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:

• 

  Love my Diesel Jetta - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dan - January 4 - 1:13 pm

  Well, no matter the fuel costs, $1.59/gal(june04) or $2.09/gal(12/04), I get the advertised 38mpg city, but set at cruise, 65mph Hwy, I get 52 mpg. The overall comfort is very good, but the front seat shoulders should curve in more as being 5-4" I dont get full effect of seat comfort. Interior controls are very easy to use w/o affecting driving, rear seat leg room cramped a bit, but manageable. I sometimes get "creaking" noise in doors, but I WD40 the hinges and that stops. LOVE the interior control lighting. Its fun to drive all the time. I look forward to driving it. Handles all curves excellent, even at 45 mph.

• 

  Land Rover LR3 to Jetta Sport Wagon - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jeff - January 3 - 9:10 pm

  Love this car. Much more fun to drive than the LR3, plus I prefer the look. My last several trips to Europe my rental cars were VWs and I always enjoyed the driving experience thru Austria and Germany. Back in the 70s I had a 59 magic bus complete with shag carpet, wood panneling, curtains and the 8 track tape player.. Also owned a 62 bug in Hawaii. Those VWs were cool!

• 

  Only 48 hours in, but awesome so far - 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By guymeister - January 3 - 4:14 pm

  I just picked up my new 2012 LE model 2 days ago, so I havent had a lot of experience with it and cant comment on its long term durability, but so far, its been awesome. Its much more car than I thought I was getting - very quick, yet with a very solid feel, quite fast (it feels much faster in 0 to 60 than the official times for it), it has more than enough conveniences, a lot of room, and it looks great. And the gas mileage is good (roughly 24 round town, which I think is exactly what its supposed to be). I love it.

• 

  Happy Long Time Owner - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By John - January 3 - 1:23 pm

  I purchased my manual 1997 Passat new and always took good care of it and did the regular scheduled maintenance. It has over 100,000 miles and it has been great. It is now getting a little long in the tooth and Im evaluating new cars for purchase. This car has been very good for me and very economical to keep for the past ten years.

• 

  Golf Forever - 2005 Volkswagen Golf
  By Phil - January 3 - 11:00 am

  Coming from England to US, I have driven many cars. The GOLF TDI is a popular car in a market where a very large percentage are diesel due to the price of gas. The golf is very well built, solid and offers many air bags. The handling and styling of the car is excellent - golf owners appreciate their reliable, frugal workhorse and once bitten rarely stop becoming VW owners. The quality of the build is excellent and as is the Monsoon sound system. My primary reason for buying was to get a safe, well-built, reliable, quality car which offered good gas mileage. I get around 40 mpg which is excellent - my only regret is not looking at a passat TDI - rear legroom space is limited.

• 

  NEVER LOOKING BACK - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By BRANDON - January 3 - 10:26 am

  I am so glad I took the time to compare. Ive been an Infinity owner for the past 6 years but decided to test drive the VW CC bfore my next purchase; and "Thank God" I did. Ive only had my new CC for 2 months but I feel like its a test drive each morning just going to work. I love my VW and the solid feel it gives me. I just feel safer and sportier in it.

• 

  Smiles At Ya - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Zonk - January 3 - 6:43 am

  We have raised our families on old and new Beetles. We have owned a 1966, 1972, 1979, a 1968 Ghia, along with a 1999 New Beetle, tomoatoe red hardtop. We have always wanted a convertible and finally found the opportunity to own one this year. This new salsa red with tan interior and top is our "dream come true Beetle." It is fun to drive with the roof up or down. The power roof is sweeeeeet. The leather interior is nice and comfortable. The dash is ergonomically freindly. The Beetle sound system has a very quality sound. We have the 17" tires and wheels and I think the ride is compromised with this combination. Our Beetle always draws comments and waves when cruising the highway.

• 

  I hate my jetta! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Irrate - January 3 - 4:20 am

  There is not enough room to write everything I hate about this car. I have had nothing but problems with this car from day 1. Ive had problems w/ the shifting, replaced a cracked tri-pod ball joint replaced the coolant system, and now I have to replace the timing belt and valves, not to mention all the other minor problems I have had too. The VW dealership is as terrible as their car. I would NEVER recommend a VW to anyone! I am now the irate owner of a very heavy/expensive paper weight. My VW Jetta is worthless. Worst car ever!

• 

  Fun and Stylish MPGs - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jmmeeks - January 2 - 11:25 am

  The manual TDI is fun to drive, and gets great mpg. EPAs city mpg is about right - I get 29-32 mpgs on my commute (suburban + city streets, 16 mi. each way). On the highway, though, I usually get 48 mpg. The interior leans high-end - seat warmers, speaker phone, and the spots you actually touch while driving (arm rests, steering wheel, turn signal) have a soft feel. The top of the console extends to an arm rest wide enough for both driver and passenger. The Fender speakers are fantastic, but the iPhone interface can be prickly. When my phone is connected via the media cord, the system sometimes gets confused between that connection and Bluetooth.

• 

  Total Fun Car! - 2009 Volkswagen EOS
  By Steve - January 2 - 9:06 am

  Ive always wanted a hard-top convertible ever since I saw one two months ago. I generally assumed that it would be way out of my price range, but when I found out that Volkswagen made a hard-top convertible, I was totally hoodlumed. It turned out to be not only very reasonably priced but it drives and handles really well. People will also be very surprised by the roominess of the rear seats. The back is definitely big enough to hold two average sized dwarfs or a couple of medium sized farm animals. My automatic transmission shifts very smoothly and the engine definitely holds its own on the highway. Overall, this car is a pleasure to drive.