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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  Clunky When Changing Gears - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By elvin arvelo - September 4 - 3:36 pm

  I have had my Touareg for two months and I like it, but it makes a lot of noises. When driving along and you take your foot of gas it slows down to 20 miles an hour then when you hit gas it clunks into gear. I took it to the dealer and they say that this is normal. I have had other SUVs and that has never been the case. If i would have noticed that when test driving I would not have bought the truck. Other then that the, Touareg is nice. The clunking gears is what I do not like.

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  fast and ugly - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By fubar - September 4 - 6:13 am

  This has got to be the ugliest car I have ever owned!! However, this little car will pass almost anything on the road. I picked up the car with 7k miles (it now has 60k) and have had no problems, even after having the computer, exhaust and intake re-worked for more power. It loves to be punished! Loads of interior room is a bonus for such a small car. This is my first vw and I must say Im impressed. Fuel economy is great if you keep your foot out of the turbo, but what fun is that?

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  sell @ 90000 miles - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By john - September 3 - 6:30 pm

  Our Jetta was great until it reached 90,000 miles. The first thing that happened was the check engine light came on. After unsuccessful 3 tries by VW to correct the problem (average $300 repair each time) the light remained on. At 92,000 the generator went out (cost $850). You would have thought it was made of gold or something. That depleted my savings of which I was going to replace the timing belt/water pump (recommended @ 100k) @ $900 and the front stablizer mounts @$250, but instead I sold it. It was a great vehicle until 90k when it began to eat us out of house and home.

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  If Only I Knew Then What I Know Now - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By foxdown07931 - September 3 - 6:23 pm

  Without a doubt this is the most problematic car I have ever owned. Out of service for weeks as electrical faults could not be traced down. Repeated visits to dealer to correct same problem. Seems like every four months or so we encounter a problem. Usually electrical in nature. These costs are on top of the routine maintenance costs which are shocking. For example, every 40,000 miles a new timing belt is required at a cost of close to $900, brakes $700,headlight bulb close to $100.

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  Fun to drive, poor build quality, poor VW customer service - 2011 Volkswagen Golf
  By jdmarrapese - September 3 - 6:14 pm

  I bought this car as a certified pre-owned with 20k miles. It now has 64k miles. The car runs and handles extremely well. Its fun to drive. The interior is moderately comfortable, but thats where it ends. The interior quality is very poor. The door panels creak as does the over head console and theres a rattle where the dash meets the windshield, and the headliner is beginning to sag. There is also a design flaw, if its raining and the window is even cracked open, the water puddles together on the roof and itll overflow into the car, dumping a significant amount of water into the car, Similar to an overflowing gutter. The keyless entry is also very weak, even with new batteries.

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  from evo to R32 - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By rosie83 - September 3 - 10:00 am

  we had the evo 2003 and traded it in on the R32. it took a little while to get used to the difference between the cars. the evo had the turbo that would jump you from the start, but the R32 has the power behind it to pull you through. the turns are not quite as sharp but it can handle the citys roads alot better. i like the fact that most people pull up beside me and dont know what they are getting into, while that really didnt happen much in the evo because it was a little more flashy. all in all im really happy with the R32. we also have the leather option which the evo did not offer. its smooth, safe, and powerfull in a small package.

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  Awesome - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By ELDorey - September 3 - 10:00 am

  Ive had BMWs for several years and was turned off by the new 5 so I started looking further afield. I liked the 330xi, but Ive already had that style 3-series. Then I discoverd the R32. It is absolutely fantastic - outperforms the 330xi, handles like its glued to the road and looks appealingly "stealthy". Interior quality equal to (or better than) a BMW, too. I drive it daily over our X5 or Z3. Actually, I look for excuses to drive it - it has reinvigorated me and made me remember why I love cars!

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  5speed manual a must! - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By Steve Theisen - September 3 - 10:00 am

  Wow i got an 03 2.0L first day i was liting up the tires, whoah!, what a fun car. The 5 speed gave the car so much more spunk compared to the automatic. (I took both for test drives unless you get the tiptronic auto the car is lame!) The handling is just excellent but than again what else would you expect from the best of the best German autos (VW, AUDI, BMW) you always have excellent handling and no lack of power. Also remember 5k miles for oil is way too much. Trust people that have 270k+ miles on there car.

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  Touareg V10 a hit!! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By jalsema - September 3 - 10:00 am

  After suffering through a Mercedes M class, this Touareg is a joy. It is fast, solid, convenient and out-handles almost anything I have owned in the past - car or SUV. Only complaints, and they are minor, are that the radio has very poor reception and the navigation is clumsy and out-dated. I am enjoying a solid 22 miles per gallon in mixed driving and have gotten as high as 24.9 on an all highway trip. Everywhere I go peopole are interested in the vehicle; it really turns heads.

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  JETTAS-R-COOL - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By MONICA - September 3 - 10:00 am

  My Jetta has taken me all over Europe and all over the the southern US. I love it! It has been worth every penny. I get 28 miles to the gallon with a 4 cyl. auto.! I got the base model, but I wish I had gotten the fully loaded model because mine does not have lumbar support. The service I get every time I take my Jetta in to get the oil changed and inspected is outstanding--which is why I will buy another Volkswagen when the time comes. I tell everyone to get a Volkswagen because I love mine so much.