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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  Better than expected. - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jascha - August 15 - 1:43 am

  She has the road presence of a car twice its price. The manual tranny squeezes every last horse out of this 4-banger and I love the pickup in 2nd & 3rd gear. I drove 918 miles so far, within the last week and there are only a few complaints: 1) The ESP is weird. I usually drive with it off. The mechanical components of the car usually sort out skids and slips just fine for experienced drivers. 2) The auto-hold function needs some getting used to. I stalled the engine twice before I noticed the throttle needs to be floored in order to move. 3) I dislike the fact that there is no km/h display on the speedometer. 4) Vmax = 130. Which blows.

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  Think twice or just dont buy! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Oregon owner - August 14 - 6:43 pm

  Dissappointment is all I have to say. I bought my Volkswagen Jetta GLS 1.8T two years ago and have had nothing but costly trouble. Ive replaced my electrical harness, main engine gasket cover, and Mass Ariflow sensor (twice)-each $200-300 in cost. Lights are iffy-Ive also replaced nearly every single bulb possible in and out(rear breaklights twice), the center consoles latch (three times). The continuous rattle from the front panel as well as from the e-brake button are enough to drive you crazy and from discussions with other Jetta owners I know this is a problem across the board. And this week I had to replace the horns-$250! If you want a VW get a Passat. They manufacture these in Germany rather than Mexico.

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  A Win-Win Situation - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By WC4NC - August 13 - 3:43 pm

  Like everyone else, fuel economy is in everyones mind. Driving a BMW 525 70 miles per day to work was getting expensive. Much shopping/research went on and the VW TDI SportWagen was the Ace of Hearts that we were looking for so the BMW went bye-bye. I look forward to driving this car everyday and thank God I was lucky enough to find one on the lot on my first visit to the VW dealer.

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  Avoid this car like the plague - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By nakie - August 13 - 2:50 pm

  This is the most unreliable Ive ever owned. This model is total rubbish and should have had recalls on the engine and all the hoses attached. It is the ultimate in cheap manufacturing. I have replaced the transmission all hoses and connections below the engine(plastic fittings that all cracked) the dip stick holder(plastic) that came out in multiple pieces when checking the oil the engine that froze and died when the oil strainer became clogged with sludge( the red light came on telling me to stop but by the time I could get off the road the engine was starved of oil and had to be replaced

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  Wish I hadnt... - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By the1lion - August 12 - 6:42 pm

  At first we loved the car but theres been way too many build quality issues to be accepted - its like we bought a first year Kia. We had to replace the passenger window motor, but in doing so the interior material starting coming up from the door and the dealer said it was due to the sun drying up the adhesive. Then we had another place look at it and they said when the door panel was put back on it was incorrect and pointed out the broken sections. We took it back to the dealer and they replaced it again saying the problem was the rail that held it in place became loose because the adhesive - again. Recently the sun visor came out on the drivers side - literally came out of the roof.

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  An Awesome Car to Drive - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By Clemens - August 12 - 6:40 pm

  This car is by far one of the best I have driven in a long time. Its super fast and gets good gas milage.

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  Fun to Drive - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Alexander - August 12 - 6:40 pm

  The first thing that impresed me was the engine - it is small but quite powerful. One just has to push the accelerator pedal down to get most out of it. The acceleration is especially impressive with the gear in the sport mode - even from a zero start. I love the exterior design. Tthe same goes for the interior, with some reservation for the front seat ergonomics - they are comfortable but could be a bit more accomodating. To add a "fly to the ointment" - I already had to get the sensor switch in the passenger seat safety belt buckle replaced. The dealership experience has been very good so far.

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  Great Vehicle - 2012 Volkswagen Touareg
  By clockit4 - August 12 - 5:34 pm

  I am very impressed with this vehicle. I have a two Bmw X 5s in the past, and this vehicle is of equal or slightly better quality. I cannot stand rattles in a vehicle and this Touareg posses no rattles whatsoever. Very stable over bumps and railroad tracks. I love the gas mileage the TDI offers. The navigation system is the best I have seen in any vehicle. Love the posted speed limits shown on screen. Touareg currently has 29,000 miles on the odometer.

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  SEL is Sports Car with Wagon Utility - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By NoVaSpeed - August 12 - 2:56 pm

  With all the attention on the TDI, the SEL is perhaps the most unsung bargain in the Sportwagen lineup. With the same 2.0T engine (and sporty-sounding noise pipe) as the GTI and GLI, the SEL is a blast to drive. Its loaded with leather/memory seats, dual climate control, Premium sound, Sirius radio, sporty 17-inch wheels, Highline instrument cluster, and a myriad other options not found on any other Jetta. Mine has the enormous moonroof that is actually best appreciated in the backseat due to its size. The cargo space is amazing--more room behind the rear seat than a Passat wagon. Rowing through the six-speed manual transmission and feeling the rush of acceleration is great. What a car!

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  This is MY car! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Marcus - August 12 - 12:56 pm

  Ive read some of the reviews here, so I have chosen to write something positive. Dealerships are Robbing you! The Idea of these Tdis Is to maintain them properly. And knowledge is your best friend. My Tdi is amazing.. Excellent power and fun to drive. Yes there are electrical issues, but that is a far shot from getting 400 to 500 thousand miles out of your engine life. Get a mechanic that is competent and KNOWS the tdi and you are set.. I do ALL of my maintenance myself, How? Research. And these cars are easy to work on. Dont let the vw dealerships take you hard earned money.