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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  Never Again . . . - 2001 Volkswagen GTI
  By JDC - December 26 - 10:00 am

  This car has been plagued with problems, regardless of the fact that I bought it new. Where do I start? 1)Rain sensor was broken, which required a new windshield. 2)Rear-view mirror came detached twice. 3)Check engine light came on twice. 4) Passenger window fell in. 5)Air conditioning motor stopped working. 6) Alarm system malfunctioned. I take excellent care of this car, yet Volkswagen has let me down repeatedly. I will never again purchase a Volkswagen, and I am cautioning everyone I know to stay away from them.

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  Shouldve bought a Honda - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Guni - December 26 - 10:00 am

  After having an 89 Accord for 10 years it was time to try something new since the body design on the Hondas began to look like suppositories. I really liked the style of the VW. This is not enough reason to buy a VW. Within 3 months the transmission acted up and the dealer tried to tell me it wasnt covered under the bumper2bumper warranty. A year later the ignition coil cracked and had to have that replaced which the dealer did do but the cleaning ($200) wasnt covered. Now theres either a bearing, the tension pulley for the timing belt or the AC compressor has gone. Never had these problems with my Accord. Not worth the headache.

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  Stay Away! - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By gardnerleo - December 26 - 10:00 am

  Wed hoped to have the Jetta for many years -- it was fun to drive, got good mileage, and was well-designed. But three months after getting it, the electric system failed. Scrape the front bumper on the curb and it would come off. That happened four times. Sensors went out. Parts failed. All this despite regular service and care. Finally, something got loose around the catalytic converter. We said thats it. Just got a new Subaru Forester. I hope it lasts as long as wed HOPED the VW would. VW, you should be ashamed.

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  You have to test drive this car!!!! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By c74 - December 26 - 10:00 am

  This car wasnt even on my list of possibilities, but someone convinced me to test drive one and I fell in love. The beige leather interior with the wood trim is gorgeous; it truly feels like a luxury automobile. And it has a sporty feel to it (for a 4-dr sedan), I love just driving around in it. I noticed that its also a real head turner (unlike the Camry or Accord) And, if you get a darker color for the exterior, the chrome accents stand out a lot more, its just a really sharp looking car.

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  2003 Passat GL - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By panderholm - December 26 - 10:00 am

  I enjoy this car. I had a 2000 Accord EX V6 A, and I simply like the Passat better. It handles great especially since Ive added 17 inch wheels and high performance tires -- like night and day. For a basic family sedan that looks sharp and drives well, the Passat is the way to go IMHO.

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  German Engineering - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Vazzellaki - December 26 - 10:00 am

  This is the second VW jetta I have had within 4 and a half years. At first i leased a 1999 new body style jetta gl...roll up windows, hub caps, tape players, the basics. I loved it!!!!!!! That is why i went and leased another one after my lease was up...a 2003 gls with the works. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE VOLKSWAGEN JETTA...everything about it is great! Fun to drive, easy to handle, and has some power to it as well for a 2.0.....

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  18 Wheeler VS. Beetle - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By BugDieselVW - December 26 - 10:00 am

  I was hit by any 18 wheeler and the cars protective features really did a super job. I survived the crash with only a few bumps and bruises. Even the windows stayed in tact. I loved my Bug before but now I am in love.

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  a new kind of vehicle - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid
  By may22 - December 25 - 11:36 pm

  brought my 2009 jetta into the dealer to resolve a problem , and while waiting browsed the show room and met a used dealer jetta hybrid on display , went for a demo drive and bought the demo 2013 jetta hybrid SEL . although the 2009 jetta is a great car to drive with plenty of torque , the hybrid is quieter , smother with a bunch of bells and whistles . and drives like a cloud , compared to the tdi jetta , and gets 49 -50 MPG. average for a month worth of driving averaged 47 MPG. although having to use premium gasoline (that is cheaper than diesel) the MPG is a little better than the TDI . of all the vehicles I have had over the many years the TDI was the most fun to drive. hybrid +

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  Love my Jetta (First car) - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lovemyjetta09 - December 25 - 10:53 pm

  This is my first car, I love it! Its a great way to enter. The brakes, the engine, the steering, everything! Its perfect. The fuel efficiency is amazing, I can go 500 miles on one single tank. Ive read lots of problems with this cars. Mine happens to be the Wolfsburg edition and its great! You will not be disappointed, especially with the rising fuel prices, you cant beat it. My car out performs most hybrids, with fuel and power :). The 100 horse power feels like 1000! Its the best, I plan to drive the wheels off

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  Good Value - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By brian_b18 - December 24 - 9:53 pm

  Have had this car for about a year now and really like it. Jettas had a bad rep a few years ago for electrical problems but that appears to have been worked out. However I do have an annoying rattle on the dash and its a bit noisy on the freeway. It is a very fun car to drive and handles well in snow/ice even though I have low profile performance tires. TIP: if you are trying to get out of the snow then turn off ASR! Its a great safety feature when youre driving but if you need to get un-stuck then you dont want it on! I love the blue lit dash at night and the red lights that beam down from the roof. Very cool. My teenage son loves it and is now a VW fan. Car is very sharp looking.