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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  A Pleasant Surprise - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By camrnlendy - October 27 - 3:00 pm

  What a gorgeous car! I was deciding between the CC Luxury and a 09 Audi A4 Premium Plus. The CC was a few thousand less than the Audi, but the cars are actually quite similar. The CC LUX edition has beautiful leather seats, and all the conveniences of an entry level luxury car. Although Bluetooth is optional and runs about $300 dealer installed. The car drives like an A4 with ample power from the 2.0T engine. Handling is superb. This is my 3rd VW in the past 8 years. Also owned and A4 for awhile. This is probably the nicest, most well appointed, and best handling out of all 4 cars. You can get an entry level CC for around $25K+ which is quite a bargain as well.

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  Golf is good - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By David - October 27 - 1:03 pm

  Traded a 2003 MB E-320 on a 2010 Prius, and the Prius on this. The MB certified pre-owned warrantee ran out, and I worried about pricey repairs. The Prius was cool, bigger, but was boring to drive, and it felt cheap. The VW retains some of the MB satisfying qualities, in a car I can more afford to buy new, which includes a new car warrantee. It has nice touches, like the MB did, rubberized dashboard covering, nice, precise wheels on the air vents, that click like theyre jeweled, when you switch them closed. The motor is very MB-like: torquey, very deep torque band: nice at slow speeds, but plenty of very satisfying room for your foot to go down. Very satisfying, fun, likable car.

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  Thank you Bambi - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By Phil Comstock - October 27 - 8:05 am

  This is my 3rd passat.My previous 2006,v-6 model gave its life when a deer tried to occupy the same space.It had 163K miles and was fit for 100K more.Sorry to give it up,but my luck,I was 10 miles from a vw dealership and it was the end of the month(deal time).Took a step down on options but went from 28 mpg on premium to 1.8 tsi limited on regular.Im old,and drive pretty easy,84 freeway miles a day.Im tickling 40mpg.The new Passat is almost paying for itself(low payments).I love this new Passat.Its comfortable, quick enough and very sure footed in the first Wisconsin snow. This car is a great cruiser,a little softer ride than the 06 but still sporty,I dont feel the expansion joints like in the old one.Our other car is an Acura TSL,nice,but everyone in our family prefers driving the VWs.Hope this helps. as of 12/26/17,still lovin it.No issues at 43000 mi.

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  Quality, Performance, Value - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Christine - October 27 - 7:56 am

  I did a lot of research before buying my VW. I had previously owned a Toyota & a Pontiac. Considered another Toyota but I found the value for the money was definitely with VW. I went with an 06 instead of an 08, and got all of the options I wanted for less money! I still have a 4 year warranty because it is a certified vehicle. The car drives like a dream! It has the triptronic so I can drive it like a stick shift if I want to (with no clutch!) The car is solid and I feel safe driving it. Also, this is my first time with a leather interior and I am loving it. Even on a few 100 degree days, it was not intolerable getting in (which I thought it would be). "Its the poor mans Mercedes!"

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  Wow! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Brian - October 27 - 2:43 am

  This is a tight handling little car. No rattles going over bumps and very quiet at 70 mph. I love the room the car has especially with the rear seats folded. Totally reliabe with gas mpg that rivaled my old Neon. Im getting around 27 mpg in town! What a cheap car to own. Ive only had it for a month, but I can already say it is the best car I have ever owned. I am now a VW snob for the rest of my life!

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  It was a grand 4 years - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By delta_queen - October 26 - 8:30 am

  Would not have sold it yesterday had I not needed a 4X4. I owned this vehicle for 4 years and loved every minute of it. Always felt like I was in a high quality vehicle. The very few instances I needed minor servicing, the warranty work I got was top notch and ultra quick. (The only probs I had in 4 years were headlight wiring.)

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  1-month review - 2009 Volkswagen Passat
  By BK - October 26 - 5:20 am

  Purchased on September 12th, 2009. Test drove BMW 328,335; Mercedec Benz 300, 350; Acura TL; Infiniti G37. Although all of these cars were great, I found the perfect mix of driveability and fun factor in my Passat. I only have about 750 miles on it right now and I am trying to break- in the car as gently as possible. But you can feel the surge of power when you just tap the accelerator. So far Ive had no problems. VW offers a 90- day or 6K miles free check up, which I intend to to take advantage of. Since I have not taken it on a long trip, I do not have true HWY mileage; however, so far, I am averaging around 25 mpg with 60/40 Hwy/city.

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  Sporty Sedan - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Scott - October 26 - 3:20 am

  The new 2006 Passat is a car with a lot of enthusiasism. The 4-cylinder turbo engine gives you the boost on demand for highway driving. The handling is as good or better than the more expensive BMW 3-Series. The interior room is great if you have a family. It has a lot of trunk space and the back seat has room for multiple baby seats. So if you travel with children the space is a big plus. The leather interior and in dash CD player add a nice luxury touch to this model. It is fun to drive and covers all the practical bases for family use.

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  VWs Best Kept Secret... - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By frenchman - October 25 - 11:16 pm

  I traded my 2008 Nissan Rogue SL AWD ater 21K miles for this Tiguan SE 4motion because of the better features, ride, handling, acceleration, and build quality.The car is the best engineering product I have found in the market today for the money. VW truly is the best kept secret in terms of quality,features,value, and fun to drive.

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  Golf TDI...worth the money - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By tdi dan - October 25 - 10:26 pm

  The Golf TDI may be at the expensive end of the economy car segment, but its worth it. Premium materials inside, excellent quality, great driving experience, and fantastic fuel economy are all worth the price of admission. I considered a Jetta Wagon TDI, but chose the Golf TDI instead...the suspension is firmer on the Golf, and to equip a Jetta Wagon to the same level as the Golf would have made the Jetta considerably more expensive. Its got very roomy front and back seats, and the front seats are similar to the seats in the GTI so they are sporty yet comfortable.