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:

• 

  Disappointed - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Sick Of It - September 11 - 10:00 am

  This is my 2nd Jetta and Im extremely disappointed. Cupholders have been replaced twice. Glove box replaced twice. Battery died after 12 months??? Trunk motor went on the fritz, causing the trunk to continually pop open. 02 Sensor issue. Interior seat material does not wear well at all. Brakes needed to be replaced too soon for me. Too many little things for a lease car. Im willing to pay anything to get out of it. Never again!

• 

  VW CC is a big mistake - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By joel - September 9 - 6:33 pm

  I have owned more than 20 cars in my life time. This car has been nothing but trouble... it cost me more than 15,000 in service since I purchased it new VW is cheap wanna be german car

• 

  This is a crappy car! - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Fed-up - August 23 - 2:00 am

  I will never own another Volkswagen. The timimg belt went on this one at 94,000! I was told by the Dealer to have it checked at 100,000. Then the transmission went at 112,000. Crappy, crappy car. You need special tools to work on it so you can only go to a VW dealer who charges three times as much as a regular mechanic. My friend who lives in Germany told me that Volkswagen wasnt any good. I should have listened.

• 

  Dont do it - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Boardwalk - August 18 - 10:00 am

  Our car has only 27,000 miles on it and it has been in the shop constantly. I hope you dont have the misfortune of owning a Jetta

• 

  The Cutest Car on the Road but... - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By colorado1974 - August 15 - 5:06 am

  We, like 1,000 other VW owners are filing for lemon law this year. Of the few months we have had it, most of the time has been spent in the dealerships service driveway instead of ours. The windows randomly go down, the front logo peeled off, the starter doesnt work all the time, the radio quit, the top broke twice, there is a metallic sound from the front and the kicker is that I am only getting 20 mpg at best. The window sticker said Id do much better. Everytime I get the car back it is fixed but after a couple weeks, more problems seem to set it back. Ugh.

• 

  A very disappointed customer! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By jts - August 14 - 12:53 pm

  Ever since I bought this car, Ive had continual problems. I have owned it for 6 months and it has been in for service 8 times (6 times within the first 2 months) for intermittent problems with the electrical system, transmission, tire pressure malfunction and various other issues. In addition to all these technical problems, VW has not shown any concern nor did their corporate offices respond to a letter detailing all the issues I have had and continue to experience. This was my first VW and it will be my last. Be cautious!

• 

  New Beetle - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Cary - August 9 - 7:56 am

  This is by far the worst car I have ever owned. I am a mechanic, and I can barely keep this thing running. It only has 49000 miles on it, and it costs about $200 a month in replacement parts alone. This car just falls apart, and you cant keep up with all of the broken items. This is definitely the last Volkswagen I will ever own.

• 

  Dont buy one - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Kat_13th - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I have had my car for 2 years and had nothing but problems. Within the first 4 months, the secondary air pump in the car went (but when I took it to another VW dealership they didnt know what I was talking about). Brakes went at 22,000 mi. Now the car is due back soon and they said that there is $1000 dollars worth of work that needs to be done because my car wont start. They said the air pump is done again and the relays are out and the battery is dead. I replaced the battery 2 weeks ago and it is dead again. Never again! Everyone I know that had one between 2000 to 2002 has had nothing but problems.

• 

  Fuel injector issues/money pit - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By brokenvw - July 22 - 8:20 am

  16 fuel injectors..3 throttle bodies... Nonstop breakdowns. Google Tiguan fuel injectors and you will not buy. Dangerous erratic acceleration out pf the blue when it breaks.

• 

  Jetta GL - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Deviouswun - July 21 - 10:00 am

  Cat converter went @ 65000. Electrical problems with power windows. Steering loud during turns. No major engine, or transmission problems.