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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  TDI: More Than Just Economy - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By 2dtenor - July 29 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my 5spd TDI for 3 mos. Im averaging 49 mpg. Acceleration is more than adequate for SoCal freeways. The ride and handling are not as refined as my 96 Audi A$ quattro, but they beat anything remotely comparable in price from the US or Japan. Much better feeling of connectedness with the road than domestic or Japanese products. VW has a real sleeper here.

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  First VW may be my Last - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By tg3 - July 29 - 9:24 am

  Owned a chevy and honda previously, went with the Tiguan b/c the manual trans and looks... have had the car just over a year and its been in the dealer for fixes 3 times (my chevy and honda needed nothing but routine maintenance). People warned me with buying a VW, but I was like how can it be so bad if so many people have them?. Well sadly I am finding out. I love the car but never imagined having probs with a car thats only a year old. How can VW shoot for achieving #1 car sales if they make junk? Well, this is definitely my last VW, thinking of trading it for a Rav4 before I have to start paying for the repairs. Sorry to say, I did have hopes of 6 years with this car.

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  Yep Yep my Bug is Sexy! - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Cheetoz - July 29 - 4:40 am

  I absoluety love my bug! Im a new driver and its really easy learning to drive in it. You just feel good when driving. It makes you comfortable. Youre not at all worried about whos going to see you in some busted up lemon. Confidence is key, if you feel good about what youre driving, you drive well. Its gotten to the piont of being annoying, because most of my friends are talking about getting one. So to keep from falling into the crowd make sure its personalized from the licsense plate to the extra long dashbroad!

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  Love-Hate Relationship - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Red-T - July 29 - 4:26 am

  I love driving my Touareg. I especially like its ability to effortlessly tow my 5,500 lb. horse trailer. And it doesnt seem to mind 89 octane gas instead of the recommended premium. But the computer system has a mind of its own, the original tires lasted only 19,000 miles, the interior trim is falling apart, and the dealer experience has been terrible. Oh, I should also mention that a simple oil change will set you back about about $120 since it requires synthetic oil, and lots of it.

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  Great Daily Driver - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Pleasantly Surprised - July 28 - 7:00 am

  I started looking at the Rabbits because of the ads and because I used to own a 87 Golf. When I started checking out the standard features I was shocked at how much car you get for under $20,000. I thought there had to be a compromise in quality somewhere. But after driving the Rabbit I was impressed. The car has a very solid feel and grips the road well. My previous vehicle had a 2.5L V6 (5M) and was nowhere near as quick as this car. The visibility is good in this car with a slight difficulty in seeing past the "b" beam. One of my favorite points about this car is how safe I feel driving it. Beside the eight airbags, it has four wheel ABS and ESP optional(which I got). Buy the Rabbit.

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  Step Backward - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By sportwagentdi - July 28 - 4:58 am

  My wife and I currently own two Jettas (2009 SE and 2010 TDI Sportwagen) and had a 2011 Jetta SE as a loner. While the handling of the new Jetta was superior to the previous sedan, the interior quality was a huge step back from the older models. Everything inside is hard to the touch and very cheap feeling. I really like the exterior styling (wife does not), but the interior is a disappointment compared to VWs of the past. Even my father-in-laws 2004 Golf has a nicer interior feel...strange.

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  Love My Jetta! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Betsy - July 27 - 11:23 pm

  I bought this car used in 2004 with 65,000 miles and it has been a gem. Its fun to drive (manual) and I havent had a bit of trouble with it. It has 128,000 miles on it and is still going strong. I will buy another Jetta next time I need a car but Id like to get a diesel for better gas mileage. My GLS gets 26-29 which is pretty good for such a fantastic engine that just purrs at 80 mph. Cant say enough good about it.

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  Sweet Ride - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By sean9 - July 27 - 10:23 pm

  The Volkswagen Jetta TDI is an all round fantastic car to drive. It delivers amazing preformance for a small 100 HP engine and you have loads of power at highway speeds! Plus the great added space in the back seats and truck make life that much easier compared to older year models of the Jetta.

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  A Very Good Car - Update - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Mark-- Boston - July 27 - 6:30 pm

  Now > 4 years into ownership and at 108,000 miles, I thought Id update my review. I still like this car a lot. It remains reasonably reliable with only fair fuel economy ( although Ive been getting 24-25 MPG on the highway lately). Cost of maintenance has been relatively high, but I do drive a lot, so I feel it has been quite acceptable. Engine (V6) is running smooth and not burning oil. Im thinking of driving it until 200K or until the cost of repairs gets too high (Ive done the TB and WP at 85K). Im still overall satisfied with the car and service Ive been getting. Ive had two electrical problems. Fuel pump died at 60K (recall) and drivers seat heater died (expensive, but needed fix).

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  TDi is AWESOME - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By Gazings - July 27 - 3:53 pm

  Get the TDi! This amazing little engine has tons of torque - much faster around town than the base 2.0, plus you get amazing gas mileage. TDis have more sound insulation, so the ride is actually a good bit quieter. Car feels like an expensive German sedan - great handling, high-end controls and displays, nice seats. A lot of car for the money! Monsoon stereo is fantastic. Auto transmission works great with the TDi.