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:

• 

  I love my passat! - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By supanova - September 3 - 1:23 am

  I recently traded in my nightmare of car (Jeep grand Cherokee). I bought my passat a few days ago. Im over the moon! My kids love it. The backseat is roomy. The trunk space is much bigger than I expected. And I love the sound system. The sun / moon roof. And the power! Go Volkswagen!

• 

  Great Car, Great Value, More room than monster SUVs - 2009 Volkswagen Passat
  By ray4now - September 2 - 4:26 am

  Ive owned mine since June /09. I was skeptical at first - somewhat odd looks, VW reputation for marginal reliability, not all the luxury I really wanted. However on test drive changed that. The 2.0L turbo engine is fantastic - quick, responsive, pulls very hard when you mash the throttle. The 6 speed transmission is mated perfectly to it and is smooth and accurate in shifts. So far, so good. Ive got 36K+ miles of mostly highway driving and no breakdowns/strands/failed starts. No maintenance costs either with first 2 years covered. Some trim pieces have broken due to little kiddie fingers. I would highly recommend this car for anyone looking for an alternative to ridiculously oversized SUV

• 

  Great pull uphill and well balanced feel - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By niedernhausen - September 2 - 2:00 am

  Power steering pump slaves and makes noise on low idle tight turns. Turning radius larger than expected. Mercedes and Volvo are bigger cars and can turn in less space. Rear wiper has plastic nozzle cap that can clog with road salt. Pry plastic cover off and pull out nozzle and clean. Cruise control solid, anti-pinch windows great, turning key in door lock to put all windows down when entering in summer superb turn key other way to put all windows up

• 

  This is a truck? This is a TRUCK! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By ColoradoRed - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I cant wait to break in the engine and get down to buisness. Fuel economy is a drag, but hey... this thing can weigh around 3.5 tons... not much can do that efficiently! Its a blast to drive, and even more fun to discover all the little eggs, so to speak, about the car. I love it!

• 

  very dissapointed - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By touareghell - September 2 - 2:00 am

  vehicle makes a whining sound from transmission 1 out of 10 times vehicle will not start suspension is very noisey steering wheel heater only warms bottom of wheel transmission hesatates on downshift very clunky one would expect more from a $43,000 vehicle poor dealership service. had to wait over a week to bring it in for these problems also note that they gave me no loaner vehicle the general manager of this dealership wound not return my calls when i told the dealer i wanted to be bought out of this vehicle they said they would at best give me $31,000 back big loss for a two week old poor quality vehicle.what does that say for volkswagon ?

• 

  Loved it at first, not so sure now. - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By kmck - September 1 - 4:45 pm

  I posted a review previously (titled EXCELLENT car but not with a few caveats) and Ive had a few issues in the year and a half since Ive bought it. First, door seals were terrible and made squeaky noises and took 3 visits to fix. Alignment went awry and now my whole car vibrates and makes a loud noise when braking -- and Im not even remotely a heavy-footed driver/braker. One of my window switches is loose, and the driver seat makes a clicking noise when going over bumps. I bought a new car so I could stay out of the service area for a while, what the heck VW?

• 

  Fun fun fun - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By gary b simon - September 1 - 7:56 am

  As a past owner of a VW dealership, I am confident when I say the car is terrific. This car is fun, fun, fun. I wanted something to enjoy and it seems the Jetta 5spd has provided that something. A tight fitting vehicle with nothing negative to report except the gas consumption could use some improvement.

• 

  So Far So Good - 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By Illinois owner - September 1 - 7:30 am

  Significantly depreciated value / price of this 04 car made it a great value. Solid feel with incredible performance in a "better than limo" luxury experience. So many bells and whistles that it takes days to train self on all functions. Three complaints: navigation system is antiquated, complex and only provides minimal information and tire pressure sensors are very sensitive and wont read correctly in very cold conditions and finally, cannot turn off seat-belt tone which is bothersome if you just want to sit and wait for someone without being buckled up.

• 

  Passat has been a disappointment - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Mac - September 1 - 5:36 am

  The Passat is an okay car, but it is overpriced for what you get. The engine is by far the strength of this car. It effortlessly moves on the highway and its stability at high speed can lull the driver into quickly exceeding the posted speed limits. The transmission is poor. During the three years I have owned the car, I have had many instances in city traffic where the transmission will slip as I am slowing and then need to accelerate, causing the car to lurch. The leather interior is also poor. It is not terribly soft and wears more like vinyl than leather. The rapid depreciation of this car versus others in the so called class is also a big minus.

• 

  Great motor, High quality finishes, Fun - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By ToledoJoe - August 31 - 2:06 pm

  I cant complain about anything. I am in the honeymoon phase with my 2006 Volkswagen Passat 2.0T for the time being. I have never driven a six speed manual, but it is simple and exhilarating. This car will probably not be good for maintaining my clean driving record. Several characteristics place this car above the mundane - the key fob, the rear entry into the trunk, umbrella holder (umbrella should have been included), access into the trunk from the rear seat through cupholders, lighted blinkers on side mirrors and styling. It has tons of standard features like power windows / doors / AC / cruise control / CD player etc... Im hoping that the quality, reliability and condition will last. This seems to be a question mark at this time. So far, this car is great!