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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  What a suprise! - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By Chris - October 3 - 8:16 pm

  I have to say, when considering our first minivan, VW wasnt at the top of my list. However after reading thhe reviews here we decided to look. The first impression was shocking, WHAT A VAN! Great features for the price. Very fun and comfortable to drive. My wife who was resisting falling into the minivan crowd actually was so happy with this van she demanded we purchase it. We chose the SE w/RSE and there was an additional package that included the power rear lift gate and sunroof.

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  Second Passat 4Motion - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By JMV - October 3 - 6:50 am

  Was sold on the 4Motion after taking a 2004 Passat 4Motion through 20 miles of twisting and turning snow covered roads in Northern Michigan. The 06 with the larger 3.6L V6 has a lot more punch than the 04s 2.8L engine. The six-speed transmission provides surprisingly good gas mileage, bumping up to 30 mpg at better-than-posted highway speeds.

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  5 years later... tuned, fun and smiles - 2011 Volkswagen GTI
  By GTIGR - October 2 - 10:36 am

  Its been already 5 years with the GTI (6M, Autobahn). It is my daily commuter. And I take it to short, fun trips with the entire family (wife+2 kids). I thought of trading it for a BMW 2 series or an mk7 GTI (or golf R). But this car has aged like a good red wine. After everything shes done for me, I couldnt give her away. Instead, I added the upgraded APR flash files (v2.1)... fell in love all over again. The car surprises me so much that I giggle every time I put my foot down. Overall, the interior is in outstanding condition with absolutely no squeaks (and germanic fit and finish). Also, Ive had ZERO issues with the only thing being ill changes every 7,000 miles. Do I do preventative maintenance before things brake? Yes, I replaced the water pump at 40k (weak link of this car), diverter valve and coil pack (the latter two updates are more related to the tune). In conclusion, take care of her and youll be fine (true for most German cars).

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  Satisfied owner - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By gesfour - October 2 - 10:00 am

  Overall this is a well designed and well executed car. I am very pleased with the quality of the interior materials and the placement of the controls. Unlike many other cars, all of the switchgear is where it should be (or at least where I think it should be). Power is adequate with the turbo four but I do wish that power delivery was more linear. That said, however, I drove the four cylinder and the V6 and couldnt justify the $3000 price premium for the V6 GLS.

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  W8 6M What Fun! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By zedbyers - October 2 - 10:00 am

  Just picked up my new W8 6M last weekend, and put 2500 miles on it already. What a fun car to drive!! Only complaints, no where to put CDs, seats should be a bit more comfortable, Recaro would be nice. This engine/tranny is a blast to drive. Cant wait to see a few mods come out for the car, and can only imagine what the Phaeton with a manual tranny would be like! Excellent experience with dealer. Will be back to by another VW when I get bored with this one (if that can happen). Cant beat the quality and amount of car you get for price paid when compared to MB, BMW, and Audi.

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  Quantum in a different world! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By TRH - October 2 - 10:00 am

  Excellent handling and road feel. Solid bodywork and trim. Involved in minor wreck with Toyota 4runner and Toyota mangled. Passat bruised but still driveable and operable. V-6 has more power than you can realistically use on US roads.

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  Born to commute - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By J Ozero - October 2 - 10:00 am

  I drive my TDI around 250km a day and have had not a single problem in my first 55000km. Also took a long road trip down the westcoast camping and was pleasantly surprised that the car held all our camping gear and then some. Have and will continue to recommend this car to everyone!!

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  Great Little Bug - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By vance - October 2 - 10:00 am

  Just traded way down from my Porsche Targa to my new 03 Beetle Turbo S. We LOVE it! Goes like the dickens and I feel like a better citizen as well. Nobody hates Beetle drivers...EVERYBODY hates Porsche drivers.

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  Nothing but Problems - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By gobills - October 1 - 9:33 pm

  It started out being a nice car, but since then it has been nothing but headaches. It seems like one thing after another something goes wrong. 1st off the power windows quit working, and now the check engine light keeps coming on and VW doesnt no how to fix it. All in all this is my 1st VW and it will be my last.

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  Coil Packs, Coil Packs, Coil Packs. - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Dozier450 - October 1 - 5:46 am

  Purchased this 2003 Beetle with 39k on 12-31-08 for daughter. Ive had to replace three coil packs, the 4th was already replaced when the car was purchased. VW had a problem with issue, but told me this car was not covered under the recall back during 2003. I was also told that I could take this car to the dealer and pay $100.00 to get the codes read and if I keep the receipts and if they ever do recall this issue, then I could send in for a refund. I decided to use the $100.00 code fee and purchase new coil packs. I did buy a code scanner off of eBay for less than $30.00, it reads and clears the Check Engine Light after you make the repair. This car has the 1.8T engine.