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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  I love this car! - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Elizabeth - July 3 - 11:33 pm

  I love driving this car. It handles well, gets great gas mileage, and is incredibly comfortable. Some say the visibility is limited, but it doesnt bother me a bit. But you should test drive one to make sure you like it. I have had a blast with it so far though!

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  Best midsized sedan out there by far! - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By vdublover - July 3 - 3:36 pm

  We researched and drove Accord, Camry, and various other makes including Audi and Volvo. The Passat is the "Just Right" car in this segment. With plenty of power and fuel economy topped off with nice styling and comfort, this car suits my aggressive driving style, my wifes stylish taste, and my two kids space necessity. VW has won again!!

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  good car with a 2.0L none turbo motor. ff - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Brian - July 3 - 1:11 pm

  replaced just about everything on the car threw out the 5 years i have owned the car. so a good car if you can do the work your self and find the correct aftermarket parts to use as a lot of the OEM parts are pricey as well. If you were having someone ells do the work then this would be a more expensive car to own. Always keep on top of the timing belt changes with new water pump and tensioner. Iv replaced the clutch, new drive shafts, ball joints twice sins iv had it, recharged the A/C system a few times, gone threw a few sets of tires in the last 70k miles iv had it. will drive the car till the motor goes, then probably put another motor in the car and keep driving it. car drives like a go kart.

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  Just too much fun! - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By Turbo Freak - July 3 - 12:50 pm

  My son and I just bought a pair of matching GTIs. I cant tell you how impressed we are! They are very fast, comfortable, economical and just plain fun! A word of caution to all who are contemplating getting the ground effects kit. I had mine installed yesterday and found that the factory black side skirts are epoxied on! When they removed them some paint came with it! After a minor paint and buff on the glue areas its perfect. I wish I could post a picture because the improvement in looks is well worth it! The original black trim is too "Golf" looking to me. The DSG is simply amazing and the handling and brakes are superb. I would highly recommend this car to anyone....period.

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  Big surprise from VW - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By japcarsowner - July 2 - 6:33 am

  This car looks and feels like a luxury car. It never hints itself as a sub-30k vehicle. With its refreshing style and interior design, as well as rich features, it makes you love it more as every day goes by. But if the aformentioned points are of no importance, and you only care about a pratical family sedan, you might as well save a few (thousand) bucks getting an Accord or Camry.

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  Return of the Great GTI - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By Tyler - July 2 - 3:36 am

  I have owned many Volkswagens from the original 84 GTI to a 16V Scirocco and this is the best VW I have ever driven. Great quality, handling, and speed. Everything you could ask for in a German hatchback. No service Issues in the time I have owned the car. It has just under 20000 miles on her now.

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  German Performance and Wfficiency - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Valikyte - July 1 - 10:53 am

  I purchased the vehicle used with 33,000 miles. So far I have not had any major issue and have been very satisfied with the economy. I knew it wasnt a large vehicle when I purchased it, so I cant complain that my 62 figure is somewhat cramped on any trip longer than two hours. I realistically get about 42 mpg highway and 40 city. It is always satisfying to get 500+ miles to a tank and every once in a while put in a tank of biodiesel. My only complaint is that at 38,000 miles it developed a creak in the suspension that only presented itself after I had driven for a while. It did not affect the performance of the suspension, but did annoy me a little.

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  LOVING MY VW - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By CHili Redz - July 1 - 10:00 am

  My VW was in a really bad accident 12/01. She had over 15,000 worth of damage. My cousin T-boned her, lucky the engine wasnt affected. After almost 4 months of repair. She is still in good condition. She runs just as good as when I bought her in 5/01. I havent had any major engine problems. I had to replace driver and passager window regulators, which I found out that was a common defect in VWs. I also had to replace my rear brakes at 28,000 miles which I thought was rare but I was told it was due to a braking feature. Overall I am happy with her.

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  Beats the X5 and ML - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By HS - June 30 - 2:00 pm

  I have owned it for about 2 years with almost no problems; the maintenance is very affordable, about once a year for $120 ~ $180. It is fun to drive, beats the X5 and ML hands down. Great handling. The interior is really nice, almost as nice as the Cayenne. Some people say the gas mileage is not that great; I have to partially agree but keep in mind that this is an SUV with lots of horses under the hood. If you are looking for gas mileage then do not buy an SUV.

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  still loving it =) - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By GrandPaDriver - June 29 - 11:53 am

  Just do the schedule service needed, and the car will give you no problem. You might need some tuning & modification for the car to run as you expected to be. You will fall in love with it once you drive it. =)