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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  Can VW succeed with the Pheaton ? - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By VW Out to Lunch - January 9 - 10:00 am

  The car is pleasant to drive. The big problem is that VW and their dealers do not seem to be on the same page when it comes to important things like what kind of oil to use for oil changes. The owners manual and VW say to ONLY use 5w40 oil which meets VWs 502.00 standard. That means a synthetic oil. Dealers appearently are tying to not give customers sticker shock on oil changes because they all use conventional motor oil on the order of 5w30 or 10w40. VW has recently issued an 8 year extended warranty for many VWs with the 1.8 turbo gas engine yet they dont seem to be able to convince their dealers to use the very oil that they, VW, says to owners is so very important. Go figure.

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  My Phaeton - 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By wtahra - January 9 - 10:00 am

  I recently leased a 2004 Phaeton, having previously leased Passats. The Pheaton is far superior to any Volkswagon product I have ever had. The attention to detail is obvious from the seats to the dash including the a/c vents in wood trim which fold back when the a/c is turned on - Wow, what a cool feature. It is a pleasure to drive (power and quietness of cabin)with a mountain of room in the back. Based upon the price as compared to others whom I know who have leased the BMW 745i and what they have paid - It is a supremely better deal.

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  Big Disappointment - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By MikeLozzie - January 9 - 10:00 am

  Love the engine and styling, the car is way fun to drive, but Ive had it in the shop far too often: ignition coils (four of them, one at a time), brakes (at 20k miles!), headlights (twice), now the transmission is acting up. Im going baqck to Japanese cars.

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  Not all Bugs are bad - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By PalisadesBug - January 9 - 10:00 am

  Whats this headlight BS? I change my own! The bulbs cost between 8 - 15. And I burned out 3 in the years Ive had the car. Yes, I know plenty of people with VW products. Some are nightmares, only made worse by incredibly poor dealer service. Even so, another New Beetle is a possiblity for me. The car has some great features, and the interior is comfortable, and capable of carrying quite a bit. Even with a Kayak on top I get over 30mpg. Try to do that in an SUV. The car is a personal expression. But be forewarned there are some genetic throwbacks out there who have adverse reactions to the little bug...screw them! Have fun, drive safe and alert...

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  My Next Car Will be a Passat - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By mcambs - January 9 - 10:00 am

  I have loved my 2000 Passat since I purchased it in the summer of 2002! Friends comment what a beautiful car, both inside and out, my Passat GLX 4 Motion Wagon is. The car loves to drive fast and even at high speeds the ride is smooth and quiet. I did buy the car used with 29K miles and purchased an extended warranty. Ive used it to replace the tie rod ends ($500 repair) at appx 55K miles. The rear wiper works but the washer has never worked...oh, well. My youngest stepped on the rear cupholder and broke it...wasnt really functional anyway...besides I prefer the no eating/no drinking in the car!

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  Tourag for people who diidnt buy this - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By baskridgenj - January 9 - 10:00 am

  This is by far the best suv we have ever had (6 to date). It is elegant and the v8 delivers more than enough power. highly recommended. complaint is teh navigation system is not on par w/ bmw or lexus and the roof racks cause wind noise at high speeds (we removed teh racks, teh car looks better without them). But the car is awesome, great ride and teh interior can not be beat

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  2000 Beetle Review - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Sridhar - January 9 - 10:00 am

  I bought the beetle cause it was my childhood dream to own one. The car drives awesome, the way it handles curves and braking etc., you never feel you are out of control. But sadly, I sold mine today not for comfort reasons but for reliability. The quality control is poor, the window trimming gives way, and the window switches are flaky, and after it crossed 50K miles, this year I had to go the dealer multiple times to get my engine check light fixed. When I talk to the service agents about the quality issues, they shrug their shoulders and say it is normal wear and tear. I own a camry with 80K miles and never had any problems. Reliability is one reason I would never buy VW or recommend it

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  awesomeness - 2010 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By rocky balboa - January 9 - 4:56 am

  You can cause pain just by driving it. Punch buggy is still popular, right?

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  Didnt last long before trouble prevailed! - 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By ogopogo - January 9 - 3:12 am

  Bought 2014 Tiguan in May. Have driven 9700 km in 3 mos., mostly hwy driving. Previous 3 yrs drove a JEEP Grand Cherokee Overlander. Disliked it lagged when speeding up to pass a car. My 2004 Toyota 4-Runner had awesome pickup! Tiguans has good pickup. I drive 13 hrs, & found I couldnt stretch my legs, so my left knee would stiffen & bother me. Putting my seat back, made me too far away. Im 53". Vehicle went in for oil change Aug 6. It drove perfectly prior; after it shakes like Im driving in an earthquake at 80 km/hr and gets worse by 100 km/hr (60mi/hr). It feels dangerous to drive now. Taking it back in Monday morning to rectify whatever is the problem.

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  Decent investment - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By michman247 - January 8 - 11:19 am

  I bought this car used, 2.0l, 5 speed manual, with under 95k miles. So far I havent had any problems and it runs great. Overall, the exterior and interior are fine, nothing to brag about although it is a little snug in the back. The car handles well, the power is what youd expect out of a 4 cylinder, 1st gear is almost worthless. As far as maintenance is concerned, I can do most of the basics easily but the more advanced fixes are not cheap. If you can find one that had the timing belt, water pump, tensioner and etc changed recently then youll save yourself a couple hundred dollars. If I had the choice again, Id probably purchase another VW.