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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  2007 VW Rabbit - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Coder157 - May 21 - 5:23 am

  Overall I enjoy my VW Rabbit. I love driving it. The only thing I dislike about it is its gas mileage.

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  Love the Touareg - 2007 Volkswagen Touareg
  By automatic - May 21 - 3:20 am

  I am amazed with the car like ride and Lexus like build quality. I love the design and confident stance.

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  One to smile about - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By MixPix - May 20 - 1:50 pm

  This is our second Passat, the first being a 98 1.8T 5-sp. I loved that car, but my wife decided it was time to go more "upscale", so we moved on to BMW. Since then, I have had two 7 series Bimmers, two 3 series and a 02 Altima 3.5 SE. I traded my tired 2000 740iL in on this gorgeous 06 3.6 Passat. United Gray/ Mocha Latte. I spent two full days looking at everything from Chrysler 300s to Mercedes E350s. Infiniti BMW and Audi. Guess what,......this is BAR NONE the BEST car for the money out there. I too keep finding new things to smile about in this car. The Dynaudio system is a blast, and built in XM (or Sirius) is easy to use. Power and Handling are tops in this arena.

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  Practical and Fun - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By MIJetta - May 20 - 10:10 am

  They had me at the heated seats and panoramic sunroof. With the roof all the way open and windows down, it feels like a convertible--without any of the hassle. Would have liked TDI mileage without the added expense, but have gone from 25 MPG new to 30 MPG overall at 8,000 miles. It is sporty yet spacious enough to seat 5 people, or a bicycle, with the rear seats folded down. The right-angle holders with Velcro bases for the matted cargo area -- very clever! They hold things in place and can be tailored to whatever you put there--not one size fits all. Many well-considered details make the car a pleasure to own.

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  Golf Fun, even after Audi A4 - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By Bob E. - May 20 - 10:00 am

  After owning an Audi A4, I am surprisingly happy with the Golf. The handling, quietness and comfort are very close to the A4. I was disappointed at first with the fuel mileage, but after slowing down to 65 MPH on the highway, I actually got 40 MPG. My only complaint is that 5th gear revs too high. At 65 MPH, Im at 3200 RPM.

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  If you like Lemmons - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By RD99SS - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Fun car to drive when it runs, went through 4 coils, then they replaced all of the coils, car would sometimes not start, reflashed the computer, battery light would come on occasion. The kicker is I closed the door one day and the drivers side window fell out...I had to laugh at that one, the dealer replaced it and they said to me "Oh that happens all the time" GREAT, after that I went and bought a Honda.

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  DONT BUY A VW!!!! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jen_Jen322 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  My exprience??? Where do I start? Transmission slips, goo coming from doors, windows fall into door, broken armrest, consumes a lot of oil, electrical problems, gas guzler. Other than that is has been fine!! Enough said?

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  Love my 03 GLS 1.8T, with reservations - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By phxtalisman - May 20 - 10:00 am

  After looking at Mazda Protege, Mazda6, Nissan Altima, and Honda Civic, I decided to buy the 03 Jetta GLS because it was true sports sedan. The 1.8 turbo gives it great accelaration and the sports/luxury package with the 18" allou wheels and performance tires provides awesome handling... although the tires generate a little bit of tire roar on some pavement types.

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  Jetta is great! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By iluvmyjetta - May 20 - 10:00 am

  My biggest helpful hint would be to wait until November if you can hold out. The TMV has gone down almost $1500 in one month since August - so you have a good chance of it going down even further. Also, print out your Edmunds.com info. and bring it to the dealer with you. Dont pay MSRP or dealer invoice again! I got mine at $500 below the TMV at the time. Best of luck & enjoy - the Jetta GLS 1.8T is a great choice.

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  Awsome new engine - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By skiman29456 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Well folks I just got a 2004 Jetta and man its great. Aside from the new trunk lid design and chrome outside and around the guages, it run wonderfully. The HP is up by 10 but the torque is up i think about 30ft lbs. The only thin im not really jazzed on is the sound system. Its not bad...but, MTX makes a subwoofer that fits on the right hand corner of the trunk and its really brings the bass nnotes to life. Jazz has never sounded so good. If you havent driven one yet you owe yourself a favor to go drive the new 2004 model. Bill P.S. Dont forget the subwoofer install