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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  Shame on You VW! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By For shame! - February 7 - 10:00 am

  This car is TERRIBLE! Once you get past the cool blue lights, youre stuck with a lemon. I read other reviews, and wont bore you by repeating that ALL of those things have happened to my car too - O2 sensor, windows, door locks, glove compartment, door leaks, sunroof, creaky sounds, temp. gauge - in 3 years! Putting this kind of car on the market should be a crime! Anyone want to join a supp

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  what next? - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By danuta - February 7 - 10:00 am

  allready broken and towed on carrier truck ,got stuck on "park" position.Hope yours is stiil drivinng well.

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  Great Car-Compares to near luxury class - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Craig Cr. - February 7 - 10:00 am

  Great car. It is tight, handles great, and has plenty of power with the 1.8 turbo. I drove the Saab 9- 3, Audi A-4, Acura TSX before deciding on the Passat and love it! It has more room than the A4, and is thousands less. The Saab is nice, but again the Passat does it all better for less, and the Acura..blah, blah. The Passat could easily compete with cars costing $10,000 more. I drove the 6cyl Passat and preferred the 1.8, it felt peppier with the turbo, and is easier on the gas, the leather adds a lot of luxury to the car, with leather wrapped steering wheel & controls, heated seats, rear sunshade and heated nozzles...its worth it.

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  Disappointed 2nd time buyer - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By S. Parker - February 7 - 10:00 am

  Warning to all - do not park under any tree. Had to replace windshild at one week old after a hickor nut hit on the exposed edge of the glass. The edge is the most fragile part and VW needs to cover this edge. Hearing vibration noises from the dash at only two months. Very disappointed in this car. Thought I would be getting the same quality as the 88 Jetta I had bought new back then, but it is not there. The car looks good but the quality isnt backing up the looks. Need more leg room in front and back.

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  Have Loved Every Mile Driving My Bug! - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Cheryl Tamburri - February 7 - 8:08 am

  My 2006 VW NEW BEETLE 6 speed A/T came with everything available, clear down to convertible top boot, wind screen, leather everything, seat warmers, satellite radio. Arctic Blue with a gray top has been a rarity out here in CA, but that top has been down a zillion times in CA weather. 10 years and 80,000 miles later it still drives like the day I bought it; but it has been lovingly maintained and service schedules followed - the key to any cars longevity. Turbos were standard in this model and this little car kicks gas, so fun to drive. Having said that, its a Bug, low tech as they come but efficient and with usual German sensibility everything is where it should be in the cockpit. Time to part company with the old girl, not easy, as she still looks like the day she left the dealers lot. Hope shell make somebody else as tickled to drive her as Ive been ~ truly, best cat ever.

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  30K - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jedi - February 7 - 2:56 am

  We picked up this vehicle on Oct. 1st 2009. It is our first VW and we love it. I have a long commute to work and needed a fuel efficient vehicle that will last 2-300,000 miles so we bought a diesel. I drive 90 miles round trip to work. 70% 65 mph up and down hills and 30% city driving. After 30,000 miles we are averaging 42.5 mpg. Winter driving and fuel blend owers the mpgs but the summer is great. Last 5 tanks have all been over 45 mpg and 600+ miles/tank. Weve taken it on road trips to see family in Minneapolis and we get 52.1 on our trip. Our best tank was 50.7! So far there have been no problems and we are satisfied thus far.

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  Happy and Sad - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By BuffaloScout - February 7 - 2:30 am

  Purchased this used vehicle for my 90 mile a day/6 day a week job. Right away noticed that at least twice a year something would go wrong requiring $500-1200 dollars to fix at the local dealership. Now with 156000 miles my little yellow light told me it required a new transmission. Bummer as I wanted to fully test the longevity of the diesel engine. It reminds me of an expensive girlfriend that you really love, but have to lose to keep your sanity/money. Hence the bipolar ratings I gave this car.

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  CC 2.0T Manual - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By paul - February 6 - 6:56 am

  Traded in my 2000 A6 2.7T on the CC. I am very pleased with the of the car overall. While not as luxurious or powerful as my old Audi, its hard to believe this car can be had for under 26k. It looks and feels like a much more expensive car and the 2 tone leatherette interior is top notch. The clutch is very light and the 6 speed manual is satisfying. This is a great car! I hope it proves to be reliable long term vehicle. That was my only concern repurchasing from this German brand.

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  Well built car that is fun to drive also - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jet25s - February 6 - 5:23 am

  I have had the car for three months and it has been good to me as a daily commuter car. The engine pulls hard from the low rpm range and the manual transmission shifts very smoothly but with assurance. The suspension is dialed between comfort and handling so it is not very cushy but it has more body roll than I would like. It feels as quick as my 2500lb Miata in the straight line acceleration. I have autocrossed the Jetta and it pleasantly surprised me in its stock form with the all season tires. The rear view mirror developed a crack this morning when the heat came on when it was frozen. I am hoping it will be covered under warranty...

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  One of the best cars made - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By 04sienna - February 5 - 1:16 am

  This is an amazing car that looks and drives like new 5 years later. It is fun to drive, yet is still a luxury car. There have been no problems with this car ever, and it just has the normal service at the dealer. It has had its share of miles on it and there is just no way I can get rid of it. It may not look it, especially with it being a VW, but forget the problems known about VW, because they are not true. The one thing to know is that this car will last forever as long as it gets serviced.