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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  Has potential, needs improvement - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By infpos - August 13 - 2:00 am

  Was very excited about this car until I bought it and many small things went wrong starting on the first day. Thank goodness its certified. If the automatic waited longer to shift, it would be more fun to drive and the cup holders are just silly. Seems like they almost got it right, maybe newer models have been improved. Next time Ill buy a Honda.

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  White Lemmon - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By cmshawaii - August 13 - 2:00 am

  This was the biggest mistake of my life. If it wasnt won thing it was another. I will NEVER buy another VW again and I tell everyone I see that they should stay away from all VWs. They have the worse customer service in the industry. I am trying to unload this piece of " " but, I cant seem to find any offers. I hope someone reads this and changes ther mind or maybe someone at VW will wakeup and smell the coffee.

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  Good Stuff - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By jnpzwix - August 13 - 2:00 am

  We love our Passat, my wife and I always argue on who gets to drive instead of who gets to ride. My favorite car of all time was the 1984 Audi 4000 Quattro...all of those feelings are rushing back. The Passat has a great look, ride, and feel with the German engineering. This car is an excellent value for the price.

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  TDI best diesel available (better than EPA) - 2012 Volkswagen Golf
  By Richard Marks - August 12 - 2:50 pm

  Now that I am in the middle of wondering what will happen to VW over the "scandal", I would not trade, sell, nor return my car (even for a refund of full purchase price). It has been a stellar car and, even if green-weenies get their panties in a wad over the "scandal", I would keep it, drive it until the "wheels fall off" (likely to be far in excess of 250,000 miles. Excellent mileage, decent comfort, a real towing ability.

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  First VW - Very Good but not Great - 2010 Volkswagen Passat
  By edmundsfan5 - August 12 - 5:53 am

  Ive had my 2010 Passat for a few months, and for the most part I am happy. I totally agree with the other rave reviews of the spirited 2.0 turbo engine, and the incredibly smooth DGS transmission. Its very stable at highway speeds, as it should be coming from Germany. My only real complaint is the intrusive road noise on uneven pavement - there is a lot of that where I live around DC. I have also noticed some annoying rattles in the drivers door and dash, but I dont know if its just my car since most people rate the fit & finish very highly. Great fuel economy and plenty of power for every day drivers. I especially enjoy the low end torque pushing me back in my seat.

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  Excellent - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Andre & Jane - August 11 - 7:26 pm

  So far, we have had an excellent experience with our Touareg. After 17,000 miles, we have had no issues. Its fun to drive and quiet. It has the quality materials and the look of a top luxury vehicle.

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  Very happy - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By Caleb - August 11 - 4:43 pm

  This has been the best car i have owned. all the performance i need and the comfort. fuel mileage has been unbeleivable. i drove from vancouver bc to calgary alberta on one tank of fuel.

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  Comfortable but unreliable - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bynddrvn - August 11 - 4:15 pm

  Basically constant problems. For some reason the braking system has never worked correctly, even under moderate pedal pressure the brakes pulse as though the ABS is engaged. Replaced main brake booster, front disks, and brake pads. The fenders rusted through and this is apparently a known issue for the diesel version as it has additional insulation to dampen noise. Unfortunately, the insulation also happens to suck up moisture and road salt. Around 80k miles the MAP sensor went out and just about part related to the braking system was replaced, again. At just over 100k miles the turbo started leaking oil and this gummed up the MAP sensor, EGR valve, intake, and connecting lines.

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  Great til the warranty ran out - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Patrick - August 11 - 8:50 am

  This has been a great car to own. Mine was made in Germany, had had no problems until this year (2005) when I ran into the EMISSIONS WORKSHOP problem others have. Dealer wants $3000 to 5000 to fix it. BUT WAIT - my excellent mechanic has assured me that this is a well known design flaw (O2 sensors too close to catalytic converters), and that by moving them around (a couple hundred bucks), the problem goes away. You can also ignore the engine light until it is time to pass smog tests. ALSO, the Volkswagen dealership is just about the least customer friendly place I have ever dealth with - their focus is entirely on revenue, and they could care less what you think about them.

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  TDI Sedan after first 5000+ miles - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dibrowz - August 11 - 5:23 am

  Below are the ACTUAL mpg and average speed figures as reported by the onboard VW computer: MPG = 34.7 at an average speed of 32 mph 34.3mpg @ 30mph 34.3mpg @ 31mph 33.7mpg @ 30mph 33.8mpg @ 30mph 33.9mpg @ 33mph Each set of the figures above were from full tanks of gas (about 400 miles per tank). As you can see, most of the driving was city driving and the TDI is pretty consistent at around 34 MPG. I have yet to use a full tank on the highway but I typically see MPG figures in the mid 40s when charging around the flatlands of the Sacramento area doing 65-75 MPH. Love this car!!