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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  jetta that is junk. - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mikey - August 6 - 8:23 am

  This car drives like a dream when it decides to run. I have had so much trouble trying to keep this thing running that I would never buy another. I had a 1968 beetle that never let me down like this car. They are Nice to look at but you never know where you will be stranded. I bought this car for my daughter but will not let her drive it for safety sake. Not even the Volkswagen dealers can fix these pieces of trash. I still owe 2 years on this thing so if I get rid of it I wiil be a lucky man.

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  Good run around car - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Vw - August 3 - 8:39 pm

  This is a decent car I went from a Honda pilot to a Jetta people complain about acceleration but most compacts are slow and have CVT transmission anyway so it wont matter what compact there all slow. I like the interior and trunk space sad thing reason why I gave it 3 stars is the gas mileage is the same as my pilot. But this car does the everyday commuter job for getting around.

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  Really is Great for the price of good. - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By 2011jettaowner - August 3 - 2:15 am

  I purchased the car as a company car replacement and have really enjoyed it so far. I have yet to have any problems and after reading all of the reviews in the car magazines I hesitated to buy the car. It was my first VW and all I kept hearing is how they cheapened the car. I did not look at the "S" model just the SELs and I was impressed with what you get in this mid-size feeling car. It has more seat room than the Impala it replaced and all the features are really great. The car is fun to drive and feels really solid. I asked everyone I saw driving a VW whether they would buy one again and without a doubt they said they would. Very loyal customer base.

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  Really nice - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By aljommm - August 3 - 2:00 am

  This is a great road car. I look for excuses to drive it on long trips. Seems like the faster you go the better the feel. A strong performer that doesnt need to downshift to climb some fairly steep hills. A car that goes this well really should stop well -- and this one does. The brakes have a really good feel to them. The ride is taunt and doesnt smooth all the bumps, but get real - this is a sports sedan. What you lose in smooth ride is more than compensated for by the handling.

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  Got it right! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mdh - August 3 - 2:00 am

  VW has gotten it right with this one. I pulled into the fuel station yesterday and filled up. 229 miles city dirving took 5.1 gallons of fuel. Oh, by the way that was my first tank. Cant wait to see what it does when it gets broken in. This car drives like it was made to drive. I have owned several diesels and loved the economy but not the lack of power. This one has both economy and power. Love it.

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  My first new beetle since 1970 - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By BigJer - August 3 - 2:00 am

  This was supposed to be my wifes car and I didnt drive it until several weeks after we had made the purchase. Once I drove it I found it to have excellent ride and handing. I didnt think that 115HP and an A/T would be ample for interstate merging and passing but on a recent trip from La Quinta, Ca. to Las Vegas, NV I was traveling 75mph on long upgrades and still had plenty of the "GO" pedal in reserve. Terrific little car!

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  Excellent desing, questionable quality - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By Karaya - August 2 - 1:43 pm

  Bought this car after happily driving 95 Golf for 10 years, so this 10 Golf has very big shoes to fill. The car looks sharp, feels very comfortable and very confident on the road. It has just right amount of power not to be sluggish and not to waste fuel at the same time. What I am not so exited about is workmanship quality. It does not live to the hype so far. First, there was annoying air hissing from the door, because the rubber seal does not fit well. The dealer had to tighten the door lock. Then the b-pillars trims started crackling and clicking at ~2k miles. Other people on WV forums also reported water draining issues from the doors. I really hope problems stop here.

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  Nice for Finances During Gas Craziness. - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By melly82 - August 1 - 10:56 pm

  This is a fun car to drive with good fuel economy during bad fuel times. You have to watch for little things, like the gas and coolant caps, that can cause you some grief if not screwed on properly (Ive learned several calls later to my delearship, "this light came on..."). Overall I would say this is a very good car for the money and I feel safe and cool driving it.

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  Great Car with some annoying issues - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By teaton1 - August 1 - 2:02 pm

  Bought in May 2011 in Wisconsin. Brought the car to Central Europe where we now live. Very comfortable and tolerates the many bad roads in our region with aplomb.

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  Silver Rabbit - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Rabbit Fan - August 1 - 6:23 am

  Have 500 miles on my Rabbit. Have owned it for two week and like it more and more. My last car was an 02 Passat, but I feel the Rabbit has more pep and is more fun to drive. I decided on the Rabbit after test driving the Honda Civic, Dodge Caliber, Chevrolet HHR, Mazda3, and Toyota Matrix...and picked it because it was quicker, had confortable seats, had a quiet interior, safety features, build quality and better visibility and I liked its good looks. I did not give the Rabbit total 10 because the gas milage is rated lower, but did get 28.36 on my first tank of mixed driving and it will improve after first 3,000 miles.