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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  Nightmare on Wheels - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tenmpf150 - October 3 - 3:46 pm

  Weve nicknamed the car "The Black Dalia" if that tells you anything. Right from the get go this German engineered piece of Mexican craftsmanship has been a complete nightmare. This car has broken faster than I can physically fix it. First it was the clutch plates slipping, then it was the window off track, then it was the dashboard falling apart, then the seats always look filthy, then the door locks didnt work, then the interior lights, then the key fob stopped working, the motor burns a quart of oil a week, the MAF has gone twice, then the fuel injectors started surging, now the car bucks like a bronco, the doors wont stop chiming like they are open all the time!! and the list goes on...

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  A ripe lemon - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By xando05 - September 26 - 6:54 pm

  What a piece of junk. I was so excited to special order this car back in 2006. I really thought I was going to get a stellar vehicle built in Germany. Well, I got the German part of the equation-thats it. This car was one of, if not the biggest mistake Ive ever made in my life. On my way home, the night of deliveryI quickly noticed that something was odd with the acceleration. There was a clear delay in forward motion once the driver depressed the accelerator. I had the car back to the dealer multiple times to address this situation. No luck. Finally the dealer contacted the regional VW rep about the issue. A software update was applied to the ECM. It improved the issue about 35%

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  Rough Idle and Bad Gas Mileage - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By john - September 26 - 1:13 am

  This has been the worst car I have ever owned. It has a rough idle and gets poor gas mileage. VW has not been any help in resolving these issues.

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  RUN AWAY! - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By mo - September 2 - 2:03 am

  I bought this car for the worst possible reason: IT LOOKS CUTE. No sonner had I bought it than things started to go including the battery, a fan, the a/c system, the stereo, the windows, and the reverse gear. This list goes on an on, and everything is EXTRAORDINARILY expensive to fix. I made a quick decision because my previous uber-reliable Honda Civic was stolen, and I rue the day I bought this car every day of my life, particularly when Im sweating in the summer without the $1,600 it would cost to fix it. Everything that could go wrong has. Don;t buy this car. I will never buy a VW again.

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  Lots of noise - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jetta owner - August 28 - 10:00 am

  The 2002 Jetta GLX makes lots of rattling noises. It is far from a quit ride. If you are looking at the Jettas make sure to check out the service department. You will spend a ton of time there and it often difficult to get a loaner car.

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  Transmission is still a problem - 2011 Volkswagen Routan
  By gjavellana - August 18 - 2:26 am

  Very dangerous. Was on a freeway at 60MPH with a baby in tow when the car stop and will not move. The day before I brought the car to the dealer to check because I told them I step on the gas but the car will not move, and I was going on a roadtrip. Was told nothing wrong with the car. The next day 60 miles away from home the car stalled on a freeway. WORST WARRANTY SERVICE. Called roadside assistance and was told that nobody can help us because the nearest dealer needs an appointment first ( Cardinale Way VW). Called Volkswagen and they said work with dealer because they are a private company. What happened to company warranty.

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  Just dont... - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By UGH! - August 16 - 8:10 am

  I have had nothing but one problem after another since I bought this car and it only had 12,000K miles on it! Now after I have spent $2,000 plus a $1,500 warranty, I am going to take a huge loss on the trade too. This car stinks and now everyone knows it. Just save yourself the trouble.

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  Too many issues - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By Cheryl K. - July 31 - 3:26 am

  My car is in the shop as I type this. Ive had it in 3 or 4 times now for leaks on passenger and drivers side. The door panels are bubbled up on both sides, my sunroof closure on the inside is separating and my back passengers side window has a problem and MY BRAKES also squeak. How many times does it take on the same repair to fall under the "Lemon Law"? Very disappointed customer.

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  Buy Something Else - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By TO - July 30 - 8:26 pm

  We are completely dissatisfied with this van. Nothing but transmission issues. Trans. leaked at 2800 mi, failed and was rebuilt at 8600 mi and valve body replaced again at 10,000 mi. Dealer had it for 10 out of the first 51 wks. Typical for a Chrysler based product. VW should be ashamed to have their badge on this van. Other issues, creaking noises from the RES and door panels. Rattling noises in the suspension. Power lift gate was malfunctioning. Rotors replaced at 600 mi. At one year old and 11,000 miles you should not have to worry about the vehicle falling apart. The MPG is poor, 12 in town,21 at best on Prem fuel on a trip. Using the Lemon Law for the trans. issues. Buy Toyota or Honda

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  VW Headache - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By bocaboy - July 28 - 10:00 am

  This is nothing more than a Jetta with a new suit of clothes. Nothing but trouble from day one. Totally unreliable and falling apart. Cant wait for lease end to dump this bad boy.