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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  Update to Previous Review - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Puzman - February 20 - 8:10 pm

  As an update to my previous review, we now have close to 10,000 miles on our 07 Passat wagon. Its gas mileage has decreased due to the installation of a bike rack on the roof. Were now averaging about 25 mpg, with mixed highway/urban/rural driving, which is still pretty good compared to all of the SUVs out there. I LOVE the interior of this car; its ergonomics are excellent and the heated base seats are awesome. There is no need for leather, IMHO. Power is abundant in the 2.0T engine. Floor it in S or Tiptronic modes and 60 comes VERY quickly. There is some torque steer, however. The handling is the one area where I could see an improvement- there is significant understeer, although the car feels composed at all speeds. My Passat has had no reliability issues.

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  I really thought this car was the one - 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By RHauck - February 20 - 11:10 am

  I read many reviews on this car before buying. Heres what I didnt know. CHEAP, cheap interior. Cloth seats really show dirt. Interior peeling. Power windows fixed 3 times. AXEL broke at 4 years 54K miles. Plastic parts break for no reason. One Check Engine problem to be fixed at 4 years. VW Wheel logo dealys FELL Off. Looks rediculous but to replace is $80 each! No decent cup holder for the driver. Console shows dirt and doesnt clean well.

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  Fun to drive - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Ardis - February 19 - 11:33 pm

  The 2.0T is fun to drive but the automatic tranny is slow on take off and lacks throttle response. There are a couple of aggravating squeaks in the interior on rough roads but overall interior is very nice quality, just needs some tweaking. The tail lights are separating within the light fixture and resting on the inner part of the enclosure plastic. To fix, u must replacing the entire fixture. Lights look good but are poorly put together. AC is cold but fan is insufficient to blow/cool even the front of the car in adequate time. One final note is that the car is fun to drive and the turbo, once spun up, is very responsive. Every car has its shortcomings and vw is no exception.

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  Love my TDI! - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By carcully - February 19 - 5:17 pm

  We purchased our Toffee Brown 2013 Jetta TDI last summer, and have thoroughly enjoyed it. My folks have a 2011 Jetta TDI Sportwagen, so I had the pleasure of driving their car on occasion, and was immediately hooked on its performance and power, with such incredible fuel economy. We have 2 sons, and it transports the 4 of us around very comfortably. I love that the actual MPG is even BETTER than what is advertised. We get about 38 around town, and have gotten 51 on freeway trips. Love the V-tex Leatherette interior--so easy to clean. Just a great all-around vehicle.

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  Lemon - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Winston Grey - February 19 - 1:13 pm

  I have owened the car for a month and so far it has been in the service shop for three weeks. It has braken and and had engine problems and the service is extremely poor. This is my fourth Volkswagen but it will probably be my last.

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  Great daily wagon for me - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By PJ - February 19 - 11:35 am

  The car is loaded and a blast to drive.Driver airbag module was loose fit from clockspring causing constant airbag light .I fixed with dab goop .Check enging po956 code from $15 purge valve from overfilling gas .Buy yourself a U291 $10.00 scanner or get codes scaned at a parts store if it ever has any.It can reset what dealer charges over $100.00 to do . The panoroof should never be operated with sunshade closed . It will come unglued .I fixed mine for $ 250 Dealer will charge a fortune to drop headliner and replace.(unnecessary) All my problems may be related to the car was a bank repo and sat 2 years in impound .Front brakes lasted 65000 rears 40000 Just replaced origional tires at 65000.Not as good of a car as my 2004 Camry but a whole lot more fun.

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  2007 Jetta 2.5 L (5 speed M) Review - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dave Havriliak - February 19 - 2:40 am

  Simply put, this is a car of great compromise. This is my first VW. I wanted to reduce my operating costs due to rising fuel prices in the middle of 2006. Therefore the Jetta was considered. I am really glad I got one. It will be used as a commuter car that will get 100 miles per day put on it. As of today it has about 8,000 miles. I am getting 28 MPG (mostly freeway 72 MPH average with cruise control and regular unleaded). I use Mobil 1 synthetic (0- 40 wt) oil. Although the 5-cyl. engine lacks a little torque in the low RPM range, the 5 valve head runs pretty decent if you need to put your foot in it (above 3,000 RPM). I am 6 1", 205 lbs and find the Jetta to have great comfort.

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  3K mi in - 2 months - 2013 Volkswagen Golf
  By j33ie - February 18 - 11:14 pm

  I did my homework to get my wife an economical car that would be an upgrade to her horrid corolla. Went with the TDI due to its track history. Fuel economy is better than EPA estimates. Driving it is smooth, fun and flawless. My wife loves to push its acceleration abilities. Handles brilliantly. Brakes are solid. The displays are great and intuitive. Bluetooth audio is pretty sweet as well -they dont advertise that feature. I like driving it more than my Saab 9-3 2.0T except for the fact that it is red. This car beats many Audis in price and comfort (same maker, I know). Overall, the best car I have owned and one of the few I would buy new due to its high resale value.

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  car for daddy - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By olly - February 18 - 2:00 am

  Cheap and easy to repair, lot of small problems - locks, airbag cable, drains but no expensive repair. engine and gearbox not killable. big fuel economy (small engine), very comfortable. The only 2 things i dont like; the exterior sound on highway and I have the impression that i have a truck engine with no power but noisy.

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  car for daddy - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Olly - February 18 - 2:00 am

  Cheap and easy to repair, lot of small problems - locks, airbag cable, drains but no expensive repair. engine and gearbox not killable. big fuel economy (small engine), very comfortable. The only 2 things i dont like; the exterior sound on highway and I have the impression that i have a truck engine with no power but noisy.