in all ways. It drives and handles wonderfully and is very comfortable. Cargo area is nice and roomy. This car is quiet with very little road, wind or tire noise.

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  Excellent Car - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ewthomp - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Wow, what a fun car to drive. I have had this beauty for 4 months now and have put 4500 miles on it. I love every bit about it. I have never owned a VW till now, and I dont think I will ever change.

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  It is fun car, love it! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ben - July 31 - 6:00 am

  I love my 2003 VW Jetta, to me it is best car for town driving, (for long distance cruising I use my Mercedes 2004 E320 which is the best in this category) Jetta is interesting to drive and FUN to drive and safest in its class, grate interior and exterior, very solid and stable on the road, I would recommend this car for everybody.

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  Just Bought an 06 Rabbit Maual - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By eduright - July 31 - 2:10 am

  I was going to buy a Passat, but changed my mind at the last minute. Its too much car. Its noisy, jittery, and rough riding on all but nice smooth pavement. The Rabbit I got with 16" tires mounted on cast aluminum, is nicer riding and quieter than the 15s that I tried on a base 2-door. I am going to put magnets on the fuel line and a little turbo "cookine" cutter in the air intake hose. I may put some sound deadening coating on the wheel wells to quell road noise a bit. The Rabbit looks sleek, with nice simplicity, style and some earthy grace. Its sage green with the beige/black/brown interior. It handles well, in a bit of a bubbly bouncy (but controlled way). Plus it has a great interior!

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  Honda man for years, VW has won me over - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By benarcher - July 31 - 2:00 am

  Who knew such a little car had so much heart? This is my first new car, and I cant get enough of driving it. Hondas are a thing of the past for me.

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  Really like my TDI Jetta Wagon - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By new VW owner - July 31 - 2:00 am

  TDI Jetta Wagon GLS in an automatic. Automatic is peppy - it can take warming up as you drive when outside temps. are cold (~10 deg. F) before getting to its best performance. Good torque to get started & it seems to get better as the engine is broken in (only 2000 mi. so far). Driving a little more conservatively (safely, that is) to see just how much over 40 MPG I can get - a bonus. Good std. features on the GLS (incl. the moonroof!) - got the Monsoon sound system since thats what the dealer had and the TDI Jetta Wagon is hard to find. Sounds great! Like the lit dashboard at night & "secret" storage near spare tires a plus.

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  Quick Overview Based on Test Drive - 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Adam E - July 31 - 1:07 am

  I test drove an SEL Premium AWD model (5 seat). It has a lot of interior room. I love how the back seat can be adjusted - tilt and backwards and forwards. The drivers seat was quite comfortable and I had copious legroom. The trunk space is quite large and looks like it can handle long items without even putting down the rear seats. The VW "cockpit" display was a pleasure to use. The vehicle handled reasonably well at all speeds. Unlike some others, I found the acceleration perfectly fine, even in Normal mode. There is an occasional odd momentary hesitation when accelerating from a stop - not sure if this is turbo lag or how the transmission is programmed. It felt almost like a dual clutch transmission. Other than that, acceleration was perfectly adequate at around town speeds and on the highway. Its not a sports car, but its perfectly fine in the handling and acceleration department for a family vehicle. The interior looked very practical, with several useful cubbies. The fit and finish was OK, but not perfect. Ive rented or test driven almost all the compact SUVs on the market. Up until the Tiguan, I had felt the 2017 CRV was the best (with the 1.5L turbo). The 2018 Tiguan is not perfect, but its the only compact family SUV that I would buy over the CRV.

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  Great Car - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Blair Kellner - July 31 - 12:00 am

  This car has more power than any 4 cylinder engine I have ever driven. The braking system is very responsive. The gas mileage is excellent for all the power you get. Over 30 miles to the gallon on the highway, but gas mileage goes down in the city especially when you use the turbo frequently.