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 to drive, Poor Quality - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By sath - April 26 - 2:00 am

  Its a fun car to drive, I have had it for almost an year but in the past month Ive had the radio replaced, the front passenger power window quit working, the reverse light relay was shot, the glove coprtment light stays on and the ignition coil broke. There was a recall on the ignition coil.

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  Three Days and Really Surprised - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mikey Bee - April 26 - 2:00 am

  Ive only been driving my 03 Wolfsburg 5spd. for a few days, but I must say that I am pleasantly surprised with my initial impression of the car. The build quality is very tight, and the materials are of high quality. I was/am definitely nervous about Mexican build quality, but initially its great. The seats are fantastic, the engine performs strongly, its quiet, and the standard stereo sounds great. This is my first "European" car (Ive only purchased Japanese cars before), so Im definitely nervous about reliability. Hopefully, I will be lucky!

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  2004 model is a winner - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By DJRHINO - April 26 - 2:00 am

  The 2004 GLS model is very fun and nice to drive. Its a joy to travel in. We like the classy design of the alloy wheels for 2004, and the now standard Monsoon Audio system. Handling in the curves is great, and makes one not want to put the car back into the garage at the end of the day.

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  Great car unless you use reverse - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By sanfrandan - April 26 - 1:33 am

  I really like this car with one HUGE exception-every time I back up my brakes screech. It is not a small squeak but a loud, embarrassing screech. When running errands I have to purposely look for parking spots where I will not have to reverse. Really inconvenient. The dealer says it is normal which I find unacceptable. I see on other forums other VW users are experiencing the same issue. This will be my last VW and I cannot wait to unload this one when I can.

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  The GTI Rocks! - 2005 Volkswagen GTI
  By stkshftgti - April 25 - 4:23 pm

  The sporty turbocharged 4-cyl. engine once chipped ripped all sheds of doubt from the smaller K03S german engineered turbo, powered the 4-cyl. to well over 200HP and gave the VW the power it really needs to be a sporty coup. With a quick throttle responce and fast spool, the GTI outperforms most coups in the price range. this car has the tuning of a import turbo mixed with the luxury of a European one. I love it!

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  A Superior Automobile - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By Nederland - April 25 - 3:10 pm

  This car is a successful compromise, a sporty, thrifty, fun, unique, practical car. Very quick, fuel efficient (Im doing a little better than the listed EPA), decent rear seat, plush, unique, racy, versatile. Whats not to like? The car gets lots of looks. The orange is a love/hate thing, but everyone has strong feelings. This would be a bad choice for a shy introvert. This car is front and center, and was designed to be noticed.

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  Good car, lots of little problems - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Justin - April 25 - 2:26 pm

  Based on the criteria above, I gave the Jetta 1.8T a good review. Overall, this is a very nice looking and fun car to drive. There are, however, a lot of little things that frustrate me. The check engine light comes on a lot. I read the code, and its a problem with the coolant temp sensor. Not a big deal, but still. The interior rattles a TON. Pretty disappointing for a car of this caliber (read price). The gas mileage is okay. 25-26 mixed, 28-29 hwy. Now in winter its 23mpg. Cost of maintenance is high. The ride is pretty stiff. On smooth roads is like butter. On anything less than smooth, you feel every bump (and hear it via the interior rattles). Not as worry free as I would like.

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  Fun and safe car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Iama - April 25 - 10:00 am

  The GLX is the most fun you can have in this car class while still having room for adults in the back seat.

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  passat - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By ghjmgkgffg - April 25 - 10:00 am

  great car for having fun. has lots of power when you are trying to get into another lane. good braking, especially when you are in need of braking suddenly. Even good horse power in automatic. gets to 60 miles per hour in a considerable amount of time.

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  Affordable German Luxury - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By jagat1 - April 25 - 10:00 am

  What else can I say...This is the Best Value play among mid-size cars available out there. The 1.8T engine is a true VW modifiers dream... A real fun to drive car!