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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  Hub Cap Nightmare - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Hubcap Nightmare - February 5 - 10:00 am

  Beware of snap-on hubcaps and cheap roof rack material. I have had 4 hubcaps come off after 2 different VW dealerships did maintenance and rotated my tires. I also had a plastic piece of my roof rack fall off. It is normal now to look around my car to see if everything is in place before I drive it. Is this Quality?

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  Worst Car Ive Owned (and I had a Fiero) - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By budsjetta - February 5 - 10:00 am

  DO NOT BUY VW!! I have had 9 separate serious mechanical problems. Check Engine light, Mass Air Flow, Power Steering, Air Bag, Rear Windows do not function, Rear Brakes worn out at 30K (front brakes still good at 82K), etc. Interior Materials are cheap and break easily, CD Changer reads "CD ERROR" most of the time with new discs, Gas filler door will not close... More problems but only 700 characters to explain...

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  Hate it! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By megan_724 - February 2 - 7:40 pm

  Never will I buy a VW again. Ive had to replace the brake sensor twice, all spark plugs, and numerous other "small" repairs that total thousands of dollars. My car dies when I am driving down the road, with no explanation. The interior fabric is crap. The bumper falls off for NO reason. I would never recommend a VW, even to my worst enemy. Whatever you do, buy a Honda or Nissan.

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  I hated this car! - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Shushumommy - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I lasted less than a year in this car. I bought it used at 55,000 miles. Many things went wrong right off the bat, but the dealer encouraged me to hang in there with the car and made quite a few of the repairs on the house. Still, I did not trust the car or feel safe in it, and everytime a repair was needed I held my breath. I am turning this car in today and couldnt be happier.

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  Steer Clear - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ragincajun - January 8 - 10:00 am

  My new Jetta, with 166 miles on it, lost the alternator belt and died on me yesterday. The selling dealership was absolutely terrible with how they handled it. No sense of embarassment whatsoever. This is my first (and will be my last) VW. I bought it to use as a reliable third car. Oops.

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  What a piece of Crap! - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Bug Loather - January 2 - 10:00 am

  My wife just "had to have it". Bought it used (it was 2 years old and had only 12K on it). Ended up buying the extended warrenty for 1K cause the factory warrenty had expired and thanked my lucky stars for buying it. Lets see....problems included windows, battery, headlights (many times) trunk/gas release, rust, radio, interior pealing, door seals falling in and my favorite. The gremlin that lives in are car and rolls the windows down by itself while we sleep. STAY AWAY FROM THIS CAR, DONT GET IT WET AND DEFINATELY DONT FEED IT AFTER MIDNIGHT!!!

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  its not good - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By dontlikeit - January 2 - 10:00 am

  spend more time at dealer than anything- lemon

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  Please do NOT buy a VW Jetta - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Amy1234 - January 2 - 8:56 am

  Jettas are a maintenence nightmare! Since I got my Jetta (new in 1998), the following are only some of the problems I have had (most occured REPEATEDLY or were never resolved): window motors went out 6 times, cruise control (fixed twice, still doesnt work), volume control on radio, side plastic moldings dont stay on, keyless entry broke less than a year after buying, faulty front spoiler. To top it all off, I just found out I have $7,000 in transmission repairs. Everyone who I have spoken with has had similar problems and several VW owners I know have or are trying to get their cars declared lemons. I am NOT a person who complains at much...but it is ridiculous that VW is still in business.

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  Worst Mistake Of My Life - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By design_o_mite - December 22 - 10:34 pm

  Within three days of buying a 2004 Beetle convertible from a used dealer for $8,600 (incl CA sales tax and dealer fees), it became obvious the tranny had issues. (88K miles on the car.) Less than 2 months later, Ive replaced the transmission, and axle, the triptronic...to the tune of $6500. Im not into this car 15K and every week, something new (engine valve) keeps popping up. The dealer had to have known--the car didnt "know" what gear it was in the first time I took it on the highway. It only made it the 5 miles home after purchase uneventful. Ive now maxed out my credit cards and even w/ the new tranny, the car is STILL shifting choppily!

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  Hard not to be disappointed - 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
  By SonomaHog - December 9 - 4:50 pm

  With our minivan on its last legs, we were in the market for a new vehicle that could seat 7 (3 young boys and frequently shuttling their friends) and it looked like the Atlas fit the bill as we loved the styling and had a previous good experience with VW. We purchased an Atlas SE (w/tech) after seriously considering a Honda Pilot on August 10. After 3 weeks is when the problems start. On 9/4/17, my wife heads out to shuttle the kids to school when the EPC check engine light comes on and the car refuses to turn over and start (resulting in the obvious inconvenience and tardiness to class). After contacting VW roadside assistance, who apparently does no additional coordination other than calling the tow company (the local dealership in Fairfield CA had no idea we were coming in, resulting in additional delays), we were provided a loaner Jetta requiring us to change carpooling plans for the week. I fully recognize issues can arise, and it’s how they are dealt with that are important, and why we are disappointed. After 6 days in the dealership (and 115 miles “test driving” added to the car without any explanation), our 5 week old Atlas (now with 1890 miles) was returned with assurance that the issue was resolved (we were told there was a problem with the fuel system). My wife subsequently goes out to clean the car and finds minor/superficial damage to the plastic floor panels in the back as a result of the repairs that were obvious and were not reported which results in us having to call again to explain and coordinate replacement. 7 days later (9/15), we again load up the kids for a long day of soccer, and like groundhog day, the EPC check engine light comes on and the vehicle fails to turn over. After again coordinating a tow, and pushing back on another Jetta to ensure we have enough room for the weeks carpooling, we are back to wondering when and what the issue is. We really want to love the Atlas, but so far it’s hard not to be disappointed and second guess our decision not to go with Honda. Will keep you posted on how this is resolved.