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:

• 

  Unhappy with Quality - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By UnHappy in WI - November 8 - 6:26 pm

  Have had nothing but problems with my VW Beetle since driving it off the dealer lot. It took four trips to the service center to find out why my car ran out of gas with a 1/3 of a tank showing on gauge. It had problems starting car when temperature went below 30 degrees and a bad instrument cluster. It is very noisy with the top up. It rattles and pops where the top fastens down - VW service says this is normal. Also, I get very poor gas mileage, 19-21mpg. The engine stalls at any speed and the transmission slips. Service has not been able to find the problem yet. I have lost all trust in this cars dependablity. It does have excellent power and is fun to drive, when its not in the shop.

• 

  Great Car if You Take Care of It - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By f1forkvr6 - November 8 - 4:33 pm

  Like any other car, if you take care of the little things, the Passat will be reliable for as long as you wish to drive it. I have nearly 300,000 miles on mine, and other than VWs self destructing heater core, its never, ever left me stranded. Its fuel economy is okay on the highway (27-30), but what makes this car shine is its fun-to-drive factor. Its pretty nimble for its size, and offers very predictable but sporty handling. It has enough room to move a small office, carry a 9 x 12 rug, or a Christmas tree (inside, trunk closed), and offers rear seat passengers enough leg-room to cross their legs withough kicking the driver! this is an all around good, fun, value.

• 

  Fun, but not Fun - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By NL - November 8 - 10:20 am

  Ive been for service ten times already in five months. Granted, everything is covered under warranty, but the hassle of coming in for burnt out LEDs, airbag lights, wind noise, ticking sounds, immobilizer malfunctions, radio, squeaks and rattles (and I mean a lot!)... etc is really annoying. Also, I never imagined that a car like this would have so many design quirks. I cant name them all, I only have 250 words left. To paraphrase, youll waste a lot of gas, a lot of tires, a lot of windshield washer fluid, a lot of your time and a lot of your money to fix problems. When I first received my car I had two scratches on the door and center console, and glue all over the inside of the roof.

• 

  I Love this Car! - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Sarah - November 7 - 7:23 pm

  This is really a great car - it is fun to drive, has a very smooth ride, and handles turns and corners very well. It picks up speed very fast and the Tiptronic transmission is great for people who like to drive. I am very impressed that Volkswagen has taken the initiative to make so many safety features standard and my insurance went DOWN after purchasing a brand new car. It is great - I love the styling and its just a lot of fun.

• 

  3rd TDI, first awful TDI - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By heidimac - November 7 - 4:22 pm

  I traded a 2003 TDI sedan for this sedan ~ what a mistake! 1. just refused to turn over randomly. dealer response ~ too bad. 2. steering wheel deteriorated, peeling and gummy. dealer response ~ buy a cover.... too expensive to replace and may repeat problem. 3. Buttons peeled. First the buttons "paint" bubbled then began falling off. Theyre half white now; even on ones i have never used. dealer response ~ We have fixed that problem 4. Headliner began separating at all the rear impact bag locations, now it dangles from the roof. dealer response ~ We have fixed that problem. 5. MPG worse than my 03 or my sons 04 wagon.

• 

  Amazing gas mileage. - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rob M - November 7 - 3:41 pm

  This car routinely gets 36 MPG city and 48 MPG highway. Ive actually measured 51 MPG - more than the onboard computer registered - on trips between gas stations at Exit 4 on the NJ Turnpike and Northampton, Massachusetts, via the GW Bridge. The 1.4T engine/5M combination is phenomenal, but you have to be in the correct gear to get the torque you need when you need it. An inexperienced driver will get bad results. I have had 6 other (manual) VWs - two Passats, two Passat Wagons, a CC and an EOS. Although this Jetta is the base model, it is as good as any of the others, all of which were arguably more luxurious and certainly more expensive. The car is a pleasure to drive, and it is comfortable on long trips. Ive had no maintenance issues in 14 months and 16,000 miles. The techology package is a must-have. It works with very well with iPhone and well with Android Auto. (My Pixel works better than my LGG3 ever did, but neither are as consistently reliable as my wifes iPhone.) If I could change anything about this car, I would add heated seats, an engine temperature gauge, and a pocket behind the passenger seat. Those details would make it perfect.

• 

  Amazing gas mileage. - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rob M - November 7 - 3:41 pm

  This car routinely gets 36 MPG city and 48 MPG highway. Ive actually measured 51 MPG - more than the onboard computer registered - on trips between gas stations at Exit 4 on the NJ Turnpike and Northampton, Massachusetts, via the GW Bridge. The 1.4T engine/5M combination is phenomenal, but you have to be in the correct gear to get the torque you need when you need it. An inexperienced driver will get bad results. I have had 6 other (manual) VWs - two Passats, two Passat Wagons, a CC and an EOS. Although this Jetta is the base model, it is as good as any of the others, all of which were arguably more luxurious and certainly more expensive. The car is a pleasure to drive, and it is comfortable on long trips. Ive had no maintenance issues in 14 months and 16,000 miles. The techology package is a must-have. It works with very well with iPhone and well with Android Auto. (My Pixel works better than my LGG3 ever did, but neither are as consistently reliable as my wifes iPhone.) If I could change anything about this car, I would add heated seats, an engine temperature gauge, and a pocket behind the passenger seat. Those details would make it perfect.

• 

  Love the Bug! - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By vp_lynn - November 7 - 9:03 am

  I love the new VW Bug! With more smile in the front and back itll make you smile just looking at it. The gas milage is better than the Focus I that I traded in and the handling is very smooth. The only thing Ive noticed is that due to the short distance between the front and back wheel you really feel the big bumps. But test drive one and fall in love!

• 

  Wow - 2005 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By Chris - November 6 - 11:26 am

  I have owned Mercedes and BMWs for all of my adult life. Not only does the Volkswagen Phaeton perform better, it is more comfortable and far more stylish!

• 

  A pleasure to drive - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By cwolvesr - November 6 - 7:00 am

  My 2002 Volkswagen Passat W8 is more than we expected, we traded an Audi A6-Quattro for this fun machine. A lot of the creature comforts of the A6 are not on this vehicle, but in this area, certainly in the winter, this car out-performs our A6 Quattro in handling in snow/sleet conditions, which is important to us. The W8 engine performs like a charm and when performance from the engine is necessary, all the horses work. We have never had a problem with this machine up to this point and my wife loves it, which makes it all worth while. It is sleek and unassuming, yet delivers all that we ask of an automobile. The fuel mileage is not great, but we knew that going in to purchase, but interstate average is approximately 23 mpg, which is not too bad.