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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  WONDERFUL CAR - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ginger - December 4 - 5:16 pm

  I Love my VW Jetta- for some reason mine has not had any problems! The car has over a 100,000 miles now and is still running like a champ! Great car, affordable, and very cute!

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  I am wowd - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mattwitz1 - December 4 - 2:43 pm

  A "career move" put me in the market for a commuter car. My 02 SS Camaro is not fuel efficient (Dont worry, I still have it) I had come to terms with purchasing a New Honda Fit. The deal did not go smooth, so I started to look at other options. I stumbled across an 08 Wolfsburg w 5k, priced at $16.5k on the internet. The next morning, I headed to the dealership and fell in love with it after the first drive. Loved all of the Wolfsburg add ons, especially the 2.0 Turbo! I never thought I would love driving a Jetta, but I do! I find it more fun to drive than my Camaro. To add to that, I have been averaging 30 MPG hwy as well. My only issue is an annoying rattle from the dash moulding.

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  Love it so much, I bought 2! - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By nursenancy - December 3 - 10:20 pm

  I bought the New Beetle convertible the moment it came out. I had owned a New Beetle hatchback for 2 1/2 years and loved it so much I wanted another one. The convertible has much smaller trunk/storage space than the hatchback. If I have to transport anything that is too big to fit in the trunk, I just put the top down! Seriously, these cars handle great. I often drive mountain roads and the car is so stable. It provides a smooth ride and I get about 35 mpg on the highway. I have had zero trouble with it.

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  A Pleasure to Drive - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By cpogordon - December 3 - 6:50 pm

  After researching numerous cars including the Saab 9-5, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, Volvo S40 and Lincoln Zephyr I found that the for the money, standard features, resale potential, style, safety features, and performance the VW 2.0T Passat was the best deal out there. It is a great looking car that seems to even get better looking every day. It has the power of a six cellandar and the automatic transmission is smooth as silk. While I wanted the Dynaudio system and the wood trim I didn’t want to spend all the extra money on various packages to get it and have settled for an aftermarket real wood dash kit and have found the stock stereo to be more than adequate.

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  love my TDI wagon - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By fogwall - December 3 - 7:53 am

  I drive this thing hard commuting in and out of SF. I get a consistent 37 mpg during my two week fill up period and thats hard driving up and over SF hills with some freeway mixed in. Its comfortable for me as the driver but the back seat is a bit limited in leg space behind me because I am 62" and the seat is all the way back leaving about 5 inches of leg space back there. No Mechanical problems ever, always run low sulfur. Even with the 90 HP it still pulls fully loaded w 4 people and gear over highway 80 Donner pass at 75-80 mph. I smile at the SUVs because I know Im getting at least 2 or 3 X their mpg as I pass them over the mountain :)

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  The Peoples Auto - Drivers Wanted! - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Happy Bug - December 1 - 3:13 am

  In a word the 2006 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5 is FUN! The new 5-cylinder engine has great pick-up and the Tiptronic transmisson is smooth and responsive. I bought the car for my wife as her grocery getter but I honestly enjoy just as much has she does. Being that our first car as a married couple was a 73 Beetle we had to finally get one. Mid-life crisis...no way, it is a great car. The smiles and waves you get, not just from other Beetle owners, but from other drivers are awesome.

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  Great Car - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By AH - November 30 - 5:50 pm

  I know that the reviews of the VWs have been mixed but our car has been great. We currently have 110,000 on the car, which we bought new in 2000. Besides scheduled maintenance, we have only had two repair issues - a sensor, which ended up being a recall item, and the catalytic converter, which was pricey. The car does burn oil, about a quart every quarter or so, but other that that we have had no problems whatsoever. We are quite happy with the car. Now, would we buy another VW? Even though weve had no problems, given all of the bad stories weve heard... no.

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  VW finally got it right... - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By bronzkitty - November 30 - 6:43 am

  Lease was up on my 2006 VW Passat; been waiting for the CC but test drove everything under the sun in the meantime. The CC is everything Id hoped it would be: exterior build and interior fit are exemplary. The car is fast and for the most part rides smooth (the run-flat tires make the ride a tad rougher). The navigation and satellite radio are a definite upgrade from my 06 Passats navi. My mom and I were sitting in the car last night watching Indiana Jones on DVD; the sound was amazing and I dont even have Dynaudio. VW got this one right.

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  Great fun with utility and economy to boot - 2009 Volkswagen GTI
  By scottie3000 - November 30 - 1:49 am

  I have owned this car since new and took delivery in Feb 09. I have had the computer re-flashed to make more power, and I think this is how the car should have come from the factory. It is a claimed 300 lb/ft and 250 hp. The torque is what is great about this car. Just push the pedal and it goes! No drama, just thrust. I average about 29 MPG overall through mixed driving. Issues: My brake pads in the front did not engage the rotor fully, replaced bythe dealer and now theyre great. Random rattles in the dash and rear seat area. The transmission occasionally jerks when pulling away from a stop. No reliability issues and these have been very minor for an overall good car

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  Good Speed - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By Steven Lau - November 29 - 10:00 am

  Beautiful car Ive loved VWs all my life even if some reviewers say its not that good its been a very good car to me and its the best car to fix and enjoy.