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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  Noise - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By behrang abbassi - December 20 - 2:00 am

  my experience has not been bad, but it wasnt exactly the bargain i thought it would be. i am dissapointed in 3 areas. first, the engine noise is too much inside the cabin at 4ooo rpm. perhaps there should be a 6th gear. second, the car is not very responsive in any gear if you need pass someone you need some time to pick up momentum before you can try to pass someone. Third, burns little bit of oil. at 70000 miles.

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  Worth the Price! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By nbhsssd - December 20 - 2:00 am

  A Volkswagon for this price???? Yup..., and worth every penny. Theres nothing "economy" about this vehicle (certainly not price or fuel economy). But it handles like a sports car, and rides like a luxury car.

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  Great car! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Marie21 - December 20 - 2:00 am

  Everytime I get into my car I am reminded how much I love it. I commute frequently so I need something both reliable and fun to drive. Ive certainly found both of those in the Jetta.

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  Very Good Car, Very Happy - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By gerhard schonian - December 19 - 12:26 am

  The Touaregs style is very nice. It has a very roomy interior.

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  I Still LOVE This Car - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By thevelvetelvis - December 18 - 6:14 pm

  I bought my 2004 passat GLX 4motion slightly used with less than 9,000 miles on it. I lived in North Idaho for 11 years and this little car handled everything the weather threw at it. Now Im in Florida and I still love my car. Im At 65,000 miles and It has had no problems at all. Zero. I always do the routine maintenance and It still runs amazingly well. I have always had Japanese cars with their very good repair record but loved the way this little car handled so I bought it, always thinking if it becomes a problem, Ill sell it and move on. When its time to replace this car Ill get another German car. I just love the way they handle. Its sick, but I do love this car.

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  Passat passes them all - 2014 Volkswagen Passat
  By doug g - December 18 - 1:40 pm

  Great mileage. Comfortable seats. Large trunk. Great acceleration. Excellent for trips and daily commute.

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  Nice car - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By AK - December 17 - 9:03 pm

  I have leased this car and have driven about 1500 miles. It is a nice car to drive. I test drove a BMW 5 series and a Mercedes E350 before deciding on the Passat. It offers a great ride for much less price. However, only manage to get about 20 mile/gallon and there are some noise from plastic parts inside. A little catch up to do when compared with infinity G35 and Lexus E class at a slightly higher price. Wanted to drive a German car and a nice one overall.

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  Will always be my favorite and possible only type of car!!! - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By frunklaje - December 17 - 11:22 am

  Awesome little bug! It can carry a lot even three dogs, nice spoiler,(not a surprise it comes out at 90mph) great mileage have gotten 40 on highway, very small and compact but still a lot of head room. PS: Very strong panels. Ran into a van, van got a dent but no scratch on the beetle.

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  Little bargain monster - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Dell_Boy - December 17 - 2:00 am

  If you want a cool looking fun to drive cheap to run runabout then this is it!! I actually traded down from a 2009 GTI with DSG to my VW Rabbit with the standard automatic and I actually prefer the drive of the Rabbit than I did to the GTI. Power delivery is obviously less but not a huge difference as it has 170bhp which has plenty up and go for me. The car is very versatile, comfortable on long journeys, love the 60/40 split rear seats to give HUGE cargo space for such a little car, 4 doors makes it a good family car with kids and cheap enough to buy out right so I have no car payments :-) I love it!!! You cannot go wrong with this well built European styling little rocket.

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  Review - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By New Owner - December 17 - 2:00 am

  My Vw gets me where i want to be. i drive it alot and it gets great gas mileage. It hasa lot of odd bugs that need to be worked out and it always has something going on but i guess what car with high mileage doesnt have that. Everything radio Wise works.. and heat and air.. so thats fine with me.