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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  not thrilled @ 1st but its growing on me - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Lori & Tom - November 24 - 2:00 am

  Sporty, gives us a confident feeling in snow & bad weather. Getting baby in & out out of the back is impressive, as the rear doors open very wide making access amazingly painless! The turbo acceleration takes a while to get used to, theres a measurable hesitation when you really need it. Door locking system, seems to think. If I pull the hatch release button, then dont open it for a few minutes, it thinks I didnt want it to open, thereby, locking it again! The remote buttons are hard to push with big fingers,& even harder in cold weather. Its been in the shop 3 times for various problems, making us leary on its reliability.

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  VW Jetta are Junk - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By lchilders - November 16 - 8:33 pm

  I bought this car brand new in March of 2004 after I lost my 01 honda civic. When I first drove the Jetta I fell in love with all the gadgets, blue light gauges and the comfort of the car itself. But when I bought the car immediately the nightmare began, first a week after I bought the car the bulb went out in the dash below the radio, then my gear shift locked up , my battery went dead after 3 1/2 years of ownership, I had to replace the bulbs in my rear and headlights more than 4 times, my water pump and tachometer needed replacing, my driver side window have twice come off track, armrest is broken, steering wheel is coming apart. 6 years of owning this junk as been a real nightmare.

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  Dracula - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By 80sgirl - November 14 - 6:33 am

  As the title of the review states this car has totally sucked the money out of me. So far I have put $1000 in it, but it needs MAJOR repairs...Recently, the air bag light has come on and stayed (checked the code in computer and it disappeared, came back 3 days later, told could be electrical glitch). Passenger door lock switch needs replaced, the relase to shift A/T from park wont work, and now, no brake lights. I HATE this car now but loved it when I got it...It has been a complete NIGHTMARE!!! Major Electrical problems with VWs (read the rest of the reviews)...STAY AWAY or youll be sorry.

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  Good... but... - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bigal11 - November 13 - 12:14 pm

  52k miles. Nice look, cheap interior. Doesnt feel or sound as solid as my German built 13 TDI Golf. Ventilation controls feel frail. No mechanical problems yet but fear of the fuel pump issue lurks. Generally we like the car but wouldnt buy it again. MPGs the same as my traded 08 Civic 5sp, so no advantage using pricy diesel ar paying VW service rates. Particulate filter is a joke. Burning raw fuel without contributing to forward motion hurts efficiency. Whats up with the $12/qt oil? VW owns the arbitrary spec and charges for access to it. Truthfully, I wish I could have my Red 01 Jetta again. Better materials, better MPGs, simpler, better ride and handling qualities.

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  Unhappy with Quality - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By UnHappy in WI - November 8 - 6:26 pm

  Have had nothing but problems with my VW Beetle since driving it off the dealer lot. It took four trips to the service center to find out why my car ran out of gas with a 1/3 of a tank showing on gauge. It had problems starting car when temperature went below 30 degrees and a bad instrument cluster. It is very noisy with the top up. It rattles and pops where the top fastens down - VW service says this is normal. Also, I get very poor gas mileage, 19-21mpg. The engine stalls at any speed and the transmission slips. Service has not been able to find the problem yet. I have lost all trust in this cars dependablity. It does have excellent power and is fun to drive, when its not in the shop.

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  Fun, but not Fun - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By NL - November 8 - 10:20 am

  Ive been for service ten times already in five months. Granted, everything is covered under warranty, but the hassle of coming in for burnt out LEDs, airbag lights, wind noise, ticking sounds, immobilizer malfunctions, radio, squeaks and rattles (and I mean a lot!)... etc is really annoying. Also, I never imagined that a car like this would have so many design quirks. I cant name them all, I only have 250 words left. To paraphrase, youll waste a lot of gas, a lot of tires, a lot of windshield washer fluid, a lot of your time and a lot of your money to fix problems. When I first received my car I had two scratches on the door and center console, and glue all over the inside of the roof.

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  camshaft needs replacing at only 200k! - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tdi06 - November 1 - 4:35 pm

  I am not impressed with having my cam shaft replaced at only 200k. To top off the cost of repair vw is charging double for the major replacement parts over OEM. I purchased the shaft for 480 (vw was 985) and the follow (lifters) for 180 (vw was 464). Add the extra taxes I dont have to pay on money saved and I saved a 1000 dollars just by making a few calls on the parts. 16 hours labour at 115 per and they still HAVE to gouge me on the parts. Just doesnt seem fair after spending an additional 10k to purchase a diesel so i wouldnt have to worry about major expenses so soon. I must say in vw defence that after all these years they have kept the treat women like they dont have a clue spirit!

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  Dont buy it - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Michael McKaig - October 25 - 12:20 am

  I bought my Passat new in 2003. This car was fine until 30,000 miles then it began falling apart. The interior flooded at 40,000 miles from body leaks requiring an entirely new carpet etc. It was put back together wrong, cracking the windshield with crossed wiring in the dash. It is now in the shop again for the flooding problem at 46,000 miles. Also, it needs an entirely rebuilt brake system at 46,000 miles. German engineering???? Spend your money elsewhere.

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  Looks Arent Everything - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By wowziewoo - October 13 - 2:00 am

  While this car looks fantastic and drives well, it is very cheaply made. My new car has had its engine replaced and now the transmission is failing. Ive had a million things inside break: the armrest, the interior lights, the side mirror defrosters, the vanity lights...even the moulding on the outside of the car came off--I discovered its held in place with double-sided tape!

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  Eh... - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Jon - October 10 - 3:16 am

  A really fun car for the first few years; peppy engine, tight suspension, solid feel. however, since then Ive had recurring problems with the ignition coils, O2 sensor and coolant system. maybe its a poor service department at the dealer where Ive been taking the car, but Ive noticed a drastic decline in performance (acceleration) and fuel economy. plus, dont let the size fool you, these cars are freakin expensive to fix!