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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  Love this Bug - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Momsmoose - January 12 - 7:23 pm

  My wife has always wanted a Bug ragtop. This is our first convertible and we just love it. It rides well, looks great, and really goes. Ours is a silver, 1.8 Liter Turbo with a black top and black leather. It also has the low profile tires and custom wheels. An older gentleman asked me if it was a Porsche, so I told him, Why yes it is! While no Boxster, its great fun. Do yourself a favor and buy one!

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  Oklahoma City 2010 Jetta TDI Sedan - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By OklaVolks - January 11 - 3:56 pm

  I bought my Jetta TDI sedan in September and have been very pleased with it so far. Ive put over 1,000 miles on it in city, mixed, and highway driving and have averaged 38 mpg per fill up. My previous car was a 2004 Acura TSX which was fun to drive and very reliable but which used premium unleaded gas. The Jetta is about 60% more fuel efficient than my TSX and almost as much fun to drive. I like the DSG transmission just fine and have no complaints as do some other reviewers about lack of "creep" at a stop, the engine downshifting, etc. The fit and finish are very good, the handling is excellent, and there are a lot of nice little touches in the car that were unexpected pleasant surprises.

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  GLI Kicks Ass! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By petron - January 11 - 10:00 am

  The car is fast and thrilling for a small sedan! Great traction contol and ABS system. Although there is a slight float to the suspension, it corners and handles very nicely at higher speeds. With the 2.8l engine and the 6 gears, who needs turbo?

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  As Good As It Gets :) - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Airwlf0028 - January 11 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Jetta 1.8T 5M on April 02. Ive been searching around for cars for 2 months and i skipped a Physics Test to take a look at the Jetta. 10:15am: searched around for a Jetta. 10:45:test drove a silver 1.8T. 12PM:went to work. 8PM:Got out of work. 8:30PM:BOUGHT THAT JETTA!!! With just one test drive that car has impressed me! Ive owned that car for lil over a yr n it has 16k miles on it n all 16k miles were fun to drive! The acceleration is awesome! i luv the sound of the turbo kicking in and iv gone 135mph!! If your looking for a car with good fuel effiency (26-28 city/hwy as of now for me) and good performance, the VW Jetta is the way to go! :)

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  My first fun VW - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jeff Ogden - January 11 - 10:00 am

  After owning FOUR Honda Accords, I decided to go for more. Great styling, handles like a BMW, excellent features like 200 watt Monsoon sound system, power seats with memory and great moonroof. NOT as quick as the V6 Accord, but traction control and handling are superior. Nicely styled too.

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  Best small car around!! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dcpo - January 11 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my TDI Jetta Sedan for a over 8 mos. and 12.5k miles. MPG as high as 52 before I put a roof rack on it. I still get over 40 with a kayak & bike on the roof. I love the fact that there are studs for mounting the roof rack firmly already built into the car. You wont win any drag races with this car, but you can easily merge with traffic on highways & pass cars on back roads. The shifter is smooth & direct. With the back seat down, storage room is great. Handling & ride are great. Seats & ergos are the best Ive had. Other than a blown fuse the 1st weekend I had the car, nothing has gone wrong. I am very pleased with my TDI.

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  My Favorite Beetle Ever - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By 1drbug79 - January 10 - 9:33 pm

  I love this car more then any of my other Beetles. Its power is great, I dont even mind the fuel economy after all Im the one driving that way. The change VW made to the cupholders is great. The style charges, as small as they were, are terrific. This car needed to become a real good looking car and it did. My husband can even drive it and not feel like hes driving a girly car, that kind of bugs me though now he takes it golfing on nice days. I miss her. Yes its a her, Rosie.

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  Great car after 2 years - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jeff - January 10 - 4:30 am

  No problems to report after 2 years of ownership. Highly recommend this vehicle, particularly if you want to get combination of good fuel economy and performance.

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  New Beetle Convertible - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By meyer - January 10 - 1:26 am

  After driving the Audi A4 Cabrio and Nissan 350Z convertible, I sat in the Beetle. What a difference. Unlike the Audi, the pedals are far enough apart so you dont hit the brakes while touching the gas. Unlike the Z, you have SPACE! Needless to say...after taking a quick spin, I wrote a check for the car. I got mine for a fair price - less than its Edmunds.com TMV...on the road! I just took an extanded long weekend road trip. What a blast. I wish they had lumbar in the seats...like my two Passats though.

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  From MB to VW - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By sdhayes - January 9 - 6:23 pm

  My wife was driving a 1995 C220 sedan. We had a good one, but decided to trade it in on a new VW with FWD and way more safety features. This 20K sedan is far away a fantastic value for the build quality and level of equipment it offers. Seats are comfy, and the trunk is huge. Performance is average with the 2.5 motor. the tiptronic trans works great! I only hope we got a good copy of the Jetta and it proves to be as reliable as the MB was.