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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  Love It! - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VW Jetta TDI Loyal E - December 27 - 12:13 pm

  This is our 5th TDI. We started out with a 1983 Jetta Turbo Diesel - sold it with 210,000 miles and its still on the road. We had it for 15 yrs. Next was a 1986 Turbo Diesel; sold with 270,000 miles;had it for 15 yrs and its still on the road. Then we had a 1998 TDI, sold with 170,000 miles - still around. We now have a 2006 and a 2009 TDI and love them both. All cars were purchased brand new.

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  Best Car I Have Ever Owned - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By GruvenGTI - December 27 - 9:03 am

  So far this car has been excellent. All I have to do is put gas in it and change the oil every 5,000 miles. It rides well, has good power, and is very comfortable while being sporty enough for spirited driving. Ive been very happy with the Passat and plan to have it for years to come. I recommend it to anyone looking for any sedan. Its at about the same price as the Japanese cars but much more fun to drive and its a low cost substitute for the equally fun to drive as the higher-priced German sedans.

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  Love every mile - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Old guy - December 25 - 11:23 pm

  I have just started my 5th year with my Passat, and every time I get in the car it is a pleasure. Long trips are comfortable, gas mileage is great, up to 35 mpg on the interstate, and it is FUN to drive. No problems so far. Regular maintenance may be a little high, but I love the car. Two dislikes, low beam lights could really use improvement, and the windows fog up under certain weather conditions, and is difficult to defog. I am glad I bought the car, and would do it again.

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  Cc for me me - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By REDENTOR VILLANUEVA - December 25 - 11:17 am

  Drives like a good cart on steroids.

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  City Stealthmobile BEV - 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf
  By Randy - December 24 - 1:38 pm

  This is a 2nd car for me, for driving around in the city. The car does have limited range, I can get 5.5-5.8 miles per kwh, but I am retired and I do drive at or under the speed limit at all times, with most consumer devices turned off. What I like most about the e-golf is that it is just another Golf. It does not draw attention to itself. It does not say "hey, look at me, Im a hybrid or electric car". Its low key, its quiet, its stealthy, and most importantly, it drives, due to its heritage, like a german engineered car. Not like a japanese electric or hybrid econobox. It is purposeful, its a city car, pure and simple. If I need to do a long distance trip, or get out of town and do some major driving, the TDI I have is for long distance trips. Its hard to put into words how a german car drives, compared to a japanese car... but you know it was designed to drive on Autobahns, and in the German, Swiss, and French alps too, in the twisties. And for all the mountains and canyons I drive in, I demand the way a german car drives, and gladly pay the premium for it. Update after 6 months: Still a nice car for the city and short trips. Key is to charge it at home, overnight, where filling up isnt so burdensome, and the cost of electricity is reasonable at $0.16 per kw, instead of using public infrastructure for recharging, which is quite a bit more expensive and time consuming, 2.5 to 3.25 hours each session. Forget about mooching electrons for free if you need a recharge, its a business model doomed to failure. Provide your own infrastructure to charge, and youll do fine Update after 1 year of use: Battery life has dropped to about a 7% loss in maximum range. I am averaging 6.0 miles per kwh with careful driving, over the last 2000 miles. My route remains a constant. What was 129 miles of range on a charge when new has dropped off to 120 miles now. Loss first started in the warm weather of May, and continues to drop in the heat of the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, CA. Odometer now reads 7750 on 10/19/16

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  Best VW I ever drove - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Dietmar - December 24 - 1:00 am

  Not quite sure why everybody wants to see leatherette as an option. Who wants this fake stuff? Im so glad I have the cloth seats. Neither cold in winter nor hot in summer (this is a blessing in Chicago) plus its got heated seats. I love this car though it eats a lot of gas compared to the AUDI A4 2.0T CVT. I drove 30 mpg with same engine in the Audi and get barely 23/24 with the Tiguan. Tranny does not help at all. CVT or DSG (VW) S-tronic (AUDI) is the way to go. AISIN tranny from the Tiggy eats up more gas, also my AUDI was FWD which was more gas saving but this is why I bought the 4motion (just in time b4 winter). Otherwise Im REALLY PLEASED (so far)

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  An excellent option - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By VW Fan - December 23 - 4:20 pm

  I just get my Tiguan 2 months ago, 2nd VW, my previous was a Passat 2007 with any complains about it, so after the lease end I decide to change it for a Tiguan 4 motion, the safety sensation in the rain and cornering is amazing. The interior details shows great quality. Dynaudio system awesome; and Xenon lights and memory seat as great thing as well.

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  Happy new owner - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Don B - December 23 - 5:20 am

  Ive had my Tiguan almost three weeks now and its been a great vehicle thus far. Im getting a little less than 25mpg using 87 Octane (regular unleaded). I owned a 1997 Jeep Wrangler previous to this vehicle and the comfort level and gas mileage cant even be categorized between the two vehicles. This Tiguan S model has some real zip with the turbo engine in it! You cant go wrong with this vehicle if youre looking for a good, small compact SUV.

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  Nice car, not a German camry or accord - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By sprajapati - December 23 - 4:26 am

  Alternate for BMW 325 or Mercedes C 240. Better than Camry, much better than Accord.

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  2003 Passat - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By tonyo33 - December 22 - 11:13 pm

  Had a cracked oil line that took 6 trips to the shop to repair. Was issued a loaner car every time, but since the dealership has been bought by Fred Beans service is awful. If I could do it over again, I would not have bought this car, due to the reliability factor. I have no other issues, but am worried aobut the longevity of the car.