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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  Fun, Fast, and Fitting. - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Jboogaloo - March 11 - 4:36 am

  After having it for five days and putting over 560miles on it, I can say that this automobile is fantastic. I took it home Thursday of last week (6/19/2008) and took it to Va Beach Saturday morning. Being that it is the first 500 miles, I didnt go over 65, and I was getting between 31.5 and 33 mpg!! That is amazing. There is the "recommended" premium octane fuel, but you can put regular. I will tell you that paying the extra 4-5 bucks (at the most) for prem per tank is well worth it. The drive is comfortable, even with four adults. The cabin is very quiet and the seat comfort is just fantastic. Plenty of room for both driver & passenger along with back passengers.

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  An Endearing Auto - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By creative native - March 10 - 9:36 pm

  I have lost count on how many VWs I have owned now and am always impressed with what VW has to offer. This GLX wagon is all I anticipated. Excellent ride quality and better than anticipated fuel economy. I always get complimented on the body lines and colors.

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  My Second VW - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vw 4 life - March 9 - 2:46 pm

  I am also an outside sales rep and chose the 08 Jetta Wolfsburg fully loaded which replaced my 02 Jetta GLS. What an excellent choice for someone on the go. Ive racked up 6100 in 3 months and use 91 or higher Im getting great gas mileage, I love the Sirius radio and the more mature look. I did considered the BMW but thankful I stuck with VW. We are the most loyal owners and I love eating up the traffic as I fly by with my 6-speed triptonic. Its very fun to drive if you need more from your car I suggest stepping upto the Passat. Seriously you cant beat the quality and standard features that most other luxury vehicle build into there series upgrades. Test drive one at your local VW dealer!

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  Cant beat the GLI! True sports sedan! - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By PSIGLI - March 9 - 7:46 am

  This car has as much luxury as an Audi, much of the driveterrain is Audi, it has a big brake kit like the Audi TT, and the 1.8T motor and tranny are from the Audi A4. The real aluminum dash, recaro seats, and suspension are awesome. Get the GIAC chip it rocks this car, adds 30-40hp and its not dealer traceable. Turbo is smooth, gearing is awesome, this car is a true sleeper and underrated. For the luxury and build quality under the hood in the trunk everything this is a great bang for the buck, the only thing nicer maybe a BMW 3-Series or an Audi. This car drives and handles so smooth, around turns you want to feed the engine more. I get 26 mpg thanks to the really nice trip computer / screen usually found in more expensive cars.

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  6 Weeks and Very Happy - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Rob 110 - March 8 - 3:40 pm

  I bought my Tiguan after several months of looking at small SUVs. Each time I kept coming back to the Tiguan. I thought I would get a CRV, but the power isnt there and there are far too many on the road. I wanted to like the Acura RDX as an Acura TL owner. While I liked it, the gas mileage (poor) and cost (high) prevented the deal. The Ford Escape Hybrid just didnt have the fit and finish. The Tiguan was the best bet for me: good value, my bike fit inside, still somewhat uncommon on the road, nice looking, and just a great all around package. Six weeks into it and I still love it as much as the day I bought it.

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  My Favorite Car - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By Yurx Cherri - March 7 - 12:30 pm

  This car is amazing. German engineers managed to combine exceptional dynamics and speed with very frugal fuel consumption. You will be shocked if you compare the interior room parameters with BMW X3. They are almost the same. On the top of that you are basically buying Audi A3 (a bit shorter) for about $5,000 less.

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  SUV for me - never - until this one - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By c5lover - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Not much to say - just drive one and youre hooked. Very smooth, very luxurious, very quiet. Love the styling, too.

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  Fun Car But..... - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Mikes GTI - March 5 - 7:23 am

  This is a very fun car to drive. The interior is well laid out and posh. With the 5-speed its zippy and nimble. There is plenty of room for friends or a trip to local home improvement store. VW needs to improve the electronics in this car. Numerous sensor failures, all of the bulbs in the car have been replaced at least once and the Monsoon head unit shorted out. When the car is in the shop, its not much fun.

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  The Perfect Car - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By kbizzle - March 5 - 3:43 am

  This car reminds me what I love about German engineering. It drives like a dream in every way. I bought the car 2 or 3 months ago and I love it so much I still turn around after I park it to watch it as I walk away.

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  My wife and I love this minivan! - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By Laine Adrian - March 4 - 7:20 pm

  We looked and looked for 3 months prior to settling with the VW. I am a German car fanatic and had only owned Mercedes and VWs in my recent past. My wife was more open so we looked at the different brands. The need for a minivan came apparent when our second child arrived and between two child seats and all the "stuff" that you need, our sedan had been outgrown. The Routan felt more comfortable, more powerful, my wife really likes the amenities that it has and how it handles. VW, Honda and Toyota models do compete however, the VW takes the title for looks, comfort, performance and style. Ive seen cites comparing the Routan with Kia and honestly, they arent even in the same league.