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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  Look high and low. Passat is best. - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Kevin in Houston - April 28 - 1:30 pm

  Pros: "Laser-track" drive; quiet cabin; rich interior; fine finish even in hidden areas; 48mo/50K warranty; VALUE compared to all below $34K! Toyota/Honda, look! Cant touch it! Cons:"Turbo lag" takes getting used to. Passat is IT! Study the $24-34K market. Only 325i is close... so keep that extra $10K! Youll get much the same for a price below sticker. Turbo lag? Just punch through it. Youll always turn to look when you park. And Monsoon is superb - Better than in our Lexus.

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  Pure Fun - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By delf - April 28 - 5:43 am

  This is my wifes car and i want one! She was driving a 2005 Toyota Sienna van, which is great for a big family but not for tooling around LA. This car is really well built - go VW! The paddles on the wheel rock, plus the tiptronic too. It is great to have the hatchback feature. We also looked at the Audi A3 with the same engine, but opted for the GTI.

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  Improving on the best. - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By dsgfan - April 27 - 4:43 am

  Coming from the owner of a MkV GTI, this car has improved in almost every aspect. Ride feels better and handling much improved. The biggest improvement was in the interior. The 2010 model comes with one unmatched by anything this side of 30k. Far better than that of the Mazdaspeed3 or Civic Si, not in the same league as the WRX and American hot hatches.

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  expensive German lady - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rhoda sagun - April 26 - 2:14 am

  Good car when taken care of properly

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  This GTI rocks - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By HPinRI - April 25 - 8:43 pm

  Ive owned 2 GTIs, a Mark I and a Mark II, then went to BMWs until I got sick of the maintenance expense and bought a very reliable (and boring) Camry Hybrid. When I saw the new Mark VI, it just spoke to me. I was slightly anxious about quality after a bad experience with my wifes Touareg and her Jetta before that. But, Consumer Reports had good things to say, and Automobile magazine, and every other publication I read. Im happy to report that build quality is amazing - this car feels like a Mercedes... its solid, fit and finish is exceptional, and its quiet as a church. The power out of this 4 cylinder is amazing. The interior quality is very high. And its a blast to drive.

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  Graduation Present - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Graduation Present - April 25 - 8:06 am

  I bought my daughter a new 08 Jetta SE as her collge graduation present. I picked it up on Wednesday, delivered it to her in Philadelphia on Saturday, it was dead on Sunday and in the shop on Monday. The electronic engine fan would not shut off and it drained the battery. It was towed to dealer where they diagnosed a faulty fan controller module. Took 2 days to get the part. Hopefully this fixes it and it is the only thing that goes wrong with it. I have an 2007 New Beetle with the same engine in it and I love the car and I have had no problems. I also have a 2006 Passat and have had only minor problems like faulty gas cap. So you see I am a Volkswagen person.

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  Love this Car! - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By SweetPea - April 24 - 8:03 pm

  I am as tough on cars -- I have 4 dogs -- and I am not diligent about maintenance. I have put 170,000 abusive miles on my Passat in six years and have driven it to death. Except for oil issues in last two years -- I have not had much trouble. I replaced the oil pump twice and the water pump once -- thats been it, besides brakes and tires. VW dealer prices are stiff, so I use a reliable local guy for repairs. The Passats tyling and drivebility are great. All of its interior features continue to work perfectly. The trunk space is great and the back seat collapses for extra room. I think this is a great car and would buy another, even though oil issues prevail. I have learned that timely maintenance is key.

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  Love my Wolfsberg but ... - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ally - April 23 - 10:00 am

  All in all I love this car. It is fun to drive, responsive, get gas mileage, but it has had its problems. drivers seat frame replaced twice, lumbar support repaired, passenger seat frame replaced once, cupholders are useless, doors squeak but wiping weather stripping with Armor-All helps. speakers rattle, coating on the inside trim is peeling, driver side window clips and rotor have been replaced, ignition coil replaced, and the a/c quit at 32,000 - dealer said it is an electrical problem and they are researching. My biggest complaint is with the dealer - they are VERY rude, do not return calls, and argue with me when I bring my car in for repair.

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  Volkswagen GLS TDI - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Bobjohnsunjr - April 23 - 10:00 am

  I love it very much

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  Love my Jetta - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Customer - April 23 - 8:23 am

  Ive owned 2 prior VWs (2002 Passat and 2005 Jetta), all have been reliable. So far, after 6 months, this Jetta is proving the same. I picked the VW over competitors for the options and the drive.