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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  Jetta - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ramon ruiz - January 31 - 10:00 am

  Vw have been the best to me. I have an old bug and now a bew jetta. The jetta has gotten me a lot of looks. And i just love it.

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  My GTI - 2005 Volkswagen GTI
  By GTI baby - January 30 - 8:16 pm

  I love my GTI, It has been very reliable, it has the speed that I need, handles very well, and on long road trip my husband would take my car over his Impreza any day. My GTI is fully loaded, and many people are very impressed with the interior, and its design. The gears are very smooth, not rough.

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  Love My Eos! - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By eoslover - January 30 - 12:56 pm

  I bought my Eos yesterday and cannot stay out of it! Im truly enjoying driving it. Top down or top up, its a fun ride.

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  Great Car With A Few Problems - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Lily - January 29 - 7:46 pm

  Overall, Ive had a great experience (short, so far) with my Passat. Its extremely fun to drive and gets pretty good gas mileage. At 9,000 miles, it hasnt visted the shop yet, although the engine seems to be slightly noisy and has a light rattle.

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  Very good car - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By george - January 28 - 7:10 pm

  I bought this car skeptical but this car has really proved its self to me and my wife. Every day at least 50 miles a day this car is a work horse this car is amazingly fun to drive I have bought other SUV in my lifetime and never one like this. I thought it would have many electrical problems but none I would highly recommend this car to anyone that has a family or one thats going to last.

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  Sexy, Sporty, Upscale & Affordable, A Home Run! - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By starman11746 - January 27 - 1:58 pm

  Owned a 2009 Jetta & a 2000 Passat. Loved the Passat liked the Jetta. This 2012 CC is in a league of its own. The special lease program with the sign & drive $0 across the board sucked me in. Then there were additional incentives. I took it home for test drive, impressed with the turbo 4 banger, smooth. responsive, quiet. The interior is real sweet...two tone bucket seats, analog clock, heated seats,6 cd changer,+ more. Elegant and impressive. This is the entry model! VW has a hit...why no visual advertising? Its certainly a lot for the money & not a niche car.

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  Holy VW!!!!! - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By NewCCMan - January 26 - 6:56 pm

  WoW! I am totally blown away with this car. The manual Sport Model is perfect. There is no better car out there for the price of such German Engineering and Avant Garde Styling. If you appreciate handling, performance, European styling, this is the car for you

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  Nice Upgrade for VW - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Brian - January 26 - 6:06 pm

  I looked at other cars in this class and nothing compared to the price and value of the 2006 Volkswagen Passat 3.6. It is fast and fun to drive. Its a nice change from the 2005 Passat, and had a lot less road noise. People ask me if its really a VW.

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  It makes you think about corners - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By Jason - January 26 - 2:50 pm

  I just got mine June 9th and I love it. I fell for these GTIs this year at the Pittsburgh Auto Show, and was luckily able to get the numbers right to buy. The Black Magic is awesome, it looks like a piece of charcoal up close. My Fast has come back and we are living happily ever after (It left me 6 years ago when I bought a 1996 Civic DX). I think if Apple made a car they would integrate some of these little details.

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  My Dream Car - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Scott - January 26 - 9:46 am

  I have had my Bug for about a month and I absolutley LOVE it! I have wanted one of these cars forever! It has an excellent ride and features. During my first of week of ownership, I had the check engine light come on though. The dealer said it was the spark plugs, no biggie. This cars German engineering is amazing. It handles sooooooo well, that you can hardly feel the corners! What a fantastic car. Volkswagen has made me a customer for life!