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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  Poor Quality - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By mas16 - December 19 - 5:34 am

  Stay away - engineering and quality are very poor. I bought the car new for my daugher for a graduation present. With just over 50K miles we have had to rebuild the transmission and replace the cytelitic converter. Also had numorous annoying but slightly less major problems. My daughter had to stop usign the convertible top several years ago. The darn thing is too complicated and something breaks about every third time it was used. The scary thing is that every we encountered a problem I look on the VW forums and found that many other owners are experiencing the same problem.

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  Definitely dont like it - 2005 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By Who Cares - December 16 - 11:43 am

  The Volkswagen Phaeton V8 is heavy, and large, and heavy. Did I forget to mention its heavy? Im not a driving enthusiast, (who would guess it from a buyer of the Phaeton?) so I wouldnt care about its weight, the but feeling after driving 8+ hours is awful - it feels like Im moving all 3+ tons with my own hands. Compared to my recently purchased Audi A6, which is a class lower, the A6 wins hands down (now I understand what fun to drive means).

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  Adios VW - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By Pdodge77 - December 8 - 10:00 am

  I bought the Golf because my wife had an 89 Jetta that was built like a tank. The problems didnt start until just before the warranty expired. At 22,000 miles we had to have the engine computer and various sensors replaced. Oil just "disappears" and mileage is about 20mpg. Brakes and water pump went at 40,000, alternator ($600) at 42,000. The plastic parts and glue have been getting worse and worse all summer. I walked out one morning to find the passenger side trim just hanging (thank god for crazy glue). Were taking a loss and trading it in for a Toyota Matrix. Dont know if Ill trust the Germans ever again...

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  Drives great. Features are awful - 2014 Volkswagen Passat
  By jdp5000 - December 2 - 10:45 am

  Cons. Everything else. Radio/GPS is the worst I have ever had. Often when your first turn the car on the radio/nav wont respond to commands for 1-2 minutes. When I put the car in reverse the backup camera doesnt come on for 1-2 minutes also. By that time I am long out of a parking space. Worthless. Navigation wont allow address entry for the first 1-2 min. The Nav entry system is cumbersome and just poorly designed. Remote start is also designed by a moran. You have to start the car and then restart the car when you enter it. VW-carnet is worthless. It is as though Vw just threw somethin

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  Strong, Not comfortable,dials difficult - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Michael - December 1 - 2:06 pm

  Its a nice looking car, you just need to improve the cushioning in the seating and back, the radio is very difficult to read in the dark, and the red lights for the dash are difficult. But, it drives into the mountains, and through them nicely. It also does well so far in the city. A number of men and women have said its a nice looking vehicle.

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  DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION - 2009 Volkswagen EOS
  By BOCA LEN - November 29 - 2:00 am

  Overall my EOS is a reasonably priced convertible with generally good quality. I bought the car new. I drive to work and never abuse the car - just basic transportation However, at 1400 miles the transmission blew and had to be replaced with what I now know is a refurbished unit. Last week at 10,000 miles the refurbished transmission blew again. The dealer wants to replace with a refurbished unit again. VW extended the warranty, the dealer has been pleasant to work with and provides a loaner car. The point is, this transmission is too complex. I thing that anyone considering buying a VW with this transmission needs to be aware of the problems that are inherent with this unit. Beware!

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  Noisy Sunroof - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mary Ann F - November 26 - 2:00 am

  Have had nothing but headaches with the sunroof. When it is very cold or there is a strong sun on it for an hour or so, the sunroof rattles so much you cant even hear the radio. They have tried to fix it five times and it still makes a racket.

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  great vehicle until 80,000 miles - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Duke M - November 21 - 4:04 am

  dealership support has always been an issue. I dont trust them to tell me the truth. After an dealership oil change I left on a long trip. 500 miles from home in the middle of nowhere, loud flapping noises from the engine compartment. I inspected and discovered that the underbelly pan was missing bolts. I limped along at 60 miles an hour for another 500 miles to a town that had a VW dealership. I had to pay to have the missing bolts replaced. Local home dealership denied to refund me the cost of the repair. It appears that its a myth...Diesel engines are good for 100,000 s of miles. At 100,000 miles, the repair saga has begun. Do I dump and run or do I take my chances that the worst is behind me?

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  What was I thinking! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By J Walker - November 19 - 4:36 am

  Problems: $1800 to replace wires in electrical system (quoted$6000); $175 to replace power mirror knob; $875 for driveshaft; $700 to fix AC and rear latch release; $50 per coil wire, bought at least 8, not to mention plugs--currently been told airbag inflator needs replaced ($580) and catalytic converter ($1000). My father is a car dealer, so I bought this from the VW lease line at the auction w/39,000 miles. Had to replace the coil wires and plugs within 1 month. Ive been able to save money on some parts and labor with one of my dads mechanics. Only take to VW when I have to. Always some light on-tire; airbag; brake sensor (need to replace the sensors). Be prepared to spend $$$

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  Ive had too many issues - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By 01041986 - November 18 - 4:53 am

  When I first bought my brand new Jetta, I was very excited, it was cool and new. The excitement quickly failed as I have had many issues with the car. First off, the car had a rattling problem, I have taken it in to be fixed about 5 times, it still rattles. The horn went out at about 500 miles, first time it was ever used. I have had lights stop working and bad service at the dealership. This past weekend the exhaust warning light has come on, I am not sure what it means but I have a feeling it is just something stupid because it is a Volkswagen, not well built. If i had a choice, I would not have bought this car.