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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  Passat 2.0T #1 Lemon !! - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By hamptonpassat - March 28 - 9:06 am

  This is absolutely the worst car that I have ever owned in my 40 some years of owning cars. It has been a nightmare with breakdowns , burning up to 1 liter of oil per tank of gas . Misfiring , sending out smokescreens .No help or assistance from local VW dealers , VW corporate head office not the least bit helpful . I took care of this 2007 Passat since buying it in 2007 , the engine died at 165000kms (102000 miles) spent $5800 replacing the engine with another 2.0T from the salvage yard ,79000kms on the engine or 42000 miles . VW dealer installed it . Took delivery worked fine ,but burnt oil ,engine died the same death as the original engine 6 weeks after being installed .

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  Expensive to own - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By sains66 - March 25 - 5:36 pm

  I bought this car for 4,500 and i have only owned it for 8 months and i have spent over 1,700 just repairing it. Check engine light comes on, it sputters after i fill it up, and not the ABS control module has gone out. I like this car but i hate how it always breaks down...

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  Worst invesment ever - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By mojo - March 22 - 6:43 am

  I have 28,000k on my routan and I already changed brakes 2 times, stereo, and front end. I have problem with the transmission the sliding doors and the engine is burning oil. The dealer keeps ignoring me and delaying the repair process. They even denied it is burning oil until I took it to them and asked them to check it for and they came to tell me it is fine so I took it to a mechanic and he confirmed it is burning oil then they said the engine breather is. I cannot sell it or trade it because its value sunk in the ground especially when they stopped making it.

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  Fun in the sun, but stormy reliability. - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By bugawff - March 16 - 7:46 pm

  Traded in my Volvo s60 for this cute top down car. Thought German car would be better than Swedish. Have had the car in for speaker, gas lid, windows, wipers, etc. Everything seems to be falling apart. Had the driver side window fixed about 5 times, they cant seem to get it right. One day on low gas my gas tank lid wouldnt click open, good thing I was close to a dealer and they opened it for me, but couldnt fix it at the moment had to wait 2 weeks for that. Gas mileage is ok, could be better. Trunk space you cant even fit in a beach chair. AND if you are thinking of taking friends with you for a fun ride hope the ones sitting in the back are kids, small kids.

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  Not what I expected from a German Car - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Brantonfour - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I have had problems from the begining. The whole reason I bought the car was for the safety that it provided for me & my family. Safety doesnt count for much when it is in the shop all the time. Oil problems constantly,A/C compresor went out, windshield wiper had to be replaced(it quit working while I was on a 700 mile road trip with family, so had to sit on the road for 3hrs waiting on roadside service b/c of raining and could not see to drive)and there has been many, many more things. Service has been a pain to work with. I should have bought a Kia, at least it has 100,000 mile warranty.

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  Never, ever again! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Bass_Baller - March 7 - 3:37 am

  What havent I replaced in this lemon, besides the frame and the engine? Hmmmm.... let me think... Not the manual transmission, clutch, A/C condenser, power steering drive, fuel injector pump... nope, all of those, I had to replace. Power windows and power locks-- the ones without broken switches-- are unreliable. Cheap plastic knob for mirror control broke off with no effort. Trunk latch even broke. And, of course, it leaks. And then theres the melted crayon smell of the interior (dashboard, mostly)-- which, if you happen to brush against, will smudge and ruin your clothes. Fun to drive, but do yourself a favor and lease it instead of buy it.

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  Oil burner - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By ldanks - March 5 - 7:50 am

  I fell in love with the awesome look and style of this car. (Fatal Mistake). From the day I drove off from the dealership, Ive grown to dislike this vehicle. Above 45 mph it shook, and vibrated. After 970 miles it burned 1 quart of oil. The dealership advised me that was within the proper range of oil consumption. I was told that it comsumes oil rather than burns oil..go figure. I have a Nissan Sentra with 210,000 miles and has never burned a drop of oil. Needless to say this is my last VW product. It is a beautiful car, but the beauty in this car is truly only skin deep. I leave it in the garage and drive my nissan, saves on oil. Hope to unload the Passat soon...

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  Lemon of 2008 - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By danny - February 27 - 10:00 am

  My wife has an 2008 EOS and has had nothing but trouble with the car. We have taken it to two different dealerships to fix the problem and no one wants to do their job and fix it; it has been burning oil, the turbo is problematic, the brakes are squealing, and the top leaks whenever it rains. The mechanics at a VW dealer said bring it back every 500 miles to do oil comsuption test.The car is burning all the oil in less than 500 miles.These problems existed before the warrenty was up and the dealership said it was fixed, but they didnt fix the problems and now the warranty is expired. In my opinion I would never buy a VW again, unless you want to be stuck with a car that doesnt run & no help

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  From Best to Worst - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bobgoblin - February 19 - 6:01 pm

  I traded my 2001 Passat in for a 2012 Jetta TDI "Premium" in January. While the Passat was honestly the best car I have owned, the Jetta is the worst. The Jetta stalls all the time. It was shipped with a 5-speed gearshift knob, even though it is a 6-speed transmission. The car was supposed to have lumbar support but doesnt . VW said they will correct it since it is not specifically listed on the window sticker. The windshield cracked when i hit a pothole at 2,000 miles and VW is refusing to fix that. I can go on, but wont. After driving VW for 11 years, this Jetta will my last VW purchase.

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  Disappointed - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Montreal Volks - February 18 - 10:00 am

  Over the course of 4 years Ive had many sleepless nights with this car, from the cup holder to the glove compartment to the electrical system. NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. Same year my wife bought a Civic, the Civic has seved us extremely well. This year we kept the Civic but sold the Jetta and got a new 2004 Civic. Will never buy another Volkswagen!!!!!!!!!!!!