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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  Disaster Tiguan Experience - 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By zahid1 - June 7 - 8:56 am

  I am kissing VW brand good bye. It has been 2 years with Tiguan. It reminded me of my old 15 years old Honda accord and even that had fewer service visits. I am waiting anxiously to dump the vehicle after my lease expires. I am so lucky to not own one.

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  67,000 Miles and Needs a NEW ENGINE?! Save Your Money - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By never again VW - June 5 - 2:00 am

  We bought our Passat new, have always taken care of it, and up until recently we enjoyed it. Taking it into the shop this last time we JUST now found that out there is an OIL SLUDGE issue (which they have KNOWN about but didnt tell consumers!!) - to the tune of $1,500 to "maybe" fix the problem?!! If that doesnt work than theyre saying it needs a new ENGINE for $8,500! The car is STILL under warranty, but VW wont cover the repairs because we dont have all our receipts for oil changes! Talk about undermining on the edge of criminal. I will NEVER again buy a Volkswagen again! I guess folks are right : buy a Honda or Toyota and you wont get screwed!

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  Not a reliable car - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By madatedmunds - June 1 - 10:00 am

  3rd time trying to post this - maybe Edmunds is screening??? The car is fun to drive, is good-looking and powerful, but a pain in the butt. Problems with brakes, windows falling out, oxygen sensors (plural!), stereo, A/C, you name it. There is a reason the labor is cheaper in Mexico. Maybe the car is DESIGNED in Germany, but it isnt MADE in Germany. Unfortunately a test drive will not reveal the problems; living with the car will though.

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  Never Again - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VW Victim - May 30 - 9:13 am

  My 2002 1.8T is the worst new car I have ever owned. After a long history of expensive repairs, the coup de grace is that my transmission now has to be replaced at 95,000 miles. A $5,500 repair, almost what the car is worth. I owned two Audis previously which I drove for a total of 13 years. The two of them combined didnt require as much maintenance as the VW. I will never, ever consider another VW.

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  LEMON BEETLE - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By dilyse - May 27 - 7:27 am

  Bought this cute bug 6 years ago for my daughter. Has been in the shop more times than I can count. Ive always had it serviced right on time either at a dealer or by a VW specialist and still have tons of problems. Main ones: - SUNROOF LEAKS - ruined interior! Have taken it to a VW dealer 4 times and an independent specialist once. Still leaks. Really bad design! - POWER WINDOW MOTOR - Replaced - Misc Buttons - pop off. Design is also really a 2-seater as the rear seats are virtually useless for anyone over 5 feet tall. My daughter wanted this based on looks alone. At least this has been a great lesson for her. NEXT TIME SHELL BUY QUALITY IN ADDITION TO LOOKS. AVOID THE BUG!

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  2002 GLI - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By smitty541974 - May 26 - 10:00 am

  Well, I bought my GLI to compliment my Turbo S beetle but it has been in the shop for seven days now. For some reason the GLI stalls out after starting and sometimes doesnt start at all. VW of North America is aware of the problem.

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  HOLY GAS GUZZLER - 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
  By Watching the gas gauge - May 24 - 11:37 am

  Is anyone else having a issue with the gas usage? I just leased this new VW Atlas 2018 last tuesday September 26 I left the showroom with a full tank of gas, by Saturday night September 30th my light went on for low gas. I filled the tank up on Sunday and as of today Wednesday Oct 3 Im already at half tank..This is nuts. Ill be making another lease payment a month just for gas. Can someone advise if there having any gas issues with the gauge or anything. Each fill of tank is 315miles so if car was filled 2x that 630miles my odometer is only 242miles and I have about 215miles left. Im afraid to drive to NJ it will take a full tank to get there. SMH....

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  VW Toureg - all its cracked up to be? - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By VW Lover - May 9 - 10:00 am

  Overall, this is a nice vehicle. However, with all the hyp, I dont think it lived up to expectations. I was torn between this and an FX45 and decided to go with the VW. I think I made the wrong choice. That being said, this still is a nice car to drive.

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  After 9 months..... - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By daveeman - May 2 - 4:49 am

  I mainly purchased this car for the diesel fuel economy. My driving is mostly around town which gives me 36mpg. HWY is 43. All new cars are exciting at first, especially one with with great reviews as this one. My mind was already made up during the test drive, so I ignored a glaring issue. It is a rough riding car. I can feel (and hear) every crack in the pavement like Im piloting a go-kart. Each road thump echoes a mild bass throughout the car, causing the need for the stereo to be turned up to mask the road noise. I read that Hondas are known for road noise, but nothing could be this noisy. It corners well, but Id sacrifice the sport suspension any day for soft & quiet.

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  DO NOT BUY THIS CAR - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Joe - May 1 - 2:46 pm

  This car is the worse investment I have ever made. Bought it used in 05 with 18,000 miles on it for $18,500 and have put over $9,000 in it on maintenance. Currently it does not run because the car leaks water very badly through the ceiling. I had to replace both axels, the clutch after about 2,000 miles in my ownership, i had suspension problems, turbo/exhaust problems, leaking all over the ceiling. About 20 different hoses and gauges replaced, no exaggeration. It was on 2010s Consumer Reports worse car list. Timing belt was replaced a lot sooner than is should be replaced because of issues, the Catalytic Converter was replaced, all of this because of the cars build quality.