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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  Huge Repair Bills - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Frustrated - September 1 - 8:26 pm

  This car was fine until at 36,000 miles I had to spend $1,000 on the front end. It now has 58,000 miles on it, and I have spent over $7,000 in repairs in the past 2 years. I am a safe and careful driver, and have done proper maintenance. The front end just keeps falling apart. The CV joints, CV boots, axles, tie rods, and control arms all had to be replaced on both sides. It has had oil leaks and brake problems too. I am extremely disappointed. I wanted to drive this car for 12 years, not five.

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  Not a purchase I would repeat - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By crazymom1 - August 31 - 8:42 pm

  Unlike the majority of females, I like to "drive" a car. I havent owned anything that doesnt have a stick in 25 years, with the exception of a brief mind lapse with a Honda Pilot. We special ordered my Passat TDI with a 6 speed manual transmission.Ive driven it 85k miles in 2 years. The only two things I like about this car is the cabin room, and the excellent mileage. The back seat space comfortable suits my 61" and 511" teenagers, and my 8 year old. The turbo lags, there arent ample charging ports, no memory seats, HATE the stereo touch screen, cheap mirror control, needs a sensor light for re-gen. and on and on. Inside is cheaply made. Exterior is frumpy.

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  Do not buy a VW! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Sorry I bought - August 24 - 8:20 pm

  Two words...oil sludge. All VWs of this engine type (and the V6 Ive heard) have several fundamental problems that VW is unwilling to address. Poorly engineered product. Go with a Japanese competitor.

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  A Lemon in a Cute Package - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Sabel - August 24 - 8:40 am

  This is my 32nd day with my new Jetta 2.5 and it`s been my worst experience in cars. Today, I was on my way to the car dealer, because Ive been having trouble with the breakes. I didnt make it. Starting off from an intersection (still in first gear) at 20 MPH, suddenly I found myself without brakes and crossed a total of 40 feet with my brakes completely applied. I stopped thanks to a safety rail. After that, I went to the dealer and the manager wasnt surprised; because a week before the accident I told the manager about the breakes. He explaind that the symptoms were normal of the ABS and if I still concerned at the 5,000 miles checkup and I should comment about it.

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  Beautiful Rubbish - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vwrider - August 23 - 12:20 pm

  I am very mixed about this car. It was a zippy, fun to drive car and the experiences it gave me made the money spent worthwhile. But the money spent was A LOT of money!!! EVERYTHING breaks on this car, from knobs on the stereo, to the coolant expansion tank to the muffler mounting bolts, to the window actuators. Its very expensive to repair and you must get aftermarket upgrades if you want the repairs to last, OEM parts just fall apart in equal amount of time. The engine and tranny will last forever but before long everything else in the car will have been swapped out. If you have a love for VW and some money to spare, get this car, otherwise stay far away from it!

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  Bland Car - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By happy163 - August 21 - 5:51 am

  So i got this Passat because I was upside down on my truck trade in by 12k. It was a lease and I thought the Passat would be a good car because they were so well built in the past. Well the car was extremely big for a single guy 510 180lbs. The back seat was huge. This car was for a family. The front suspension was too bouncy and the car just floated along like a Buick. The 2.5 liter engine was weirdly displaced, it only had a 5 cylinder. The power was meh, and the MPGs were nothing to brag about. Ive had a few BMWs and VWs before this car and the German Engineering was almost non existence in this vehicle. Very disappointing.

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  Think twice or just dont buy! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Oregon owner - August 14 - 6:43 pm

  Dissappointment is all I have to say. I bought my Volkswagen Jetta GLS 1.8T two years ago and have had nothing but costly trouble. Ive replaced my electrical harness, main engine gasket cover, and Mass Ariflow sensor (twice)-each $200-300 in cost. Lights are iffy-Ive also replaced nearly every single bulb possible in and out(rear breaklights twice), the center consoles latch (three times). The continuous rattle from the front panel as well as from the e-brake button are enough to drive you crazy and from discussions with other Jetta owners I know this is a problem across the board. And this week I had to replace the horns-$250! If you want a VW get a Passat. They manufacture these in Germany rather than Mexico.

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  Avoid this car like the plague - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By nakie - August 13 - 2:50 pm

  This is the most unreliable Ive ever owned. This model is total rubbish and should have had recalls on the engine and all the hoses attached. It is the ultimate in cheap manufacturing. I have replaced the transmission all hoses and connections below the engine(plastic fittings that all cracked) the dip stick holder(plastic) that came out in multiple pieces when checking the oil the engine that froze and died when the oil strainer became clogged with sludge( the red light came on telling me to stop but by the time I could get off the road the engine was starved of oil and had to be replaced

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  Not exactly "das auto" - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jonathan Streit - August 12 - 11:06 am

  When i first purchased this VW i only had the opportunity to drive it for 3 days until i was showing off the car to a friend when all of the sudden it wouldnt start due to a electrical ground connection. since then i have dumped over 8,500$ into this HOLE. repairs extremely expensive and often. i dont think i have driven for two weeks without the check engine light coming on for some god forsaken reason. If your buying VW think twice and really look at what your purchasing. have the car checked by a CERTIFIED VW mechanic or you WILL REGRET your decision. oh and by the way ever notice that strange... crayola crayon smell emitting from the air vents??. i moved on. you should too.

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  Lots of faults - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By VWs are Unreliable - August 7 - 6:50 pm

  Had the car since new. I have had an endless run of problems with the car combined with incompetent VW Australia Servicing. Problems include: Turbo PCV valve failed (at 12 months) Coil packs failed (at 18 months) Drivers elec window failed (numerous times) AC compressor failed (at 2 years) Brake pedal switch failed (causing intermittent complete power loss to engine computer!) Steering column/convenience unit failed (3.5 years) Brakes replaced at 20,000km Paint peeled off drivers door handle Battery failed at 2 years Suspension noisy over bumps Ill never buy another VW, and Ive already turned several friends off getting one when I explain the problems I have had. Worst ownership exp. ever.