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:

• 

  A great road car - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By John Eck - January 18 - 2:00 am

  Put 17000 miles on in first 6 months in Mexico, USA and Canada. Best feature is mileage and distrance--700 miles-- between fill-ups. Good power and high speed accelleration. Also nice crisp handling. We liked it so well my wife made me buy her one--so now we have two TDI golfs.

• 

  What a truck - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By nhlgirl1 - January 18 - 2:00 am

  A lot of truck for the price. My friend has the Porche model, and when I compared the two, my truck looked exactly the same with more features and a $30,000 lower price tag. This truck has everything you could want and more.

• 

  BEST SUV ON THE ROAD! LOVE IT! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By J Navarro - January 18 - 2:00 am

  I brought my 2001.5 Passat in for a minor repair and left with the Touareg! Though I miss my Passat, the Touareg was well worth the trade. Were the 1st in our town to have one, & we still only see another Touareg on the road every now and then- but I know this best kept secret will be out soon and others will realize what theyre missing! You get a lot of curious and approving stares in this car!

• 

  03 GLI - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tabasco911 - January 18 - 2:00 am

  This is my 3rd VW. I had a 96 GTI VR6 before this. I think the GTI was larger in the front seat as well as the rear. I had leather on it too. I didnt want leather on this one because I live in Texas and it gets too hot in the summer. My GLI is black on black with "sport cloth". Its kinda rough and attracts dust and hair like a magnet. Wish I had gone ahead and purchased the leather package instead.

• 

  vw lover - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By katie gerrard - January 18 - 2:00 am

  This is such a sweet little car. Feels really solid and handles like one of the really spendy models. theres a ton of value here. This is the kind of car that you hang on to for years. The quality you would expect from a vw.

• 

  Nicest car Ive ever owned - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By jeyman - January 17 - 10:00 am

  This is by far the best car I have ever owned. The features, interior and exterior style all come together in such a way that make it feel like a much more expensive car. The dealership was also very nice. I have heard a lot of negitive feedback from people about VW dealers. If you live in Columbus Ohio, go to MAG.

• 

  Incredible! 337 is the GTI done right. - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Chad J - January 17 - 10:00 am

  Loads of torque. Not like the RSX. I am not fond of spending the majority of time at 6000 rpm just to have 75% of the torque availible in the GTI at 1900 rpm. The 337 behaves as if it is an extension of your thoughts when driving it quickly through twisty uneven pavement. It tracks with the accuracy of a roller coaster. Road noise is limited even with the 225 40 18s and lowered suspension. Two words sum up how the 337 feels, Billet Aluminum. I am now a believer in German engineering.

• 

  Drivers Found - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By hobbes - January 17 - 10:00 am

  The cabrio is such a fun car and I recommend it to anyone who wants to have a good time while still being a little practical! Monsoon stereo sounds amazing. People are constantly asking me about my car and once your a cabrio owner, its like youve joined a family. When someone else in a cabrio passes you, they always smile. (only they know how much fun it is) The cabrio is definitely the best kept secret in the affordable convertible market, as none of its competitors can live up to it. No other convertiblecan match its combination of safety (side airbags), practicality and fun. I love my car!

• 

  my faithful friend - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By june varas - January 17 - 10:00 am

  I have had my royal blue vw for a little over a year now and I love it! we like going to the fla keys, miami beach, everglades,etc: anywhere you can put the top down and have fun! i have only two complaints: theres no where really to put a beverage unless your drink is in a dixie cup. and the vinyl on the door handles always peels off (i have had them replaced twice in 14 months. other than that, i love my little vw! and when the lease is up, i plan to keep her!

• 

  WOW! "TUV" THE ULTIMATE VW - 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By WOW!!!!!!!! - January 16 - 6:50 am

  I have owned many new cars since 16. I am now 35. Mercedes C, E, and S Class, BMW 7 and 3 series, Audis, Lexus, Jag, and Acura. I also have a 04 CLK 320 in the garage. This VW is the best car Ive ever been in. One month ago I bought a 05 VW Passat 4 motion to use as a winter car. In about 8 hours I will trade the Passat for my new Silver VW "PHAETON". I have never been as excited about any other car Ive ever bought. This is truly the best car ever built. Go drive every other car then drive this, you will be impressed!!!!