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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  Great - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By tennoi - December 5 - 4:33 am

  It is a fun car to drive. Beautiful lights on the dashboard, especiallly the blue color. Great sport suspension. Great gas mileage and performance. Almost 200 hp with an 2.8l engine. Have had the car since 2005 and never broke down. Perfect interior and perfect exterior.

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  All around awesome. - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By illimk4 - December 4 - 1:32 am

  When going for a different vehicle I was searching for something stock turbocharged that had potential as far as tuning goes. Originally I set out to find an srt-4 but found a 1.8T GLI first. Im glad I decided to purchase that instead. The car is fun to drive and fairly quick stock, but with apr stage 1 software It definitely kicks it up a notch. I love my VW and I doubt I will ever drive anything else. They are well built and very reliable. The only downfall is VW vehicles are expensive to maintain. Other than that the car is well worth what I paid for it.

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  Audi for VW price - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By epic_sandwich - December 3 - 10:18 pm

  This car is incredible. A true sleeper, the turbo motor responds well to simple mods (intake, downpipe, tune) but has plenty of power stock. The 6-spd is one of the best Ive rowed thru. The interior just oozes luxury like a high-end Audi. The steering feel (and the wheel) is phenomenal. Brakes are great. The handling is the best- fling this family sedan into a corner and it will throw the apex into a headlock, its incredible. Comes standard with all the luxury options but you cant option extra like phone Bluetooth, pwr seats, etc. Still an awesome deal and a true sleeper!

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  Volswagen Passat - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Fred - December 3 - 5:36 pm

  Fairly quick pickup, one of the faster vehicles available if top speed is your desire. Handles the road very well. Fuel ecomomy is good, at speeds of 130 km per hour approximately 42 miles per gallon.

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  New Jetta Rocks! - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By NRH - December 3 - 10:33 am

  I love this car! Ive had my “New Jetta” for 3 months now, and I couldnt be more pleased with it. The handling is outstanding, and the interior wouldnt be out of place in a luxury car. I used to have a Ford Explorer, and was looking for a fun car to have; something nice but affordable. This is it. Anyone looking for a luxury car without the price; this car is for you. The build quality is amazing. Just feeling the texture of the materials, and the way the car handles and rides on rough roads is amazing.

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  Im broke - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dontbuyajetta - December 3 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Jetta in 2000, the day I drove it off the lot I knew something was up. Ive had several problems; muffler fell off twice, Mileage sucks, the back seats are two small to fit anyone, transmission went at 33,00, fan belt went at 55,000. The exterior (plastic rubber pieces on the side) flew off into the road as I was driving. Its been a nightmare. I drove through a puddle and the sparkplugs got wet and it took days to get it started. Now the car just overheats. I was very religious in taking proper care of this car so it would last me a long time. Please do yourself a favor and dont buy one. It will do a number to your wallet.

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  VW Service is for the Birds - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Missing Amplifier - December 3 - 10:00 am

  With a missing amplifier at our purchase, to 4 years of sound system problems, I am fed up with VWs lack of responsibility for their product. After 2 1/2 years of daignosis on an poorly installed amplifier, we thought our days of leaving the Jetta for service all day were over. Wrong, now a little over a year later we are back with the same issue and Don Jacobs VW in Lexington, KY will not revisit their work to check the issue and VW of America will not support the consumer because the years warranty on the replaced parts is now over. Consumers will spend more time at the dealership (without resolve) than enjoying their brand new cars!

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  bad decision - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By bad decision - December 3 - 10:00 am

  Always drove BMW, fell in love with new Touareg design - big mistake to buy with emotion!!! 3 weeks and 528 miles later the car has been in the shop for cd player, alignment pulling to the right, gas gauge not registering correctly. I am horrified to read all these stories about the level of service. My rental car is a ford focus, with roll down windows!

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  Leaving is a bitter sweet emotion - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By scouserusa - December 2 - 10:44 pm

  Traded in 1 01 Malibu, for an 01 Passat. Im from the UK, and driven a new VW Polo..no problems, and loved the build quality. 64K at purchase, and no problems for a year. Then a CEL..which I ignored..found out to be a MAF sensor, then coil ignitor issues(recall), tie end rods, vacuum hoses, oil cooler went at 120K, and had to flush entire system. With premium fuel, expensive oil changes, brakes, annual coolant flushes, the constant worry of a blown head gasket or turbo failure was not far off. Excellent when new, but get sell after 5 years and dont look back. I was on first name terms with all the mechanics at the local garage. Do NOT buy a used Passat, simple advice.

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  An almost perfect car. - 2016 Volkswagen Passat
  By Milford Rick - December 2 - 10:05 pm

  The 2016 Volkswagen Passat is a prefect choice for those looking for a midsize sedan with a quiet, spacious cabin and a comfortable ride. This car has Roomy cabin , refined and quiet ride , powerful and fuel-efficient engines with top safety scores. The one problem I have with the car is the amount of frontal storage space. I dont if it was just my last car had extra storage space The car handles great and the touch screen system works well. Over all a great car I would personally recommend.