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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  Cute but crappy - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By luvely21 - August 7 - 8:23 pm

  Took it in the next day after purchase to service the driver window because it didnt want to go up.The interior melts in the sun.Switches in the car fall off,like window switches. Cupholders detach therefore, i have a big orange juice stain on the passenger floor.Replaced both headlights at least once every year, very expensive, due to labor.VW made it difficult for customers to do themselves.Head of car hit pavement going over bumps.Forgot how many times I took it to get something fixed or replaced.AC filter needed to be cleaned within the 1st year and VW charged me for that. Hubcaps fell off in the 1st year of ownership.I hate this car.Even my Sentra from the 80s treated me better.

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  Dont Buy This Car If You Want Quality - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By nickg - August 7 - 8:10 pm

  I am completely and absolutely disgusted with VW. I have to wait for a zone rep to approve repairs on a car that was driven home from the dealer and once to my job. I am not using it again.The field rep isnt coming unil the 27th of this month so I am out a car till then. They are going be over the time (lemon law) before it is fixed. Period end of story, game over. How pathetic is it that I buy a new car and cant use it for over a month because some rep has to "approve" paint and windshield repair? If you are a quality minded person, then you should go elsewhere, VW doesnt care about you...they just want your money.

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  STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!!!! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By fsparks1985 - August 7 - 2:42 pm

  I have had my 02 Jetta for almost a year now, and its given me nothing but trouble. I went from driving a 2003 Chevy Trailblazer to the Jetta to try and save on gas, BIG mistake. This Jetta has been back to the deal for repairs at least 8 times in last than a year. All before the car turned 100K the Clutch went out, fuel relays, oil seals, timing belt, to just to name a few issues. Not worth the time or money to buy one of these POS. Do some research and read many reviews about these cars. They are great on gas, but you will spend more money in the long run trying to keep the car on the road!!! Cheaply made and poor craftsmanship!!

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  10,000 Mile Review- - 2010 Volkswagen Passat
  By berad - August 7 - 10:27 am

  I was between this and the Ford Fuzion V6. In the end, the entry lux interior won my wife over so hence the Passat. This is a nice clean sedan. The interior is impressive with soft touch dash and clean teutonic lines. All reports of a hesitation at start are correct. It feels like half a second. Drive this car around for awhile before making darts into tight traffic. All in all this thing scoots for a 4 banger. Steering and handling is not on a BMW level of communication but its good, really good for this price point. The cabin is quiet.

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  Dereks Passat - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Derek2D - August 7 - 10:00 am

  This car is awesome, the turbo engine, and the 5 Speed are sweet. The sound system is great, and the gauges at night are cool-looking. I am not usually into the VWs but the passat has made me feel like I did when I first got my license, its a joy to drive!

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  More room than you think - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Collin - August 7 - 10:00 am

  People think this car has nothing to offer on the outside, but all you have to do is take it for a drive and see just how much headroom you have that you wont find in other cars. Plus what is truly amazing is just how quite and and deceptively fast this car feels. Youll find yourself driving down the highway thinking you are going 70mph when in actuality you are going around 90 or more. And when it comes to a quiet ride, it is amazing. Its nice riding and quick responsive when turning or switch lanes. This car handles just like a little sports car and as such i find myself driving it that way. Take it for a test drive, you will not be disappointed at all.

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  Great deal for around $20,000 - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dannyjose - August 7 - 10:00 am

  To anyone whos thinking of buying an Audi A4 or BMW 325, you gotta try the Jetta. My VR6 has more torque and displacement thant the 325, is fully loaded with features, and costs about $10,000 less. Other than for status, I dont see why anyone would pass up the Jetta. This car is fun to drive and the VR6 has a lot of kick

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  The most trouble prone car of them all. Stay away - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Vince - August 6 - 10:22 am

  I bought this car from a family member with only 16K miles and it was garage kept. Its a 2.0 convertible with automatic. I cant begin to say how cheaply built this car is and VW should be ashamed of this product. The structure of this car creaks and moans over smooth roads. The drivers door handle (plastic) was cracked and this cracked the entire door panel. Replacements are hard to find and expensive. I got a new door panel and got metal door handles from ebay. The drivers door latch switch broke. This needed an entire latch and the switch lowers the window when opening and closing the door. Without this switch say goodbye to the top. So I did this myself. Then the rear plastics all cracked. Then the flaps to cover the top frame broke and the top wouldnt move so I took them off to fix it. Then the rear window separated from the canvas. I repaired the rear glass to save me the $2500 for a new top. Once I had this fixed, then the rear drivers window regulator broke. I took this to my friend and he fixed it for $300, but then the power top broke. So I disabled the power top and do it by hand since Im done fixing stuff on this car. So its fate is destined to be the in junkyard, but for now its just rolling junk waiting for its destiny. All of these repairs are on a low mileage, well maintained car. Other driving impressions- it drives like a cheap economy car. Braking is good. Acceleration is below average. Transmission and engine are still working for some reason. Structure is poor as I described above. Interior storage is average. rear seat room is tight. Paint is good. 30MPG highway. I can not recommend this car under any circumstances even if its given to you for free. It is very poorly over-engineered. Parts quality is very poor. Construction quality is poor with cheap brittle plastic and weak adhesives holding things together. Parts cost is very high and availability is poor as it may need to be shipped from Germany. So nothing here to see-keep looking.

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  Awesome wagon - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Michael - August 5 - 6:36 pm

  This wagon is a blast to drive - it gets 4-cylinder gas mileage when you want it and has turbo power when you need it. It has lots of cargo space and comfortable seating for 5 passengers.

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  Constant Repairs In A Pretty Package - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tmalone - August 5 - 3:33 pm

  For the cost of my 2006 TDI I could and should have bought a lightly used BMW, Acura or Lexus. The amount of time its spent in the shop has more than eclipsed the gas mileage savings Id intended by going diesel. Buyer beware: emissions warnings, glow plug issues, service and recalls await! Regular maintenance oil changes are astronomical $$ and good luck trying to perform any maintenance yourself. The 2006 TDI Jetta is a good-looking, well appointed and fun car to drive. Just make sure you live close to the dealerships service department. Sorry VW, Ill never buy another.