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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  The Best thing i have ever bought - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jen - September 26 - 10:00 am

  This has to be the best investment i have ever made. I am so happy with the preformance of the vehicle and the look. I really dont know too much about cars, but do now that I love my car so much.

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  VW Beatle TDI - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By doctour - September 26 - 10:00 am

  The TDI is a great performer and a wonderful car for everyday and for traveling. My wife and I are very happy with the 40 miles per gallon, and weve really enjoyed the trips weve taken in it. Ive been driving Mercedes for the last 15 years, so this was a real change, but Im glad I made the switch. Weve had very few problems and none mechanically.

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  my next car will be another "new beetle" - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Jose Diogo - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I love this car so much that my next car will be an organe new beetle 2004. (maybe convertible...)

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  Wolfy - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By PaulG - September 26 - 4:10 am

  The reflex silver is beautiful. 2T engine is spunky with better MPG. Wheels make the car look much sportier. Nice job.

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  Fun to drive, slowly falling apart - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tiznow80 - September 25 - 3:40 pm

  Its strange with this car. I really enjoy driving it but Ive had issues with it for a long time. I had to replace all 6 engine coils about 3 years ago that cost me $800. Various other things have broken as well (glove box, arm rest - 2 places, rear ash tray, turn signal - twice and front bumper coming off. Saying all of that, its a fun car to drive with a lot of great options.

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  A Sleeper that Does Everything Well - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Solar1 - September 24 - 10:06 pm

  I have put 15,000 miles on my 2001 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T with no major problems and I REALLY, REALLY enjoy driving it. My car has an Autotech rear sway bar and a GIAC chip (www.giacusa.com) which makes it quite fun to drive. its sure footed, roomy, quiet, has a STRONG midrange and has responsive, well-weighted steering. The interior trim quality needs improving and yes, the headlights burn out quickly but these are not critical flaws. I just drove from Boston to LA and it was AWESOME. This is a great touring car and it really surprised me in the twists! Its no Honda Accord but I think thats a good thing - for a little more attention to maintenance, you can have a car with a lot more character. It is a nice sleeper.

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  fun to drive - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By john wallace - September 23 - 9:13 pm

  this car is totally underated fun to drive and way ahead of northamerican my first passat but not my last Own and dont lease service is great too

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  Nice Bunny - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By VW family - September 23 - 12:56 pm

  Bought a black 4-door Rabbit for my son the other day. We now have 3 VWs and an old Audi in the family. Theyre great cars. This car rides well. Power is more than adequate from the 170 hp motor. It even sounds good. Handling is good. Tiptronic is the tranmission (not the engine) and the 6 sp. auto is is very nice. It even has a sport mode. This car is not nearly as sporty as my GTI, but is a better freeway car by far and is easy to drive with the auto. trans. Black looks great and there is extra tint on the windows so it looks like a mini-limo to me - very cool.

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  Overall Problems - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By coder157 - September 23 - 5:30 am

  Ive never owned a vehicle that has had this many recalls. Between the electrical heaters in the seats, the fuel system and now the right rear wheelhouse liner/shield. This is my second Passat, I never thought I would buy another car until this one. The quality put into VW Passats has really gone downhill.

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  Still having fun! - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By kudzu71 - September 22 - 2:56 pm

  I bought my 2007 Eos Lux used three years ago and have never regretted it. I love the way it feels on the road and the interior looks great and it laid out very well. Considering the car is 5 years old I havent really had any major problems with it. I had the timing belt done at 70K miles which is a bit early because it was in for a recall issue and they had the engine apart already. That saved me some $$$. Roof leaks often come up when talking about the Eos and I experienced them as well. I had a small leak at the A-pillars that turned out to be due to a disconnected drain. It was an easy fix and the car has been dry ever since.