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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  Freaky - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By TheMatrix - August 14 - 10:00 am

  We were adjusting the height of the car so my grandma could get in and the darn air suspension would not work! After attempting to fix it for 15 min. or so we gave up and went inside and all of a sudden the car went down after we were inside. Talk about safety here, what if something had suddenly come under the car, like my kid. And I feel like a soccer mom driving the thing, it looks like a mini-van.

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  I Love this SUV!!! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Punkman18 - August 14 - 10:00 am

  It has been a wonderful ride! This car is very comforable, very economy and very luxurious. I enjoy the handling and especially the off-road capability it has. Helps a lot especially during flooding.

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  MY car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Light - August 14 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE THIS CAR! This is The most fun to drive. I look for excuses to take highway trips just so I can be in my Passat. Her name is Luna and shes a beautiful Dolphin Grey. I used to think it was weird that guys named their cars...until I met my Luna.Ive fallen in love with the American lanscape again and even drove this all the way from Michigan to Santa Fe and back- ALONE- and Im a 49 year old woman. It makes you feel safe, confident and dare I say it...young! This car screams- "LETS TAKE A ROAD TRIP"!

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  greatest car my son went nuts over - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Shadi - August 14 - 10:00 am

  awsome acceleration, love the new lights great automatic transmition nice fabric,great radio, perfect.

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  Great Car... - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By scalif20@aol.com - August 14 - 10:00 am

  My jetta has served me well but have had a couple little issues with it...Whats up with the noise while the car is being turned???Need to get it into the shop...and what about it being really loud at 75mph and up...its screaming for a 6th gear. But the Car is fun and lots of compliments...especially abuot the dash and outisde appearance. I do love the car but my eyes are turning towards that 2003 Toyota 4 Runner

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  Luv My TDI!!!!! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By fresadulce - August 14 - 10:00 am

  This car has far exceeded my expectations....Downgrading from an 01 Jetta glx V6, I was expecting to be a bit disappointed. Not So! Although I do miss my heated leather bun warmers!

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  Better than its competitors... - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By JDyck - August 14 - 3:40 am

  Simply put, this car blows away the competition with its combination of build quality, design, safety, and standard features. Nuff said.

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  Great so Far - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By Brent - August 13 - 2:03 pm

  Ive owned my Eos for about 2 months now. I have NEVER enjoyed driving a car as much as this one. Im disappointed everywhere I go that the trip didnt take longer. I think about driving it all day. Yes, it has a couple of weirdnesses, a faint thumping sound sometimes when shifting, and the shifting isnt smooth when its cold. But litterally other than this, its the perfect car. It is honestly therapeutic to drive, and I find myself thinking up reasons to go places just to have more time behind the wheel. The top is totally sweet. When its closed, you can see the sky. When its open you can feel the sky and the moonroof is great for quick little breaks in the rain. Thanks VW

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  Drivers Wanted - Mechanics Needed - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By lithia scumbags - August 13 - 10:06 am

  My 2000 Volkswagen Jetta TDI is the worst car Ive ever owned. It has had lots and lots of problems with the front end, brakes etc... the list is endless. Dont make the same mistake I made, buy a Honda or Toyota. I spent all my free time at the dealership, waiting for the latest excuse why my car wont run right, but how there is nothing wrong with the car.

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  What happened to Volkswagen - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By goof - August 11 - 3:06 pm

  This is my sixth and last VW. I am very disappointed! The suspension is extremely stiff, jarring, and very jittery. It is impossible to find any comfortable settings for the thinly padded drivers seat. Driving 300 inner-city miles a week is causing me hip and back pain! The electronic throttle programming doesnt seem compatible with the manual transmission. i.e. hard to engage the clutch smoothly. I have driven manual transmissions for 27 years and never stalled so much. I never experienced these issues with the last five VWs I have owned. Since almost all VWs are now based on the Golf V, I am now shopping for a non VW replacement.