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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  Bad Purchase - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By First & last VW - September 8 - 10:00 am

  I should have known better when I forked out $45k for a Volkswagen. Attracted by the design and stylish interior I dismissed the Golden Rule: Never buy a complete new car model within the first year of the official market release. I have only 3300 miles on the clock and had to bring it into the shop five times already. Yes, five times. Besides the weekly recalls VW issues (kind of a game now for me to guess what theyll find next week)the car has let me down various times. Engine troubles, electronics mailfunctioning, airbag errors, tire- pressure alerts every other day - it just doesnt stop.

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  passat a poor performer - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By vwisjustplanepain - September 8 - 10:00 am

  Frustrating car to use. not logical controls. Seat belt reminder beeps even when in park. Doesnt shut off very annoying. Trunk locks automatically and you need the remote to unlock. just a pain. 4motion hesitates before accelerating. downshifts poorly.

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  Be Careful of Ball Joints - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Greg - September 7 - 7:30 pm

  Except for annoying problems with lights or dashboard lights, my 2001 Volkswagen Passat was largely OK until around 55,000 miles. At the 55,000 mile mark, the ball joints and tie rods rendered the car unsafe to drive without significant, costly repairs. Ive heard this problem isnt uncommon among Passat owners. I would never buy a VW again.

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  Too many squeaks and rattles - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By heplar - September 6 - 11:20 pm

  Vehicle has 3400 miles and is only 10 months old. Every time it is driven over slightly rough pavement, it develops squeaks in the instrument panel or rattles originating from most of the doors. Inasmuch as it has very low mileage, I will return it to the dealer for an oil change and complaint session when it get close to its first birthday.

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  DONT BUY IT!!!! - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By saabturbocoupe - September 6 - 6:19 am

  At first look, you may think that the jetta s is a great buy. For what your getting, and the price your paying, youll probably think its a no brainer (if you like the new style). That was my mistake. I was looking for a car that was good on gas, didnt requier premium fuel, and was an overall good car. After driving this, I thought it was great. After 2 weeks, I now realize I made a terrible choice. Even with the manual transmition, this car is extremly slow, and shifts very clunky. When you use the wipers, something clicks when the wipers go up, and again when they go down. The seats arnt as comfortable as they first seem either. All I can say is, I miss my honda, will trade this in soon.

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  If Only I Knew Then What I Know Now - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By foxdown07931 - September 3 - 6:23 pm

  Without a doubt this is the most problematic car I have ever owned. Out of service for weeks as electrical faults could not be traced down. Repeated visits to dealer to correct same problem. Seems like every four months or so we encounter a problem. Usually electrical in nature. These costs are on top of the routine maintenance costs which are shocking. For example, every 40,000 miles a new timing belt is required at a cost of close to $900, brakes $700,headlight bulb close to $100.

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  Fun to drive, poor build quality, poor VW customer service - 2011 Volkswagen Golf
  By jdmarrapese - September 3 - 6:14 pm

  I bought this car as a certified pre-owned with 20k miles. It now has 64k miles. The car runs and handles extremely well. Its fun to drive. The interior is moderately comfortable, but thats where it ends. The interior quality is very poor. The door panels creak as does the over head console and theres a rattle where the dash meets the windshield, and the headliner is beginning to sag. There is also a design flaw, if its raining and the window is even cracked open, the water puddles together on the roof and itll overflow into the car, dumping a significant amount of water into the car, Similar to an overflowing gutter. The keyless entry is also very weak, even with new batteries.

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  I Urge YOU to look elsewhere - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By nate dawg - August 31 - 2:00 am

  Oh the problems and headaches this car has caused me. Poor cupholder design. Both front windows have fell down. (the dealer told me it was the heat in HOUSTON and this is the only city it happens in LOL)evertime I brought it in to get the oil changed, I have mentioned the windows and door panels rattling. He claims hes never heard of this car doing that. (I should have suspected something when everytime I go into the dealership they never have the same people working)Busted air coolant hose on the way back from AUSTIN. Dash lights going out at night. Dont think about putting in your own sound system. THE WORST...Its a gas guzzler.

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  Sporty looking car but lacks some key features - 2017 Volkswagen CC
  By RK - August 27 - 6:02 pm

  2017 CC R-Line Executive car is really sporty looking stylish car. Seats are comfortable. Being closeout model year for 2017, they are priced aggressively to sell by some dealers. I wanted to point out that some must have features at this price range are missing. Blind spot monitoring, Rear cross traffic alerts, Home link/Home Connect features are missing.

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  Instant Gratification - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By alyslever - August 27 - 4:36 pm

  Im a 21 year old girl that always wanted a VW Jetta. Little did i know, they suck! After the first week of having it my front bumper started falling off. My car has been in the shop since day 1. I love the way the car looks but its not the most practical car. Ive had so many problems such as, catalytic converter, trans, alternator, belts, a/c, ABS, etc. The inside of the car is junk. Everything falls off or apart. Have fun if you decide to buy this car!