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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  The Poor Mans Porsche - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Sports Driver - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Overall the car is excellent, but whenever you purchase a Touareg make sure the maintenance agreement is one purchased in the area where it will be serviced. Not all dealerships honor these agreements. Believe Me!!!!!!! One more thing, Volkswagon is still working out the kinks with all the computer chips installed in the vehicle, so you might have to visit the dealership a few times until these small annoyances are resolved.

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  Burns too much gas, but l LOVE it - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Goat Roper - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Havent had it very long, but it is the best designed SUV that I have seen or driven. I drove a Toyota Landcruiser in Africa on several occasions and loved it, but would have liked to have had this T-Reg. Only question in my mind is reliability. All these behemoths get poor gas mileage. We all should have known this when we purchased these heavyweights! Navigation system could use some software changes to make it more like what I have seen in Toyota/Lexus vehicles. The dealer told me Navigation software upgrades are coming. Not many automobiles make me want to go out into the garage to get one last look before going to bed, but this one does!!

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  Awesome!! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By CRYER15 - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Incredible Car!! I am getting 50 mpg average and I think sometimes better on the highway! I have had it almost two full years with 40k + and have not had even a blip...with the exception of a replaced radio (no big deal) under warranty. Anyone looking for a reliable, fuel efficient, and reasonably priced car should get one.

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  w8 passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By service is king - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I considered Audi A6 4.2 (V8) or A6 2.7T-Sport (V6 twin turbo). But, I was having a hard time justifying the price once Id compared them both with the V.W. Passat W8. They matched up quite nicely: power, performance, interior and looks. GET THE SPORT PKG.!!! Youll get 17" alloy wheels, a stiffer suspension and with the six speed youll cut the 0-60 time from over 7 seconds with the tiptronic transmission to under 6 seconds with the six speed. 4Motion AWD with ESP traction control IS Audi Quattro. IT SIMPLY DOES NOT SLIP.

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  My Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By aehensman - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I adore my Passat. I had VWs when I was younger. The new Passat is amazing. The old Beetles and Ghias are fun, but my Passat has so much more power, comfort and ease of shifting the 5 speed manual. The Turbo is extra kicky! The stereo is great but could have had an amplifier. All in all, I love my car and will be a VW lifer. If I could afford the new Pheaton, I would graduate to that. But, at $64,600.00 base, the Phaeton may have to be on my wish list.

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  Sporty, reliable and quality - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ernie Vazquez - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I had this car for over a year, and The only problems I had were with the headlights (like most of VW). The handling is great, as well as the stability. Is strong builded, and gives you a sense of firmness. I Preffer this car over a Sentra I had, and a Infinity G20t my Father has, and an Audi A4 my girlfriend has.

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  Best car ever. - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tec2you - January 13 - 10:00 am

  This one makes people rethink spending all there money on a 3 series! The sound system is awesome. Many safety features, and the best warranty Ive seen.

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  My Beetle - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Bianca - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I have always heard good things about VWs. When the new beetle came out, I could not wait to own one. I finally was able to purchase one last Jan, and I have nothing but good things to say about my car. Not only is it stylish, but it was also a reasonable price. Your car should be a reflection of you, and my bug is truly that: cute, little, and full of great surprises :)

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  Great Car - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Simon - January 13 - 7:56 am

  Ive had this car for 9 month and I am very impressed. I used to have a Mazda 3 and it was nothing but trouble... I wasnt expecting much from VW after all their reliability problems but the car has been starting every morning without complaining; even in -20 temperatures... The car is fun to drive, plenty of power and very well built.

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  My other car is a Eurovan - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By John Schank - January 11 - 4:30 pm

  Bought the last one in the area after the CC model introduced. The premium in price and owner cost of the VR6 4Motion "standard" should not be an issue with this car. This past summer test drove and was surprised to reach 100 mph up long grade smoothly and quietly thanks to the high compression VR 6. Now, on the ice, and over slush, the 4 Motion comes into its own. It comes with "noisy" Pirelli P Zeros that become wonderfully silent at high highway speeds, without worry that control will be lost, as with quieter touring rubber.