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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  Mine - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Magushky - May 25 - 2:00 am

  This is a very good car. It is fun to drive in. It is le bome.Its sooooooooo cool. It doesnt waste almost any gas. I like the color silver/metallic and black.

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  Not Bad, Not Bad at All - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By Katsai - May 24 - 9:36 pm

  This car drives and performs well; the fuel economy is good and getting better. I previously owned a Nissan 350Z with a manual transmission and it was an outstanding performer. The GTIs performance is not as sharp and it does not have quite as much power as the Z, but is a better daily driver especially in the heavy traffic that I must deal with on a daily basis. The GTI is a very comfortable car, fun to drive, has plenty of power with very little turbo lag, exceptional build quality and easily accommodates my 61 250 pound frame. The 2 door has surprising room in the back for passengers, the stereo is surprisingly good, and I don’t miss my Z.

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  Nice Car - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By pwagen - May 23 - 12:06 am

  I have had this car just over a month. I am really surprised at how much I like it. I am getting 42MPG per tank. I am not trying to save fuel and I dont baby the car. This includes commuting to work and several trips around town. I drive around 75 to 80 MPH avarage on the turnpike. I have the manual transmisson. The car really has some low end power going through the gears. The seats and interior are very compartable. I have received comments from everyone that has been in the car on the quality of the interior. I went to test drive the Golf TDI and saw this sitting next to it. This car is like mini mercedes! Go test drive this before you buy a Prius or other high MPG car!

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  Retro Bug is a Home Run - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By DAVEA - May 22 - 6:36 pm

  Lots of looks, fun to drive with the turbo and ageless styling.

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  Far and away the best in class - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By vwgolf420 - May 22 - 12:54 pm

  This is my third VW. I traded a 2005 Hyundai Elantra, which was a competent car, but having had a 1969 Beetle and a 1997 Jetta before, I felt called back into the VW fold, so to speak. The only car in the class that comes close to offering the same lively character in driving is the Mazda 3, but it lacks the refinement in ride quality. Having had an 03 Mazda Pr5 and the aforementioned Hyundai in between VWs, its odd seeing that the revs are so low as Im driving. The ummph comes in low. Im seeing 25/26 in the city and 31/32 on the highway. Build quality appears impeccable and the material quality is on par with MB, BMW, and, most obviously, Audis in which Ive ridden or driven.

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  Im impressed!!!! - 2011 Volkswagen Touareg
  By VW Driver - May 22 - 2:00 am

  This is my first SUV and 4th VW. I traded in my 07 GTI (really fun to drive, great gas mileage) for something less likely to get stuck in the snow and able to more capable for weekend trips. I was worried about the performance (corning, braking acceleration) but Im impressed that such a large SUV can move so quickly. It’s not a GTI but its great cruiser that doesn’t complain when driving on twisty country roads. The panoramic sunroof is amazing!!!! The brakes are amazing and the touch screen NAV system is simple to use.

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  tdi is a secret - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By cdlargo - May 22 - 2:00 am

  My little TDI has a secret. It drives like a sports car and gets 40 real world mpg. I usually get tired of new cars fast. I didnt want to give up my 3 series, but I had to..-$ On the bright side, I love this car. It handles very well, has great seats, outstanding steering feel, plenty of grip and 236 ft lbs RIGHT NOW, its sooo entertaining. For my 35 mile one way commute, I cant imagine a better car. I was afraid I would miss my bimmer and I do... a little. But this car makes driving fun the way no japanese car can. My only criticism is that 1st gear is short and not very usable. This car is quicker than the numbers say once you get out of 1st, HEHE.

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  total impresor - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JOE I - May 22 - 2:00 am

  The car is so coo for the money. got power to spare and is so comfortable and quiet. love it

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  Forget about HYBRID, 41 miles per gallon avg. - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jetta lover - May 20 - 1:33 pm

  The Jetta TDI is sooo much fun to drive. I am enjoing every minute on the road. Plus, I get 500 miles per tank, you cant beat that!

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  big man - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By j million - May 20 - 7:10 am

  front seat are not made for people over 602" i am bigger and just fit