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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  3.6 Vr6 4 Motion is the way to go - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Mate Dezamits - August 18 - 6:27 am

  I keep reading bad reviews.. Buy the 3.6L engine and you will have no problem at all

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  Best SUV in its class - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By koolio - August 17 - 10:00 am

  This is the most impressive SUV on the market and it provides the most features for the money. Power of the V8 is phenomenal (not to mention the exhaust note), interior design and build-quality are top-notch (no other SUV comes close), exterior design is gorgeous...I can go on and on. :-)

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  2004 touareg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By j c - August 17 - 10:00 am

  its a good and fun car to drive; it performs very well. the only thing that it could be better is the fuel mileage.

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  Outstanding car. Get one before they fix em!! - 2014 Volkswagen Passat
  By Powellss - August 17 - 3:08 am

  Right now (summer 2016) this car is the bargain of the year if not the decade. The bottom has fallen out of the resale market because of Dieselgate. We couldnt resist any longer so we picked up a 1-owner specimen from a dealer in PA. Weve had it for about six weeks and put 2500 miles on it during that time. Highway MPG is phenomenal.... you can achieve high 40s without really trying. Keep the speed under 80-85 and you will see 45-48 average MPG. We drove 1200 miles on two tanks full of gas last week, during a long road trip. Passing power on the highway is great, not spectacular, but again... youre not buying this car to set land speed records. That said, you can easily get to whatever speed you need to achieve, this side of 100. We cant speak to how hard it pulls when youre into triple digits. Were guessing it runs out of steam pretty quick, but then again, this isnt 11th grade. High-speed stability is excellent. The steering is tight and the car doesnt wander. City driving is a pleasure.... acceleration is very quick, as youd expect with 230+ pounds of torque. MPGs in town will range from 20-30 depending on how aggressively you drive and how heavy the traffic is. The dual-clutch DSG tranny knocks out instantaneous shifts and matches the revs for you too. Ive driven manual transmissions my whole life but this is an automatic you will never regret buying. Its always a pleasure driving this thing. The interior is well-designed and roomy. Some people have complained about the materials being less than top-shelf but its really not an issue. Wed prefer a plain-looking interior that will age well, to one that will start to look tacky after a few years. Same story with the exterior styling, which is boring at first blush (it almost looks like an Impala from 10 years ago) but grows on you, and is actually halfway classy... just understated. Youre not gonna impress a future love interest in this thing. (Get an Audi or BMW if you need to show off your spending power.) The front seats are roomy and supportive, the back seat is gigantic, and so is the trunk... except for the hinges which intrude into the cargo area. In terms of interior space, youre basically getting an A6 for less than A4 money. Weve heard all the horror stories about reliability and dealer service. Hasnt been an issue yet and were keeping our fingers crossed. Our other ride is a 17-year-old, 99 Passat V-6 with 220K miles which is still running well, so we know these cars can last a long time. Overall, as you might guess, we couldnt be happier. If VW ever asked us what else this car needs... wed say (1) an AWD option for the 50-60% of Americans who get to deal with snow for 4-5 months a year; (2) a rear-seat DVD / entertainment system; (3) standard HomeLink garage opener on all trim levels; (4) bubble mirrors built into the side view mirrors; (5) a real front bumper..... yeah we know, super retro; (6) bump strips on the doors to protect your sheetmetal from idiots in the 7-11 parking lot; and (7) at least one 12v outlet that stays on when you turn off the ignition. Thats about it. Like we said.... right now this car is definitely the bargain of the year.

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  I ignored the reviews and bought one anyway, DONT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE!! - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By dontbuyavw - August 16 - 11:34 pm

  I read many mixed reviews about Passats before purchasing mine used. It is a 5 speed with 120,000 miles. That may seem high but 4 a stick it really aint to bad. The car is cute and fun to drive but its a POS! Ive had the car 2 months and have had nothing but problems. The power steering went out, had to replace the pump twice and now its making a winding noise as i turn. Cheap made parts are falling off left and right. Blinker light even fell off as i was driving on the interstate. windows are crap and work only when they want to. now it wont even start! Just makes a wierd ticking noise. Its a cute car, but im going back to my busted and rusted chevy cus thats never quit on me!!! [violative content deleted]!!

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  Underrated and overlooked - 2014 Volkswagen CC
  By jewishmomo - August 16 - 2:15 am

  I leased the Executive 5 months ago and I am still blown away. I had a Jetta prior to this and believe I was no where close to being disappointed with that but I always wanted a CC. And I am not disappointed at all. I was between the 3 series, A4, and C Class and the CC provides the best interior by far. Mercedes has this annoying habit of a having a full phone dial pad for some reason. I mean its 2015 dude come on! Audi steps it up well but the screen is all the way up there. And the BMW has way too many buttons. This is a space shuttle! The CC on the other hand is primarily all on the 5.5 inch screen, which believe is bigger than most screens in there. Plus the camera never gets foggy.

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  1.8T 5MT GLS Wagon is a wonderful car! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By ovi - August 15 - 11:26 am

  Just came back from a 2,400 mi trip (Ontario to NC and back). The car is absolutely fantastic: excellent performance in heavy traffic and on highway, low fuel consumption (average 33.11mpg with AC on, 65-70MPH) and very comfortable seats. Great torque @ 2000rpm, very stable/quiet car. I only miss the 6-speed manual transmission. This car will serve you well if the driving habits are reasonable and maintenance is properly done (5W40 syn oil every 5,000mi, good oil and air filters). Yes, some repairs are expensive at the dealer but if you find a good repair shop youll see a huge drop in ownership costs.

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  Love - 2012 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By taekwond00m - August 15 - 9:53 am

  First time VW owner and wondering why I waited so long. Previously dubbed as a "subaru girl" now converted after driving this fabulous ride! Its tight handling and peppy engine are amazing. Love the front wheel drive in this northern Minn climate. Great front, side and rear visibility -- especially with the back seats down. Amazingly smooth and quiet ride for a small car. Ive owned 3 Subarus, 1 Jeep, and a Honda Civic. This SportWagen is by far my absolute favorite. Love it love it love it. p.s. I am a 54" female. Only drawback is the head rest on front seat -- because Im short, makes me kinda hunch forward. Removed for now while thinking of an alternative. Great financing.

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  Lovin it - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By JenniferW - August 14 - 8:26 am

  When we first started looking at minivans, the Routan was not even on out list. After test driving one and reading the reviews, we decided that it would be a good choice for our family. We were so right! It is so much fun to drive, and the passenger comfort is fantastic. The amount of storage space is phenomenal, as well as the drive. The only problem we have had is arguing about who gets to drive it! A great vehicle!

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  After Market Sunroof Possible - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By steve3752 - August 14 - 12:10 am

  I was not going to buy the CC becuase of the tilt only sunroof. Decided to buy CC Sport at invoice and try aftermarket Webasto 735 Sunroof. Cost $1,295. Very happy. Has more features than any factory roof I have had on Audi, Acura and Lexus. Automatically closes when ignition turns off. Car is great. People constantly ask if it is a Mercedes and are shocked when you tell them VW. 2.0 T is very resposive, smooth and quiet