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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  Awesome Compact Car - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By ben - October 5 - 11:10 am

  This car is better than any other compact car in the market today. It is awesome and I recommend it to anyone. Its priced a little bit higher than other compacts, but it has sooooooooooo many additional features that cars in a higher class have.

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  Love my Wagon - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By mexglx - October 4 - 6:51 pm

  I love this Wagon! I bought used with CPO warranty from VW. Has 60K miles. They take care of every little issue. The power of the V6 is amazing. It is fast. Love sport mode. The ABS and traction control do a great job. All the features it has are amazing for a 2007. Memory seats that remember each key fob and move seats back to my spot when I open the door. Tons of room. Im 63" and my daughters child seat fits behind me when I drive. Great multi-function display in dash with Nav directions/audio/trip info. Multi-func steering wheel with Bluetooth phone functions. Handles fantastic. Feels like a Benz with VW price! Discovered tons of cool features after reading the manual. Love the engine

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  Squeaking nightmare - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By AlexH - October 4 - 10:00 am

  We upgraded to this one-year-old Golf from VW Polo. There is not as much legroom as you expect from a bigger car – a bit more for your head, compared to the Polo. Driver and passenger sitting positions are far too high – you feel like falling out of the car every corner (the new Golf V is better). We have the TDI Match edition in UK it has Alloys, CD, radio, Central locking, Electric windows, Air Con, Alarm and Immobiliser which is almost full Christmas wish list fulfilled. Driving this car is a nightmare especially in summer the car (where the interior panels warm up in sunshine and expand) we had to go to the dealer to fix this...

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  Disappointment - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Brenda Hall - October 4 - 10:00 am

  Int. door lining peeling off, sunroof side strips both broke off no apparent reason, self air filter change extremely difficult, passenger side head light out before 30K miles, dealer stated 2-3 sets brake pads replaced on rear before replacing front ones, replacement remote key overly expensive, underside of front driver side head rest separated (why?), disconnect battery & to many things to reprogram, expensive windshield replacement, fog lens cracked & entire light unit replacement vs lens only, gas mileage should be higher for such a small car, & front arm rest latch broke early on & 24K warranty was a joke.

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  bernie - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By jennychan - October 4 - 10:00 am

  Beware the 40,000 mile service costs $1,000 ... they must have this VW confused with a porshe ... when you figure that added expense, you can wave goodbye to any fuel savings

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  disappointed & frustrated - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Karen Rutkoski - October 4 - 1:26 am

  Bought my CC almost 1 yr ago; have only 6400 miles on it. It has been in for service 4x for check engine light. Was told 1st time that it was a computer error even though there was a distinct hard boiled egg smell coming from car. The 2nd time there was black smoke pouring from the exhaust. Fuel injector and a spark plug were replaced. Two days later light on again and was told it was "residue" that sensor was picking up. Now 1 month later light is on again along with a burning smell. The car drives with a "chugging" feel especially when I take foot off brake. Was told that a new sensor has been ordered. Dont see how that will fix the other issues. Am afraid to even drive the car!

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  Great car, a step backward for fuel econ - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By bluebunny - October 3 - 2:30 am

  Great car, fun car, very solid and yet very nimble on all kinds of roads. The only problem is the fuel economy. We are averaging 17-18 mpg for 100% city driving, which is atrocious for VW historically. Though I really like the feel and the energy the engine gives the car, I think it was a mistake to put the larger engine in this car instead of keeping the old 4-cyl 1.8L standard from the Golf.

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  1 Year of Pure Bliss - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Erich - October 2 - 3:03 pm

  I wish the rest of the motor industry would take a queue from the Volkswagen Jetta. What a wonderful vehicle. The interior fit and finish of my 03 Jetta beats that of even some $50,000+ vehicles and my VR6 has plenty of power. If this years vehicles turn out to be as reliable as they are functional, it could very well be my favorite of all time.

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  problematic - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By fedup - October 2 - 2:30 pm

  Ive had it with my stupid car. Ive had the windows stop working (they fixed that for free after realizing how many others were going bad)/ my sunroof leaked into my car when it rained (fixed that--not for free)/ sunroof opens on its own sometimes, for no reason/ spoiler gets stuck in the up position/ airbag light on, again/ hazard lights and turn signals stopped working (had to get the hazard switch replaced)/ engine light on, one issue fixed another arises 2 weeks later/ my ac stopped working, a fuse melted....MELTED/thermostat replaced and yet another coolant flush (after just a year of having it done)/and so much more. What a headache. I hate Volkswagen!

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  Jetta...Da Da Da - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tina - October 2 - 7:46 am

  A Jetta is a great car thats a lot of fun to drive. The style appealed to me and it handles like a sports car, theres a lot of kick to it. Its a solid built car that feels safe and reliable. Downsides: snow can easily clog up the small wheel wells. Ive had issues with the doors freezing shut (the door seal is almost impenetrable). Have had issues with the side molding. Also had the cruise control system replaced once and now its not working again. The maintenance can get expensive and now that Ive gotten past 100,000 mile point, my wallet has begun to experience the "joys" of car ownership. Despite the issues, I would recommend a Jetta and will probably buy another one.