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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  Never again - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By twilliams - May 22 - 10:33 pm

  Bought car w/only 17,000 miles-1 owner. Brakes/front needed new w/rotors @ 37,000 miles. R/brakes w/rotors @ 58,000. R/hatch takes 2-3 hits to release. Have had 4 low beam bulbs burn out! Dealer charges $$$ 2 replace. Check engine light on, thermostat eng. Temp light on yet nothing wrong at all. Interior continues to fall apart- radio presets, visor clip, hand brake knob, dash vent close knob, tilt/tele. Rubber knob loose, glove comp. Latch ready to fall apart anytime now. Will never buy a Volkswagen again no matter what model. Have a few months to pay off, then selling it before it fails me for good. I maintain my cars well & drive them easy. Worst car ever owned- period.

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  Good riddance - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Theresa - May 22 - 5:33 pm

  Being a baby boomer I just HAD to have one of these. Big mistake. Once things started going south it was fast and furious. The biggest downer was having to have the transmission replaced for $3500. While it was there they managed to find another $500 worth of work. Part prices are ridiculous. A dash light was always coming on for one reason or another. The cup holder was just plain dumb and there was no CD player--oh yeah--you could put one in the trunk if you wanted to. The gas mileage was terrible for a car that small. Overall workmanship was shabby. I have made it my mission to tell anyone who will listen how poor the overall quality is.Dont make the same mistake I did.

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  Shockingly Terrible - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Maven1216 - May 15 - 6:33 pm

  Wow, where does one begin with a car as sub-par as this one? I have had this car for 4 1/2 years and only put 37,800 miles on it within that time AND STILL it is plagued with problems. From the electrical malfunctions, to the muffler falling off, to the interior coming apart, the transmission being completely worthless, the check engine light being perpetually on, serpentine belt being replaced, new tires, new battery, new air filters, CO2 something-or-other for my gas tank ... and on and on it goes. I am on a first name basis with my VW dealer (funny but also sad) because I am there literally, every month and I cant wait to dump this piece of junk that or drive it off a cliff.

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  Passat Major Problems - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Stan Starzyk - May 15 - 10:00 am

  Passat has a major engine defect where the oil turns to sludge and cause major engine damage. If you dont have receipts for service. Theyll leave you high and dry. Beware! Stay away.

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  Not worth it - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By j4ora - May 15 - 10:00 am

  I had this car for 4 months and every month something breaks. Door wont open, window wont go down. AC fails intermittently. Lastly, oil was leaking from unknown location. But dealer said it was my mechanic. When my mechanic removed bottom cover, it was already full of oil marks. Dealer will sell you lemon vehicles without notifying you. Over-all experience BAD.

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  Dont Buy a VW JEtta - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Paulie PA - May 2 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this lemon for 16 months, and it has been repaired 8 times for non- routine items. Break booster, transmission control, transmission control, transmission control, window clips, air conditioning, air conditioning, and ignition coils. AND, it still bucks between gears (this is a TURBO). Dealership told me its fine; VW service rep told me its fine; people riding in my car say "Whats wrong with your car?" Ive heard from many people with similar Jetta horror stories. Go with the new Accords or Altimas, trust me! This car is a lemon & I am being forced to pursue legal remedies, which will cost me time, energy, and money.

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  DO NOT BUY THIS CAR - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Timothy Evans - April 26 - 12:53 am

  This car was one of the worst purchases i have ever done. It worked for maybe 2k miles just fine then after that weekly now i have to fix something with this car and the value of this car is so low that even fixing the smallest thing on it could cost you more then the car is even worth. its not worth it do not buy this car because the number one thing that will i guarantee go out is the transmission just take a second to look around because i can promise you even if you bought this car brand new it still would go bad in a snap.

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  An endless nightmare to own - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By calltenten - April 2 - 7:30 am

  The terrible 2000 Jetta 2.0 GLS that we bought in Aug. 1999. 1. Mar. 17, 2000. B-pillar trim cover fall off. 2. Oct. 18, 2000. Left rear exterior door handle broken of no reason. Retainer for handle had fallen inside door panel. - Even we seldom use the rear doors. 3. Feb. 12, 2001. Driver outside mirror defroster not function. 4. Mar 2, 2001. Drivers door lock ring broken. 5. Mar 7, 2001. When AC on, both right and left turn signals stay on and not blinking. Windshield wiper streak away when wipers on. 6. Sep. 5, 2002. Front lower valance fall off of no reason. 7. Sep. 15, 2003. Engine light starts on and off. Replace O2 sensor. One week later, engine light on again.

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  *** Unless no costs involved ever stay away**** - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By CAT - March 29 - 4:04 pm

  The only reason that I bought this car was for the mpg ; however even an oil change is $85 and is recommended every 3000 miles ; regarding the comfort only the front seats are the best part of the car and also only straight roads such Floridas roads are the best feel with this car otherwise every sharp curve feels like youre falling off the cliff :) fortunately didnt have it for long enough to get any mechanical issues however only the belly pan cover was $460....and that is just a piece of plastic from underneath....inside is very loud and the glove box always had issues closing as well the trunk....best and only good part of it is the MPG otherwise if you are a heavy footed driver youll pay the price at the VW service where the parts are insane $$$.......switched now to a Ford Taurus and could not be any different smoother ride while a sporty feel very happy with the Ford and getting close to 30mpg hwy;

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  Just like my fathers VW van - lousy - 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By Exeurovanowner - March 28 - 10:00 am

  We had our Eurovan for about 1.5 years before we traded it in on a Honda. The car was in for warranty work on a regular basis. Fortunately, once something was fixed, it didnt seem to break again. Overall, the van was tippy, noisy, and poorly designed inside without convenience items like reachable cup holders. The rear seats are almost impossible to take out, which defeats the purpose of having a van in the first place.