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 Drive - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By joek71 - February 23 - 2:00 am

  I just got my Touareg and it is a eye catcher, people look at even poeple from other SUVs. I had fun driving it from the dealer to the house, I loved the interior very comfortable and the drive is great and handles very well on turns. The only thing is a little lack of power on the V6 when you give gas it takes a little longer to accelerate,but I am coming from driving a C-320. The point is that this is a great car. The gas economy could be a little better, but other then that it is worth every penny.

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  VW Jetta GLS TDI - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By rotwein - February 23 - 2:00 am

  Outside of the falling window problem which VW has fixed/replaced I have had no problems with this car. I drive it like I stole it. I cruise at 80 on the interstate and am getting 42 mpg.

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  Daily Driver - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By GrayRhino - February 23 - 2:00 am

  Its bigger on the inside than it appears from the outside. Alot of well thought out details were put into this car, for example, with the key in the door , you can roll down all the windows. Great for venting heat in summer. Mileage commuting to work, low 40s. Highway 50, depending on conditions.

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  Best looking car and value on the market - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Greg - February 22 - 6:36 pm

  The CC has the looks of the C-class, but for half the money. Even the back seat is larger than the C. I bought the black on black Luxury with Technology package and BlueTooth. We wanted the better MPG than the 6. So far, very happy. Havent figured out the hard drive yet, but, you can watch a DVD on the NAV screen. Pretty cool.

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  Five Years Old, Over 100,000 Miles Review - 2001 Volkswagen GTI
  By Saint Clair - February 21 - 5:06 am

  I bought this car in 06 it now has 103,000 miles and is in immaculate condition. Everything works perfectly as if I just drove it off the show room floor. There are only a few minor issues: the right side suspension squeaks, the Texas heat melted the glue on the door liner, the interior squeaks more than I would like, and the center console latch broke. Thats it. This GTI has more options on it than any Mercedes / BMW / Lexus of its time. The interior is straight luxury car and as far as its performance goes, well I have yet to get a tricked out Honda to challenge me! They see the VR6 badge and back off. This is my 3rd VW. Ive owned two Jettas and decided to have a little fun with this purchase. I will never buy anything other than vehicles from the VW auto group.

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  The Bestest Car Ever! - 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Lane,D - February 20 - 5:56 pm

  My mother went and bought this car for her Birthday and we have loved every cotton-pickin minute of having it. It gets pretty good gas mileage. You would think that a small car like the Beetle-bug would be really tiny in the backseat, but it is really comfortable.It is the best car that our family has ever had. I also think it is really cool to have a car that there are only 1,400 of in the whole United States.

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  luv my jetta! - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bklyngal - February 20 - 4:03 am

  This is a great car for the price. I bought it pre-owned and consistently drive it everyday. The car now has 38,000 with no problems (knock on wood).The steering on this car is tight and hugs the road. None of the other cars I test drove such as, the mazda3 and corolla could compare to the solid feel the Jetta has. This is a classy looking car and it turns heads, not to mention its fun to drive. If you want a good looking car with style and great steering, get this car-you wont be sorry!

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  The 1999 Jetta Wolfsburg Edition - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tricia Stewart - February 18 - 10:00 am

  I bought this vehicle used. It is has all of the extra options such as a moonroof, power-everything, cruise, and a terrific sound system. I love the car so far. The one thing that I do not like about this car is the power window failure. Apparently this is common in Volkswagen cars and it is very expensive to repair.

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  Love this car! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By LoveMyTREG - February 18 - 10:00 am

  I bought a Touareg after owning an FX35 for three months. The FX35 never felt "right" too sporty in performance and atitude. Test drove a Touareg V6 and fell in love. Great ride - no attitude. Feels solid. Be sure to get the air suspension - makes a big difference in handling/performance. V6 has enough power.

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  Comfort-Sleek Design-Sexy as Hell - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By Nicole - February 18 - 5:43 am

  I had been looking for a convertible, however, I live in Maine, and they are not that feasible for 8 months out of the year. When I saw this car I had to have it. Its comfortable (even for 2 full grown adults) in the back seat. Very nicely built, drive is smooth. I have put 20,000 on it in less than a year and no problems so far. Also, I have the base model and comes with everything I want including leather and dual heat controls