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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  A combination of Corolla, BMW and Lexus - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By IM - September 22 - 6:50 am

  The inside is luxurious with lots of fine touch. Windows keep on closing even when the ignition is turned off. With the engine off the excellent radio can be turned on. The trunk closes without crashing the contents. This is the first car that I enjoy just taking

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  Pams Bug - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Pamela Ross-Fogel - September 21 - 11:03 pm

  This is my favorite car that I have ever owned! I am 59 years old and love to drive this car! It is comfortable, easy to get in and out of, smooth in handling, has plenty roomy, and is just plain fun.

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  Hip to the Hizot - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By eldaino - September 21 - 9:23 pm

  The Volkswagen Rabbit is wonderful. It has such a solid feel to it, you wont be able to find a more solid feeling car in its price range or even a bit above. The gas mileage may not be amazing in this class, but most other cars on this class dont have five cylinders either. I wish the redline was higher but other than that power is fine. This car is very peppy, if it was any lighter it would be too fast! It has great interior ergonomics and quality materials are used throughout. It is better than my 06 Civic. It is not as futuristic, but the build quality actually feels nicer. It has nice handling, not too harsh and sporty but no wimp either. It is very pleasant, fun, and a great buy plus it comes with a great warranty. I love my Rabbit!

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  hot hatchback fun, very well put together car! - 2011 Volkswagen Golf
  By tzo - September 21 - 3:53 pm

  I sold off my 2005 Prius due to excessive road noise and it being the most boring car ever in the world to drive. What to get instead? I had rented a TDI Golf in Italy early in Dec 2010 and absolutely loved its performance on the autostrada. By end of Dec I had found my Golf 4dr auto TDI with all the right options. Drove it from Phoenix dealer to our San Jose home, 13 hours straight. Never had so much fun driving. The Golf is smooth at 100mph as it is at 55mph. The seats are comfy with lots of lateral support. The stereo with six months of free Sirius kept us company on the I40. The diesel engines torque and DSG tranny couple nicely at all speeds, city or highway. Torque is plenty!

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  Touareg Life - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Joel - September 21 - 3:26 am

  What a brilliant design concept. Positively wonderful engine. Execution, however, and reliability of outsourced components is quite questionable. The transmission (Japan) and its programs are horrid -- herky-jerky. The transfer case is noisy. The rest of the driveline is noisy. The stepper motors have failed, and my dealer refuses to recognize this. Cheap Conti tires are almost worn out. Radio has intermittent connection problems. This past winter, the marginal battery caused computer faults that disabled the differential locking. Outside (heated) mirrors do not demist. Brakes are now marginal, with grinding and scraping sounds at lower speeds. Worst car ever owned (of 18). Never again.

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  Sunroof stains this car - 2012 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By monkfarm - September 20 - 5:51 pm

  I did not purchase the extended warranty on this auto, and I loved it until the sunroof stuck open, tilted on one side. I went to a dealer, and they really could not see what was wrong, but estimated $2048 to fix it, the headliner needs to be dropped, of course they gave us the worst case scenario, broken frame. I barely used the sunroof, but live in the woods, on a gravel rood, and it must have stuck from the dust and the spruce needles. The sensor for the window washing fluid also broke, even though I always put antifreeze window washer fluid in it. Especially if you buy the sunroof, plan on buying the warranty, these autos are expensive to fix! I will buy a different brand next time.

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  The Peoples Car - 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Emily - September 20 - 5:02 pm

  The 2018 VW Tiguan is an easy SUV to drive. It is comfortable - it turns on a dime.... and it looks good. The visibility is the best of any SUV I tried. There is not a blind spot in the car - and it has the safety feature of a car to the left or right - with light up cars on the side mirror. I havent learned all the features yet - but the Navigation System is the easiest I have ever used - and this car has a compass built in. So far - it ranks as one of my favorite cars I have driven.

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  Fun & reliable car with water issues - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Hello - September 20 - 3:43 am

  I have already put over 10,000 miles on my new VW. I searched for awhile before purchasing it. I looked at new Honda Accord, new Nissan Altima, a used BMW 3 series and many more, but decided to go with the VW CC. This is the first VW I have ever owned. I have had it in the shop a couple of times already. The first problem was the speedometer was fluctuating. They replaced it with a new one, but I do notice it is off by one mile from the electronic display. The second and major issue is the doors are holding water. The back right side door especially is holding water. They are not sure how to fix it, but I did hear a service bulletin is coming out on this issue.

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  1.8T GTi - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By ABarr412 - September 20 - 2:00 am

  The VW GTi is an exciting car for a daily driver. The stock GTi gives you decent handling and a good amount of ponies under the hood, which makes it the fun car it is.

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  Original hatch is still hot - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By Auggie6 - September 20 - 2:00 am

  No other hatch performs or feels as good to drive as the Gti. Even after 25 years VW still knows how to get it done with the styling, performance and the quality of craftmanship. No other hatch can compete with the power of the Gti VR6 nor can they compare to the big car comfort of this small hatch. R32 with its AWD and bigger 240hp engine will compete with subarus WRX STI and Mitsubishis new AWD lancer