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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  Worse than the first - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Really Bugged - December 14 - 2:00 am

  Noisy. Slow. Unreliable. Cheap interior pieces. Grossly overpriced. Youd think I was talking about a Hyundai? Nope. Were talking about the "new" Beetle, which is a more miserable experience than the "old" Beetle. Every emissions control piece has failed. Switches break. Bottoms out in car washes. Recalls. More interior rattles than cars 1/3 the price. Of 10 cars, this is the worst Ive ever owned.

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  Wud be great if wasnt bugged - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By mferreira - December 14 - 2:00 am

  Mechanically I give it the highest reviews, really excellent, power, fun to drive. Seats could be more comfortable, stereo system could be better. The HUGE problems is general instability in the on-board electronics, nothing is reliable, owners manual is very very pooly written, had it for less than 2 months, been to the dealership 4 times. The keys definitely have a design problem as you hear many people complaining about then (ridiculos range, erratic responsiveness, etc)

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  Lots of Little Problems - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By dc - December 14 - 12:43 am

  Driving the car is fun, but the electrical components are lousy. My local service department is not very good and is very costly. We have had a lot of trouble with it, nothing with the drivetrain, but lots of little electrical problems.

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  Nice Machine - 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By T.D. - December 13 - 3:40 am

  Just bought the SEL. Surprisingly nice crossover. Has all the features, plus some I cant figure out how to use. Very peppy, and handles well. The turbo is good on gas, but not real smooth. Overall a very nice driving machine.

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  VW fun car - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By bill - December 12 - 12:43 pm

  Car handles and rides with the european style that I can only afford with the rabbit. Some day hope to purchase a diesel version, but with my current low 10000 miles a year, it is hard to justify the cost.

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  Lov my Bug - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By gank - December 12 - 12:24 pm

  I needed a commuter car. I bought my yellow bug used at 100K km. I now have 380K km on it. I replaced the clutch about 40K ago, upgraded to a racing clutch without the double throw. The car has has brakes at the normal interval, had to have have the AC repaired last year after 12 years service. Everything else works great, I hope to get 500K on her, the only issue I have is the running boards are too easy to rot out... but its a cheap fix. Im now looking for another TDI for the wife... BTW I drive it like I stole it and average 53-56 MPG Oh yeah, women seem to like the yellow beast.

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  New Jetta - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By deblynn49 - December 12 - 11:23 am

  I just bought a new Jetta TDI automatic. It only has 300 miles so far but we like it. It is fun to drive, kind of like a European sports car. It has guts, too.

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  Id Buy Again - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By RunWithBenny - December 11 - 2:16 pm

  These little cars are perfect for commuting. Ive put on 60,000 miles since I purchased it and have only had to service the timing belt and clean the intake system due to diesel soot. I was unsure what to expect for maintenance with a diesel, but Ive been very satisfied. This car is too small for a family, but has great pickup when driving solo. Get a manual transmission if you are considering this car - the autos are much slower!

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  Traded 15 SportWagen TDI SEL for 2017 Jetta SEL - 2017 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VW SEL MM - December 11 - 11:23 am

  Traded 15 SportWagen TDI SEL for 2017 Jetta SEL. Very happy with the purchase. Already put 1,500 miles on it driving throughout Texas. I love the safety features and these help overshadow the pitfalls such as the cheap plastic interior parts on the Jetta doors, etc. The golf wagon has much more cargo space but the Jetta has more comfort space, very roomy and open, feels much higher off the ground than it is.

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  Lovely to look at delightful to drive - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Jerry Henricks - December 11 - 6:10 am

  I have owned this car for more than a year. It is the first automatic transmission I have had for three decades - no participation like having a 6 speed manual. I love everything about it regarding superior styling, very quiet, steering and handling. The quality shows in everything it does. The two tone leather seating gives it a lot of panache. The heater/air conditioning is terrific once youve let it do its thing. I have the jet airplane impeller" set of wheels - the coupe de grace. The seating comfort makes it a real road runner. Gets 21 mpg around town (driven hard) and 29 on interstates. No problems other than a rim and tire from a road hazard. Youre going to love it! I sure do.