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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  What a Surprize! - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Moab - September 14 - 10:00 am

  I compared the New Beetle TDI with the Mini Cooper. The Beetle won out as to ride, handling, and economy. The panel instrumentation was also better. What won us over was the ease of getting the Beetle it serviced. The dealer also gave a deal on oil changes that was less than Jiffy Lube quoted for 100K miles. I wish the low fuel light didnt come on with 125 miles left on the tank empty.

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  i love this minivan since i buy it - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By Deisi Morales - September 13 - 8:24 pm

  i love my minivan great space nice to ride so far i dont have no mechanical problems but i have a recall about the ignition switch since then twice a week every time wen i start the van all the dash board lights go off like crazy i have to turn it off get the key out open the door and keep trying until it works fine other than that its a good vehicle

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  Eight years later. - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By dbcooper13 - September 13 - 6:46 am

  I bought my 03 Passat new. I got it because Edmunds and others loved it. And at the time, everyone and their brother had an Accord or Camry. Eight years later, the transmissions gone. Rather than fix it, my mechanic told me to junk it. Im not hard on cars. But cleaning out my glove compartment, I found all my receipts from work to the car over the years. Totaled approx. $7,400. The car was fine for 4 years, then turned into an absolute lemon. I would not buy another VW. Ever.

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  Tall peoples little car - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By veedubbahjoo - September 12 - 3:23 pm

  I sat in a GTI as a joke while waiting for a sales rep to get back to me. I then test drove it since at 6 ft 8 I didnt fit in the other cars I wanted to test drive. Its roomy for me. It is way fast for its size. It does 0 to 60 in 6.5 secs. All of its amenties are convenient. It is very easy to park. The GTI is well designed and communication with the road is excellent.

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  Unbulllllyvable !!! - 2012 Volkswagen Beetle
  By Labbaga - September 12 - 9:24 am

  Today I was so close to tears with my Red VW Turbo Beetle. I had all the problems stated from the reviews below... from the windows having a mind of their own the moment I got them from the dealership... up to injection fuel pump issues and being stuck only to have the same problem all over again in a week, after its supposed to have been fixed... and some loose screw coming out of nowhere under the hood... Too many problems, if you ask me, from a supposedly brand new car. CRY !!! Its almost like being bullied by all these issues...by my own car. I head to leave my car in the dealership for a whole month (or more)... and this was with the car being less than 3 years. Also, my car has this odd stink coming from the vent... could it be me ? I dare not admit. Even the media jack inside the glove compartment had issues right from the beginning. This is my second VW Beetle and I am switching to another brand. The only thing that I enjoyed was the Fender sound system...

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  Seemed great until... - 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By griffk - September 12 - 5:54 am

  I will be honest with you, Im a Ford guy. But the wife came home with the Tig and at first I was pretty impressed. Quick little car, nice interior, great on gas. That was 20,000 miles ago. Now, if I knew more about the crash test ratings I would put the "peoples car" out of its misery. Moved from Texas to Michigan, apparently, our vehicle didnt appreciate the cold. According to VW, the EPC went out due to weather. $900 for replacing and again, due to weather, this time humidity, EPC out again. According to VW, "a number of vehicles are experiencing this type of difficulty, but not more than half." [non-permissible content removed].

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  VW hits a home run - 2008 Volkswagen R32
  By J D Sharp - September 12 - 5:16 am

  This replaced a 3.2 Audi TT quattro. Same basic running gear, but it has all been so much more refined. DSG no longer grabs as if youd popped the clutch when you tip in too quickly. Power is seemingly endless and always on tap. DSG continues to be the miracle transmission; no regrets and no need for manual even though I have driven shift for years. The dividing line between Audi and VW is fluff, things like, tipping-down mirrors, homelink and such, luxury features. This car is more elemental and more to my liking because of it. Just completed a 2K roadtrip and have no complaints!

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  So far so good - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jettan - September 11 - 3:00 pm

  I bought a 2010 Jetta S about a month ago and I enjoy driving so far. Driving is not as smooth as 2010 Camry but I prefer this design to Toyota or Honda cars. The car is also slim, which makes it easy to park in my narrow garage. The car has a weight to it which I like. Even the doors and trunk are heavier than Toyota cars, which makes it safer. Overall, it is a very safe and fun car. I wish I had gotten SE instead of S. S has cloth seats and I prefer leatherlike seats and an upgraded interior touch screen.

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  follow up, not as nice as I thought.. - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By nich617 - September 10 - 7:53 pm

  I wrote a review shortly after purchasing this van. While I still like it, I am very disappointed that we have to get ALL seven seats replaced because they are all tearing at the seam...even on some of the seats we dont sit on! First the passenger seat went and they replaced that seat. We went back to the dealership (not the dealer we purchased from - I am sure we wouldve gotten better service from them but they are much farther away) 2 months ago to show them the rest of our seats. We are still "waiting" for the parts to come in. I hope this doesnt happen to everyone else...

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  in love with my Beetle - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By birulo - September 10 - 3:42 am

  Bought this car new from the dealer and its given me a couple of problems but overall I dont regret the purchase. Its sole appearance makes me happy every time I look at it. I seriously love my car. My only complain is that the parts, oil changes and even the coolant are very expensive. To be objective, I have to mention that entering its 4th year (2011), little things here and there started to break down, for example the interior roof liner is coming loose on the edges, antenna broke when covered the car with an ordinary car cover and one of the windshield washers seems to be clogged. My compressor died this year too ($2000)... and the battery and the headlights but thats to be expected