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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  Fun Car - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By richmond20657 - September 28 - 9:00 am

  The pros of my 2007 Jetta GLS TDI include excellent fuel mileage, reliability, and excellent handling for its size. The cons are VWs terrible dealer service and a few rattles here and there.

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  Fun with flaws - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By matmik - September 27 - 10:00 am

  sunroof clips broke & they fixed this twice. Was fine for 25000 miles until the front passenger window dropped off the PLASTIC! clips that held it up (this happened twice). The yellow-green grease in the door frame came, and continues to emerge in warm weather. Had the O2/Mass Air issues as well. VW repaired the o2, but not before the mass airflow went, which I had to pay to fix. Interior molding coming off is whats erking me now, but rubber cement fixed that.

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  VW bug = fun - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By MindyKae - September 27 - 10:00 am

  I have had my car for almost 4 years and have had no major problems. I did have to have the trunk latch replaced and have the windows worked on, but all was under warranty. Overall, I have really enjoyed the car and I would recommend this car to someone who wants a somewhat unique car with a practical side. I think the turbo would be a nice touch, although I have never driven one.

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  Maine New Beetle - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By VW Flashback - September 24 - 1:43 am

  Bought new, my daily driver for almost 11 years. Great headroom, & visibility except on some corners the "A" pillars are a massive blind spot. Car has too many plastic bits, started falling off early e.g. overhead bin button & the fuel cap. Recurring check engine light the past few years, garage clears it on oil changes & its OK for a few months. Lousy in the snow (Maine), use studded snow tires to deal with that. Still Id rather drive the Bug than anything else in the yard.

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  Im still happy with my Jetta GT. - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Romael - September 21 - 10:00 am

  IÂ’ve had no problems for the first 4 years. Luckily it came without power windows. The alarm work sporadically but now not at all. The battery was replaced once. The molding was a problem until I found that epoxy and tape together holds longer. Pretty expensive to maintenance after warranty expired until I found a reasonable non- dealer VW Expert. With routine maintenance and only 1 driver itÂ’s been a great car. IÂ’m constantly getting offers from young people to buy it.

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  Luxury and ruggedness in one - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By suvfan - September 19 - 2:36 pm

  This thing has been great both on and off road. Very reliable and comfortable. I looked at a lot of luxury SUVs in this class and as far as ride comfort and interior material quality this is by far the best. Towing capacity is great for a vehicle this size. If you donÂ’t need third row seating, this is the vehicle to get.

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  This car delivers - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By delfin1 - September 18 - 5:31 pm

  I have just over 2,000 miles on a new base model Jetta TDI with a manual, so I cant comment on long term reliability. What I can comment on is the performance of the package, and it exceeds expectations. Were averaging around 43 mpg in combined city/highway driving. Since this is more than promised, it is hard not to be impressed. The seating is comfortable, and while the interior finish materials are not as high quality as some other vehicles, they are certainly good enough for a car that costs less than $23,000.

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  150k miles new - 2001 Volkswagen GTI
  By torchmonkey - September 18 - 10:46 am

  i have owned vw most on my post high school life. from an 02 5 spd vr6 gti to a 03 vr6 6 spd jetta. great cars when taken care of and modded properly. stay away from the automatics, and enjoy on a back road once in awhile. currently own a 2001 gti 1.8t. great gas mileage. bit of a hit on power from the vr6 cars im used to but can be made up in parts and the 1.8 definitely handles better. my current car has 160k on it and runs like new. interior is showing signs of wear around the ac controls, console, and ignition. shall be replaced soon. rolled my 02 gti 2.5 times at highway speed and 3 ppl walked away unharmed. (perrelli tire went flat and came off the rim). so i dont buy perrellis anymore.

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  I love it! - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By FoxRacing51984 - September 15 - 2:00 am

  Ive always wanted a Jetta. Its comfortable, great on gas, and very cute! Im very please with my car.

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  No Satisfied - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dartman - September 15 - 2:00 am

  WOW. I was really excited to get this new car, and at first the car was great. At 6000 miles the clutch died, shortly after that the gasket around the CV joint was leaking fluid, then the sunroof broke (Ive taken it in 3 times so far - rattles everytime you close the door or go over a bump still). Everytime I step on the clutch pedal is makes a rubber squeaking sound - all in all, Ive taken my car to the shop about 14 times now! Be warned - I think due to its popularity, they have sped up production time, and as a result quality has gone dramatically down. My sister has a 1998 jetta (previous design) and never had a problem. Think twice before you buy.