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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  Excellent SUV! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By knoel - October 31 - 10:00 am

  Weve had our V6 Touareg for about a month now and absolutely love it! Its our first VW vehicle and selected after carefully looking at the Lexus GX470. For $10K less and a better rating by Car and Driver it was an easy decision. Actually like the exterior better than the sister car the Cayenne. Excellent experience with the Sales and Service Team at Duke Golds Speedway VW in Indy!

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  Great Car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By danprrrrtrr - October 31 - 10:00 am

  Leased a 2000 before this 2003 and loved it. Most of this review will be to compare the two models (exact same). The handling, performance, price and amenities are, in that order, unmatched in other cars in the class. If you like to drive, the Passat is the one youll buy after test drives. That said, one beef I have with the 2003 is the softer ride. Its still neutral around curves (no over or under steer). The increased horsepower (150 to 170) is fairly noticable and appreciated but comes with an equally noticable drop in gas mileage (approx. 30 to 27 around town).

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  Best car in its class - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By skorth - October 30 - 7:43 pm

  I have had my 2001.5 Passat for nearly two years and have not experienced any problems besides the ignition coils. I knew these were an issue before buying the car but that didnt deter me. The coils went out at about 20,000 miles. They were quickly replaced at the VW dealership with no problems. The car now has nearly 44,000 miles on it and it is still running great. This car is really fun to drive and looks better than any comparable Japanese car in the same class.

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  High bang for buck quotient. - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By Jeremy - October 30 - 11:23 am

  Fantastic car. Slightly more refined than WRX and Evo with just about matched performance. I have to laugh at those who stated they wish it has "more power." Its a hatchback with 241 bhp for crying out loud! Just shows some people are never satisfied. I am. I was actually thinking of a 350Z or a Mustang GT before buying but this car is so much more distinctive. I think this car was only in production 1 year which I like. German build quality remains unmatched in my eyes. I plan to keep as long as I can. I get punk kid racers trying to mess with me sometimes, but thats ok.

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  Dont spend extra for Audi, Volvo or BMW - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By crisch - October 30 - 8:43 am

  I love this convertible. It is just as gorgeous, fast, reliable as the other high priced cars out there! I was on the road and thought I saw another Eos, so I sped up to drive past it and take a look. It was an Audi... and looked so much like my VW. This car is so fun to drive, its fast and I get lots of compliments on it. It handles well, turns easily and the best part is the fact that you have 3 cars in one. A coupe (with the top up), a convertible (top down) and in between (sunroof that is really big!).

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  Keeping my little girl safe. - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By donnievalens - October 29 - 3:13 pm

  After to doing all the research on vehicles in this segment you will find out like I did that you get the most for your money with the jetta. The car outperforms others such as the civic and corolla not to mention the options you get as standard equipment such as a moonroof and heated seats in the SE model that I have.But what really got me was how well put together this car really is.Its super solid,theres no real body roll when banking into turns.The clutch is light as a feather so I know my 115 pound little girl wont have trouble with fatigue in those days in traffic not to mention the smooth seamless shifting the manual transmission gives you.And after she saw its styling she wanted it

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  The Real "Peoples Car" - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By JohnL - October 29 - 8:43 am

  I traded in my 2007 Mustang GT/CS for this more "practical car". Quite honestly, I was out with my wife on a nice Saturday and went into the local dealer to look around. Took the CC for a test drive and was sold. I have only put about 100 miles on her due to a major blizzard, but so far, this car far exceeds my expectations. Thanks to the storm, I have managed to read the entire owners manual, twice. The dealer experience was also a joy. No haggling or arguing over my trade. Dealer tossed in spash guards, installed, as part of the deal when I asked for them.

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  Best car for the money - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By HDUB - October 28 - 3:40 pm

  I’ve been a BMW guy my entire life but as I get older, I’ve started placing much more emphasis on value. I spend a lot of time in my car and therefore wanted a car that is fun to drive, comfortable, stylish but utilitarian. After extensive research and studying my key numbers (0 to 60, mpg, and $ ), the GTI was by far the best in class. I’ve had this car for two months now and find it very comfortable and quiet. The quality of workmanship is also beyond my expectation for a car in this price range. Though I wasn’t really after exclusivity, this is not a car that you see very often. In my daily driving here is the high volume la traffic, I’ve only seen two 2010 gtis thus far.

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  Most fun car Ive ever driven - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Craig - October 28 - 2:56 pm

  I already owned a 96 Jetta with a 2.0L engine but the upgrade to the 204 hp VR6 engine was just asounding. This car is just too much fun to drive! I have upgraded a few parts but even when it was stock it was a real treat to drive. Ive since left it in the garage as much as possible as it is in immaculate condition and only has 15,000 miles on it. Its my weekend driver for when I want to have fun. I would recommend the Magnaflow cat-back exhaust system as it makes the car sound amazing! I have had people tell me they could hear me coming from a block away before they could see me and thought a Ferrair was going to go by! I love this car!

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  What a Car! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Brian - October 28 - 2:36 pm

  This is a great car! This is my second Passat, I just came off lease of my 2002. I have had my new 2006 since May and it is a dream to drive. I drove to Chicago and averaged over 35 mpg and thew car had plenty of power for the major Highways. The fit and finish is way above the average Chevy type of car and I feel it is on par with higher so called luxury cars. I dont understand the knock on reliability, I have not had any trouble with either car. With 35 mpg, I do not know why Volkswagen doesnt push the mileage and compare it with the so called Hybrids. If you have a Passat you get almost as good mileage as a Hybrid without the extra expense.