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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  Thought it was the perfect car - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By krunky - November 14 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car new and thought that I would have it forever (see favorite features). At 35k mi, I began to question if itd last over the log haul. 40k mi service/ inspection was bad. Rear brakes shot, LED brake light out, etc, etc. $1500+ in total repairs. Always kept up with the service, so I had a majority of the work done. When more problems started to appear, high cost and poor service were not encouraging. Decided to trade it in for a used 4WD Toyota Truck. Doesnt handle as well, but it is much more rugged/ durable. The Golf is a great car to operate, just a pain to maintain. Too much time and money for a daily driver.

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  FUN WHEN IT RUNS - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JL1971 - November 14 - 2:00 am

  MY GLI HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR 5 WEEKS. I WAS BLESSED WITH THE YEAR THAT HAS IGNITION COILS THAT FAIL ON YOU. I AM TOTALLY DIAPPOINTED IN THE VW RELIABILITY. WHEN I GET THE CAR BACK I MOST LIKELY WILL TRADE IT IN FOR SOMETHING RELIABLE.(NOT VW)PARTS AND REPAIR SHOULD NOT TAKE MONTHS TO COMPLETE.YET THEY EXPECT TO GET THEIR PAYMENT ....NOT

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  I Needed a Quick Vehicle - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By RayRam - November 10 - 8:10 am

  In Germany and without a car, I looked and tested just about every vehicle available. My main concern was the wait, most dealers were talking about a 10 to 12 week wait, something I could not afford. I told them Id buy something I liked and wanted but it had to be for immediate delivery. After seeing and testing about 40 cars between Audi, BMW, Mercedes and VW, I decided to go for the 2005 VW Touareg. I got a pretty good deal to include a 6 year 75K mile extended warranty. It is the only Blue Silver Metallic Touareg around here where we live. My only problem was getting used to its AWD after driving a Honda Odyssey for 5 years. I like the looks and the interior is superb.

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  A year under our belt - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Cramerica - November 9 - 10:00 am

  We love our Jetta. We even settled for the 2.0 as a 1.8T was not to be found. Handling is sharp with a nice tight turning radius. This wagon zips in and out of parking lots with ease. Great visability. This wagon is designed for the real world. I bought it for my wife but the reality is I cant wait to steal her car. Never a problem...

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  convertable top - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By stu - November 9 - 10:00 am

  dont buy this car until vols fixes their problems with the new top. mine goes up and down but you cannot always latch the top at the windshield. they tell me to let it sit in the sun. not the best answer when it starts to rain and you cannot get it to close. dealership has no idea how to fix

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  2007 4-Door GTI DSG - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By VWGTI2007 - November 8 - 4:40 am

  A practical sports car if there ever was one. Pros: great power, great room and comfort, lots of features. Cons: Some rattles, could use nicer radio display.

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  great fun, BUT! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jeff S - November 7 - 10:20 pm

  Good items: firm ride, great handling, Nice interior, quality fit and finish, Nice leather touches, good fuel economy at highway speeds. Bad items: a bit of turbo lag, scary if you pull into traffic, noisy front end from tires and all the mechanical stuff, feels cheap, expensive repair and maintenance, I love the car, its loaded from 06, few like it on the road, gonna keep it and treat it like a fine lady.... Jeff

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  Like vehicle, hate the reliability - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By CW - November 4 - 6:30 pm

  I had a major FUEL LEAK on my passat just outside of the warranty period, I was disappointed that VW would do nothing to offset the $600+ cost for the repairs, not to mention they had no interest in learning about what caused this serious safety issue. Gas was spraying from a high pressure fuel line directly on top of the engine! I also had a cv joint fail, oxygen sensors fail and now my check engine light is back on again! Other than reliability issues this car is fun to drive and is affordable to buy but terrible reliability. I wont buy another VW until they are able to make reliable vehicles, there are plenty of options for fun to drive vehicles that wont need all the repairs

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  Warranty Woes - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Alrock - November 3 - 10:00 am

  This car is excellent until the warranty runs out. Even though I put a lot of miles on my Jetta, I thought it would hold up better than what it did. At one point I was putting 450 dollars a month in it for maintenance & parts alone. Parts for this thing will make you think you own a Mercedez. I hated to get rid of it, but post warranty maintenance was killing my pockets.

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  Best in its class - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By SF - November 3 - 10:00 am

  The main problem with the car is a lag on the transmission - when you step on the gas, you wait & then it engages. I have also taken it to the dealer 3 times to fix another transmission issue, when coming to a full stop, often I hear a clunk which sounds as if the transmission is moving forwards. Dealer tells me that its nothing.. hmmmm.