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:

• 

  great car. - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By asdfsdfsd - March 17 - 2:00 am

  i dont know what you people are doing wrong but my 2000 jetta has been great. I have around 120k miles and have had no major problems... I just took care of it and didnt drive it to hard. looking forward to gettin a 1.8t next =)

• 

  very nice - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By durinsbane - March 17 - 2:00 am

  What can I say, this is one wonderful car. The road noise is next to nothing, it goes great in the snow, the ride is ultra smooth. This car has the feel of any top notch luxury car. The only grip is the fuel economy. I get about 22 miles per gallon average, wish it were better.

• 

  Passat 4motion 6cyl - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By allnode - March 17 - 2:00 am

  We only have the car for a week. Put in about a couple of hundred miles. So not sure yet about long term reliability. So far, we love its handling and its 4motion traction. Love its ability to take sharp corner and also great accelaration.

• 

  Good Eurovan - 2001 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By Brian - March 16 - 2:50 pm

  This ia a quilty vehicle. My family loves it. You can not beat it on a trip. Dose suck the gas though plus you have to use premium fuel.

• 

  Im Very Impressed - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Robert Clarke - March 16 - 3:10 am

  This is my fifth VW / Audi and I could not be happier. I bought it with used 42,000 miles on it and so far it has been great. Its build quality is excellent, power is fine, and the ride is quiet and comfortable. I have put 3,000 miles on it so far and I average 18 mpg in town and 24 highway. That is not great, but that is what you get with AWD, and I knew that going in. I tried premium gas and I didnt notice a difference so I have been using midgrade. It came with the VW Certified Pre-Owned Warranty so I dont have to worry about anything for two years or 24,000 miles.

• 

  European Value - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By John K - March 15 - 1:03 am

  The absolute best driving car at this price point! European handling in a car around $25,000 with V- tech seating surface that looks and feels like leather! Quick acceleration at all speeds. Incredible MPG on the highway trips. With 3200 miles on the car I am already getting over 33 mpg. Interior controls well designed and thoughtfully placed. This car also is solid and performed extremely well in crash tests. This engine is the same one found in the Audi A-4 and is completely flawless. This car far exceeds its peer groups of Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, not to mention all Amer. cars in that midsized class. Plus if you had to add leather seating for durability it would cost you more.

• 

  The Perfect Buggy - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By So-cool - March 13 - 7:50 pm

  This is one of the coolest cars I have ever owned. I sold an Infiniti G35 Coupe to buy this car and have been totally impressd with the experience. The DSG transmission is incredible. I love this car.

• 

  Happy So Far - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By himoses - March 13 - 8:00 am

  Our 2000 Ford Focus bit the dust and my wife and I were looking to replace it. We were between this, the Altima, Fusion, Accord, Sonata and Elantra Touring. This car offers a lot of options on the base model and good acceleration for its class. While not quite a "pocket rocket" as I would have liked, it definitely is a fun car to drive. The Mazda 3 was sportier but this just feels like a nicer car. This is a very comfortable car and is just big enough for my wife and I. I felt the midsize cars were just too large for city driving. The Jetta is an excellent city cruiser. It performs quite well in the snow. The Jetta has a lot of character. I just hope it holds up as well as my Focus.

• 

  Wow fun in this pocket rocket! - 2009 Volkswagen GTI
  By Larry Orischak - March 13 - 2:26 am

  I love this car! I looked at everything in its class and just kept coming back to it! Have had for a year and it is still fantastic experience! Handling is superb and gas mileage is a real surprise and no On highway crossing Utah had cruise control set at 82mph and was getting 27 miles per gal. Around town 32 miles per gal.plus. Pick up is terrific and blows me away! and handling is tight and responsive! Seats are excellent for quick turns and no problems on long trips. Space in back is probably bigger than anything in its class. Dash and controls are easy to read and to control. I have had some great cars in my 45 years of driving but this is the most fun yet! Love driving it!

• 

  Love My Passat - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Gloria Val Verde - March 12 - 10:00 am

  It has been a GREAT car....the smoothest riding car Ive had the pleasure to own.