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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  I love my car , but woudnt buy it again - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By kimjo - June 8 - 10:00 am

  I love my car, but with 37k miles, its a lemon and VOA isnt standing behind their product. The automatic key broke & the only solution is to repalce the key for $100, the passenger window fell off the track & slide into the door. The dashboard lights have burnt out 2x, the glove box fell off the hinge and unfortunately the list goes on..... Ironically, none of these problems occurred until the past 4 months, which is when i bought the car outright from the lease. Dont even consider a test drive, just walk away.

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  Still having more problems - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Justin S - June 7 - 8:33 am

  This is an update from my review from 6 months ago. Well, I fixed the problem with the last check engine light and things were good for a few months. Then, my temperature gauge started working sporadically, sometimes not at all. Finally after a month of this the car threw a check engine light. I had the codes (plural) read, and I am now having a problem with the exhaust (probably 02 sensor), and the cooling system (probably thermostat). I bought the car with 38k miles on it, and Im now up to 53k miles. Problems so far: airbag replaced, 3 check engine lights, temp gauge not working, exterior "chrome" trim falling off, less than 16k miles put on. Needless to say, Im getting rid of it soon!!

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  Overall, love it.....but... - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dihardvdubber - June 6 - 11:40 pm

  This car was my pride and joy until some jerk ran a stop light and put her out of commission. Sad day, indeed. Id warn anyone against buying used. Can only assume every other moron out there drove the crap out of this car like I did. I mean, if the speedo says 160, shouldnt you make sure its legit?

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  Lemony Fresh - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Brain Police - June 6 - 10:06 pm

  I purchased my Touareg in Jan 2004, and by November had had it in the shop for more than one month. AC repeatedly loses freon, they cant find the leak. Ive had the wiring harness replaced, battery replaced due to repeated shorts in the electrical system. Compass sensor and compressor replaced.I have to carry jumper cables in the car, never knowing when it will fail to start. When the electrical is dying, numerous faults will come on and auxiliary systems will begin to be shut down. This is still unresolved. I contacted VW of America and requested a replacement vehicle, they offered to, and did, reimburse me for two months car payment. Im still working thru my states lemon law.

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  Fun MPG hauler - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By fenders - June 6 - 1:42 pm

  With an imminent 45 mile commute after years of public transport, sold my 300hp awd manual Subaru wagon to look for a comfortable, fuel-efficient auto-transmission cruiser that could haul baby stuff on weekends but still be fun to drive during the week. Really wanted a GTI but the cargo area was too small. Compared the Passat to other midsize sedans and it just had the right feature set and driving vibe for me. Didnt expect to end up with a diesel; its growing on me! I agree with another reviewer that youre rewarded by staying in the TDI torque sweet-spot. Getting advertised mileage in 1000 miles of mixed driving so far, hope to see even higher.

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  The biggest mistake - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By jason - June 5 - 3:46 am

  I leased this car over 48months... it was my first new car! When I left the dealership I had a smile ear to ear. It was 2 months later that the problems started to pop up. At first it was a problem with the drivers seat. A couple of weeks later the check engine light came on (took two years for this to be fixed). In the 46 months Ive had this car, its been in the shop 82 times for a total of 133days. That is over 10% downtime. I wish I had bought this car so I could have gotten out of it earlier. I have promised VW customer service that I will never drive a VW, Audi or Porsche because of my experiences with this piece of crap GTI.

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  So sad about my bug - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By nomorebug! - June 4 - 10:00 am

  I should have done a little more research about this car before I bought one... I fell in love with this car the moment I saw/drove it. It was beautiful, roomy, and a very comfortable drive. I loved the seat warmers too! But Ive had nothing but problems since I bought it. The window control broke off, the gas door doesnt open all the time, the hatch doesnt open al the time, the turbo was having problems, etc. Im so glad I bought the extended warranty. The gas mileage is also very bad, 14-18 mph and it needs premium gas. I might as well own an SUV. I finally got rid of it last week.

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  Over Powered Go Cart - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By johnrushing - June 2 - 8:19 am

  Ive owned my Turbo S for almost 6 years and have loved every minute of it. I love the power the little 1.8t makes and how smooth the power comes on. I left mine stock up until last year and then started modifying it. I love the look on Mustang drivers when a little beetle pulls ahead of them. The handling is great, like its on rails, and the fuel economy is good. Before modifying the engine I got my best mpg of 32 mpg by driving no faster than 65mph and not doing any jack rabbit starts. With the mods I am still getting 29mpg. I plan on keeping the beetle and seeing exactly what type of performance the 1.8t has in it, have seen a few putting out over 350hp and still very drivable.

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  Just cant get enough. :) - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By DJReRun - June 2 - 2:00 am

  This is a more of a testimony than a review, but I would like to share anyway. The previous car I owned was the first new car I had ever purchased. When shopping, my goal was to find a fuel efficient vehicle that I could afford. So 115 horses and no frills was perfect for what I needed. In six years, your over all needs and wants from a car can all change. Now I was looking for a ride that had some zip, looked classy, was comfortable, affordable, safe, and just fun to drive. The Jetta GLS 1.8T met all these. I have only owned it for six months, but these last six months have been the most enjoyable hours on the road in my life.

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  I LOVE MY JETTA BUT IT HAD MAJOR ISSUES. - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Musafir - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Had to replace drivers side windor clips because the window fell in. EPC light came on because of a faulty brake switch. Karen Radley VW in Woodbrige, VA didnt charge me for the clips because it was covered by the warrenty. I dont know which warrenty. It expired at 24K. Sometimes around 3000 RPM in 5th gear doing about 80MPH the car stalls for a second. It recently started happening. I have never driven my car like a sports car. Have babied it. This shouldnt be happening. But I guess we all have the same Jettas with the same faulty/cheap parts in them. Good luck if you buy one.