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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  great little car! - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Id buy it again - September 6 - 2:00 am

  I have been very happy with my Cabrio GLX. It has been very reliable and is lots of fun to drive. I would happily buy the car again.

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  Heartbreaker - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By RachieSLC - September 6 - 2:00 am

  I was so excited when I bought my Beetle. I had wanted one since they came out in 1998. I had about a good 2 months until I realized the air conditioning didnt work, which was just the beginning of my repair woes. I have had my car in THREE times to have the air conditioner fixed along with the windows and window switches, the gas and trunk hatches, the temperature guage, and other problems. In the two years I owned this car, I took it to have it fixed TEN TIMES. My clutch went out and it cost $1400 to have it fixed. The week after that, my check engine light came on. I sold that lemon and bought a Civic Si.

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  Awesome Car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By wivw22 - September 5 - 10:00 am

  Very well built and thought-after vehichle. Everything is were you would expect it and works with the quality you expect. Performance is excellent and fuel economy is incredible. The Passat could easily become a performance sedan with some serious tires and rims.

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  Silver Bullet - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By ach337 - September 5 - 10:00 am

  I finally received my VW 337 last week. Its a powerful piece of German ingineering. A lot of torque and good acceleration. Nevertheless, there is a small turbo lag. Overall its a fun car to drive...too bad there are only 1500 of them!

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  Hes Oaky~~~ - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By jjazzman - September 5 - 10:00 am

  I had some problems in the beginning where Brake light will be keep coming on. This is fixed now. It was a bad brake fluid sensor. If any of you are from NJ I definitely recommend Three County VW for service. I didnt like any of the dealer in Allentown area. back to the car. Car is Ok except the Monsoon stereo is bad. paly with balance where front left spk has no bass compared to the right side. My fried did fixes using service bulletin VW put out. it still didnt fix the problem.

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  First VW - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Lee - September 4 - 10:56 pm

  I have had the car going on two months and every trip is blast. I am still amazed at how much power the four puts out. The car hugs the road, the steering is very responsive and the unique window/trim setup makes for almost zero wind noise. My car did not come with a CC badge (I like that) and people are always asking what is that cool looking car!

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  Sporty, Safe & Economical - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By CHDriver - September 4 - 6:13 pm

  I literally searched the entire US to find a car configured the way I wanted. Found the car after a seven- month search 850-miles away. The local dealership had a sold order but could not get the car. VW factory ordering is a waste of time! It is a fun car to drive. The torque is amazing! The build quality is excellent. Diesel MPG is all that I expected and more. I have the 4-dr TDI with Xenons, sunroof, 6 spd, AM, and some other stuff. Get this car!

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  Luxury at a nice price - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By okcomputer - September 4 - 3:46 pm

  VWs have come under fire for poor reliability in the past few years. It is unfortunate because they make some luxurious cars and offer features that other makers cant match at VWs prices. I love our Passat, and have not had major issues with it. It is a dream to drive, always gets compliments, and its decent on gas as well.

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  Fantastic Car at a Reasonable Price! - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Silo - September 4 - 5:16 am

  I just purchased a 2009 SEL and couldnt be happier. The handling and performance of the Jetta blew away the Acura TSX and TL, Accord EX-L, and the Volvo S40. The 5cyl engine provides enough power and the ride is snug without being hard. Get the SEL, though. The fancy electronics aside, the 17 inch wheels do make a difference. It was also a good deal. VW covers most service and maintenance for three years and I got mine for 20k. All in all a fun car to drive.

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  Almost Perfect (but what really is?) - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Bergerman25 - September 4 - 2:56 am

  This is my second Jetta in two months (someone t-boned the first one, and it was just like the commercial). The first was a GLI, which was perfect except for a rough ride-quality due to the sport suspension. My new one is a Package 2 with a much smoother ride. It feels like an Audi A4, but much more affordable. Its almost as fun as the GLI (an 11 on the fun scale), but that point of sacrificed fun is more than made up for in comfort and utility. This is the perfect commuter vehicle for those who still enjoy driving and want something other than a cookie-cutter Japanese sedan.