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 Atlas a suv they shouldnt have made. - 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
  By Linda - December 6 - 8:51 pm

  I came in and looked at the Atlas after seeing a commercial for 0 down etc. I didnt know at that time anything about Volkswagen having a new suv. When I walked into the showroom and saw the vehicle, at first I was very impressed seeing that Volkswagen rarely makes appealing looking vehicles. After the lease puchase of the Atlas I realized I should not have obtained this vehicle after all. The interior, although spacious lacks cosmetic appeal. The vehicle, which the salesman told me to have it in Eco drive, which I would imagine saves fuel, constantly cuts off this is very agitating in stop and go driving. I believe some more thought and origination should have been put into this vehicle before the launch. The one I have I cant even add Satellite Radio. Sluggish ride and average looking. Dont purchase. A lot more suvs out that are worth the money.

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  Stay away... Dont buy this car!!! - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By baseball33 - December 5 - 10:51 am

  This was my first VW and my last. From the moment I bought this van I have had it in the for repairs. Or should I say I take it in for repairs but the van is never fixed. The sliding doors are extremely damerous. My chidlren are scared to get in & out. It hit my arm and let a nice bruse. Brakes and roaters have been replaced three times and still do not work right. Power seats have a mind of their own. And the paint job is horrible, one little bump the paint falls off. Spoiler has had to be completely re-painted. Now it doesnt start all the time. Wow. I dont have enough characters to explain what is all wrong. VW customer service isnt much help, suggested buy new VW van. No thank u

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  poor review - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By boo 4 jettas - December 5 - 10:00 am

  The volkswagen jetta i purchased has given me problems after 2 months. several others who own a jetta has complaints as well. customer service as well as the service dealers are never helpful. my car is always in the shop. one major thing goes wrong every few months. they can never establish what is exactly wrong with the car. i will never purchase a volkswagen again.

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  Jetta.. Worse car I have ever owned!!! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By AlbertoSuarez - December 2 - 10:00 am

  I hate this car. It has been nothing but trouble and VW has the worst customer service. The alternator shut off the first month i had it. The bumper feel off. The windows broke. It started making funny noises. its just endless problems. The engine light always turns on along with every other light. I have brought it to the mechanic about 5-7 times already. I have had the car for only 3 months!!! ALLOT of people warned me about jettas..allot and The car was so popular and looked so nice i ignored all the bad things they were telling me . And now im stuck with a crappy car and i cannot get rid of it. I would not wish this upon anyone

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  Run away!!! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By micalk - December 1 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle represents the biggest nightmare of my life. I should have known when the transmission failed with 3,000 miles on it that I was in big trouble. 15 major repairs including 3 transmissions later, I find myself waiting to find out why the check engine light went on this time. Volkswagen did absolutely nothing to try to reconcile the piece of garbage that they sold me, and consequently, I will never buy another product from them. I have never gone more than 4 months without needing some sort of major repairs on this car. I will never buy a Volkswagen again.

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  sucks - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By unreliable - December 1 - 2:00 am

  engine light on after 1300 miles, took 8 days to get back. door locks only work sometimes, worst gas mileage ever, not fun to drive, buzzer for lights being on after ignition turned off still beeps sometimes even though lights are off, and little orange light in front still remains on for some stupid reason

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  2000 Volkswagen Beetle - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By sandy - November 29 - 9:43 am

  I purchased this car for my daughter. Its the worst car weve ever had. Major problems. Interior parts come off in your hand. Go to web sites before purchasing a bug. I traded it for a Saturn!

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  Worst car on market - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Jules1477 - November 17 - 2:00 am

  This car has been nothing but trouble: the gas mileage is half of what it should be, the dealership lied about the length of the warranty in relation to the length of our lease, and when we tried to get out of the lease early found out that they have this weird policy that could cost you thousands of dollars. Go with something else, preferably that doesnt share a service center even with VW

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  Frustrated beyond belief - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By frustrated77 - November 9 - 2:21 pm

  Nothing but trouble. Wiring issues, now transmission hard shifts. Problem is extremely common via Google search. VW dealership just says needs new transmission and denies knowing anything about it, though there has even been at least one attempted class action lawsuit. DO NOT BUY!!!

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  Looks are so deceiving... - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By ncnurse - October 31 - 1:18 am

  I bought mine in March 2010 with 60k miles on it. She ran perfectly...for 6 months. The catalytic converter went out immediately followed by a wheel bearing. 2 months later the ignition coils and spark plugs went out. Ive put around $2500 into this car, which Ive dubbed Beelzebub since everything that can go wrong, has. The a/c went out at the beginning of this summer and now the gears grind when I put it into reverse. While the turbo is awesome (and the reason behind my 3 speeding tickets) the reliability just isnt there. Im trading this car in a.s.a.p. because I refuse to put any more money into it.