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:

• 

  I wish there was a bed in here - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By Adeel R. - June 30 - 5:46 am

  This my first new car since 2009 I had a Camry. With this price there are no other models that come close.

• 

  Nice car with bad reliability issues - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Jose - June 29 - 4:32 pm

  I owned my 2010 CC for over 5 years now, with a little over 69,000 miles. Here is my honest assessment: Positive: Design - The car looks great both inside and outside. Performance - Engine power is more than enough for a casual driver, acceleration is great, even for a 4-cylinder engine. Negative: Gas mileage - I am averaging around 22 MPG combined city/hi way driving-thats terrible for a 4-cylinder car! The only time I can get around 25 MPG is when I drive long distance on the freeway. Reliability - My transmission needed a major repair at around 36,000 miles (would not go to reverse), lucky for me, it was still under warranty. Carbon build-up is also a major concern. At around 57,000 miles, I got a check engine light and then the car stalled. Had it towed to a dealer and the prognosis was excessive carbon build up in the intakes and failed fuel pump. It cost me over $3,700 to get it fixed. What bothers me is the carbon build up. After doing some research, I found out that, although carbon build up is an issue with all direct injection engine, VWs 2.0 TSI engines appears to be the most affected by it. Talking to a couple of technician at the dealer confirmed that carbon build up is an issue and the only way to completely get rid of it is to have it mechanically cleaned approximately every 60,000 miles. The way it is going now, I dont think I will be buying another Volkswagen again.

• 

  Buyer Beware - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Nuce - June 29 - 1:00 pm

  I was so excited to get the newly re-designed 2007 Passat Wagon! What a mistake! I have had this vehicle in the shop THREE times since I purchased it in March 2006. The Engine Malfunction lights keeps coming on and the dealership cannot find the problem, except to say that that there is an evaporator leak that they cannot fix it. The service manager also stated that they had several Passats that were doing this. Please dont think that the dealership will back you up on these problems; THEY WON"T...I wrote a letter to VW and they were unwilling to help me too. Volkswagen will NOT stand behind their vehicle. The brakes squeak, too. Do not buy this vehicle.

• 

  VW reputation intact - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By late74C - June 29 - 12:33 am

  Just purchased my new VW Routan last weekend as part of a cash for clunker deal. Have an SEL w/trim pkg 3 and navi. This will be our 3rd minivan since 90 (a 90 and 97 Dodge Gr Caravan) and so far like this one the best, lots of little extras, comfy seats, great power and ride. Only rated it an 8 on reliability as we had a no-start situation this past Monday but this is the reason for the review -- VWs roadside assistance arranged a tow to the dealer who handled it quickly -- it turned out to be loose connections in the master fuse panel. We have multiple cars so it was no bother as well as they updated the navi system once a complete check of electrical was done. Great job VW!

• 

  Fun Car to Drive, Lacks Performance - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By bb0029 - June 28 - 8:10 pm

  I drive this car about 50 miles a day to and from work. Comfortable ride and overall a pleasure to drive. This car makes the daily commute bearable for me.

• 

  Awesome Wagon ! - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Variant - June 27 - 10:36 pm

  Owned the wagon for over a year now and it has been trouble free and put a smile on my face every time I get into the wagon. Great vehicle, love the style and power of 2.0T engine. Why buy an SUV when you can get the same amount of room and the handling of a sports sedan!

• 

  Little Black Jetta - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By T MO - June 27 - 10:29 pm

  This car is a great choice. Te sports shift makes the performance of this little black Jetta a joy to take on winding roads. Much fun driving!!!

• 

  Small Wonder - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Small Wonder - June 27 - 4:46 pm

  Ours. Well, wifes but what the heck I get to drive it too when we ride together. we got the 6 speed manual, what a blast to drive. by the way we went in to buy a Tiguan but ended up buying the TDI we think its a better value. Got the multiple on dash cd changer but dont need it cause its got an ipod hook up and the rest is history. this car is well worth it, an excellent car without comparison, buy one we need to support the Diesel technology so they bring more choices for us to love.

• 

  Love my Car, Not my dealership - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Kristina - June 27 - 9:13 am

  To be honest I love my car. I dont love my local VW dealership. Every time I take her in for a $100 oil change something needs to be fixed. However, being female I always go for a second opinion before I get anything done and half the time they are just trying to rip me off. The catalytic converter did go. But it was under and extended warranty because there was an error in all 1.8ts in 2001. The O2 sensors. Fine, it was time for them to go. As for the rest I will never go back to my dealership unless I have a problem no one else can figure out.

• 

  Love this car - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Nancy - June 27 - 4:36 am

  This is the best car I ever had, and Ive had many. I traded in my Maxima after I test drove the Jetta. Its a very safe car and has a huge truck and plenty of room inside. I have been getting 47 mpg sometimes 50. What an awesome car!!