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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  GTI GLS - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By b9e4n4 - October 7 - 2:00 am

  Originally satisfied, but had many electrical problems and now it needs a new clutch...Been in the shop several times, and I dont think that VW wants to take ownership of their problems. Ive owned 15 cars and this has been by far the worst in terms of reliability, but one of the best in terms of fit and finish...

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  Surprised and delighted - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By Rodzilla - October 3 - 2:00 am

  OK...tested the Protege5, Focus ZX3, Focus SVT and PT Cruiser. Never considered purchasing a VW and was prepared to buy the Protege5 until a co- worker insisted I test drive the Golf. The test drive changed my mind! This car feels much more substantial than the other cars in its class. Handling, brakes, and comfort are very good. The list of standard safety features is awesome! A very good value IMHO.

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  Biggest mistake ever - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jeffd - October 3 - 2:00 am

  Great looking car and fun to drive when it is moving but this car has been a hassle from day one. Gone through 2 radios, the ignition coil problem that VW of AMerica has finanlly acknowledeged caused it to sit in the shop for 2.5 weeks one time and has broken down 4 more times.The computer, oxgen sensor, 2 other sensors have been replaced. The passenger side door sticks. The exhaust system was damaged while driving in the snow. Doesnt it snow in germany? All this under 17000 miles. Good looking vehicle but cheap parts and poor engineering make it big regret.

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  What a car!!! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Wood - October 3 - 2:00 am

  What a pleasure to return to VW. I had a 1995 Jetta and then a Ford and could not wait to return to VW. The new Jetta is fun and has everything you could ask for. The wagon is a nice family car.

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  1.8T - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Paul Davis - October 3 - 2:00 am

  Purchased new in February 2002, since then it has left me stranded 3 times with a faulty ignition coil. There has finally been a recall on them, but it does nothing to restore my faith in the car. Nice car, poor reliability, first and last Volkswagen Ill ever buy.

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  Solid car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Dave - October 1 - 3:20 pm

  I have owned the Passat since it was new. I have always enjoyed driving the car. It has a lot of luxury features. The car has been reliable with no major repairs needed. I have had a few issues. Headlights bulbs go out often. It burns 1 to 2 quarts of oil between oil changes. I have had to service the back brakes 3 times even though the car has less than 50,000 miles. Gas mileage has been poor.

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  The Classic is a Perfect Fit - 2015 Volkswagen Beetle
  By Michael Clark - September 30 - 11:21 pm

  I traded in my 12 GTI DSG for the 15 Beetle Classic. This is the fifth VW I have owned, second Beetle. It is not as sporting as the GTI, but it has plenty of pick up for everyday driving. The suspension can be a let down when things get twisty - but only when you try to get aggressive. As a boulevard cruiser and run-about, this car shines and looks great doing it. Love the 2-tone special interior (similar vibe to the Spartan plaid interiors on the GTI) and the body-color matched interior panels on the door, steering wheel and console. The Classic is the least expensive Beetle and has a few items missing from its specs - but nothing I would miss. (Push button start and rear backup cameras are the two big things I can recall.) What you get are vintage styled wheels, unique interior, and the navigation stereo package with Bluetooth and Satellite. Once you learn the basics, it all works pretty well. I was surprised that I get pretty much the same mpg as my GTI with a smaller, less powerful engine. It is also disappointing, as the Jetta and Golf both do a few clicks better with the same engine. The new Golf is perhaps a more practical choice all-around and it wasnt easy to ignore it, but the Beetle styling and vintage vibe won me over - you only get to drive one car at a time. With just under 5k miles so far, I am very happy with the car - a few quirks and minor complaints (wind noise around the window seal, the gas cover detached from its tether, my friend almost broke the sun shade making an adjustment) dont reduce my enjoyment of the car and the compliments I have received.

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  Good car to have if you take care of it - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By j.fernandez - September 29 - 7:20 pm

  Yea I bought my car from some guy who treated it like crap, when i bought it from him it had like 119,000 miles and a lot of stuff was wrong with it not anything extremely serious but it was a bit costly, i fixed every single thing that was wrong with the car and after that i never had problems with it again. very reliable car to have and very good on miles. thanx a million vw!

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  My Third Touareg - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Bridget - September 28 - 11:50 pm

  This is my third Touareg, I am sold on the V8, it meets my needs. The V6 was sluggish and slow to engage. I guess I am hooked.

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  Surprisingly good car - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By FCWarrior - September 28 - 8:30 pm

  Better seats than my 04 Audi S4 Recaro seats and more than double the mpg! Handles very nicely and is surprisingly quiet down the road. Part throttle surging, especially when cold is diabolical and should have a factory fix. The lag on full throttle take-offs is ridiculous too. Factory touch screen radio sounds amazingly good and the Xenon lights are a real safety boon. Averaging 38-42 mpg with a light foot:} Very impressive.