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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  Uneven performer - really poor quality - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By jisla - May 19 - 10:00 am

  After eight years of driving two different Odesseys, I made the mistake of leasing a Routan instead. Two factors drove my decision: a desire for change, and economics. I can only criticize Honda for their very boring color schemes. And the Routans final sticker price represented a small advantage. But long-term use revealed the Routans true colors. It is at least 30% less fuel-efficient than the Odyssey. That translates to a higher per month cost. Whatever I saved at purchase was an illusion. Most importantly, the Routan is plain cheap. It is a clunker: over bumps and engaging into gear. The power side doors lock up and the transmission frequently sticks in low. Dont get on a Routan!

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  Nothing but Problems - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Nothing but problems - May 19 - 2:53 am

  I bought this car in 2003. For the first two years, I loved it. Then, about a year ago, I started having problems. First, something started leaking. My warranty covered it. Then I broke down on a major road and had to get towed. The warranty also covered this. My car has stalled and I had to get towed (not covered), my air conditioning had to be recharged (not covered), then it had a leak (covered), my passenger side door stopped working (covered), etc. I would not recommend ever purchasing a used version of this car...it has too many problems.

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  Great car - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Wayne Holt - May 18 - 7:41 pm

  I love driving this car, I have a Nissan Z convertible, and I always drive my VW CC, great handling, low maintenance cost, oil change is once a year, I have had no problems out of this car. Highly recommended, anyone looking to buy this car get it, you will not be disappointed.

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  My new VW... - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By d00d - May 18 - 8:23 am

  This great looking car is pretty fast considering its relatively small engine (2.0L 134hp.) The 247 ft/lbs of lowend torque is what makes it a really fun drive - I find myself saying "farfegnugen" a lot! I love watching the mpg average with the TDI engine. I had problems with the dealer just handing me a box with the books, wrong keys and no new car walk through. The car spent its 1st week in the shop because a speaker wire was bad, causing a high pitched whine. They had to route a replacement wire from the amp to the door speaker. I REALLY WISH 4MOTION would have been available with this model!!!!!!! Im also concerned about taking it back to California & passing the smog check.

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  Fun Car, bad electrical system - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jss714 - May 18 - 1:13 am

  I think there are a lot of pros and cons to the car, yes it is a really fun car to drive and looks very sleek and stylish. It has an excellent powertrain warranty, but I have had lots of problems with the electrical system! Which of course started to break after the meager 2-year bumper-to- bumper warranty had expired. The VWs are VERY expensive to repair.

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  Havent had any major issues - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ryan - May 17 - 12:33 pm

  This car has been great to me for 7 years. Its fun to drive, gets great gas mileage and I havent had any major issues. The ignition coil recall several years back was a a bit of a pain (all Jettas and Audi A4s), but they fixed it free and quick. I did have to replace hoses a couple years ago and have had my share of flat tires due to city driving and performance tires, but no real complaints.

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  Check Engine Light Wont Turn Off - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Katherine - May 17 - 11:13 am

  I love my Jetta but it drives me crazy that the "Check Engine" light comes on about six times each year. Also I am not keen on the recalls. It drives like a race car and this is terrific, when it is not in the shop having the check engine light checked out.

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  Too many problems - 2005 Volkswagen Golf
  By Karen Marie - May 17 - 6:07 am

  Bought Golf GLS M/T new Jan/2006. Had a great run for the first few years. It handles great, is a lot of fun to drive and looks good. But, once it was out of warranty, the problems started. At about 44,000 miles/7 yrs., the master cylinder (brakes) needed to be replaced, and rotors. Internal engine oil leak - new transmission needed before 50,000 miles. Hood latch broke 2x. Strange front thumping noise that cannot be diagnosed began in 9th year. Around year 6 the armrest latch broke. Around year 8 the glove compartment latch broke. And this is from a single driver - hardly ever passengers, no kids - so these things were hardly ever opened. Loved the car but would not buy again.

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  Never again will I buy a VW - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mark - May 15 - 6:38 pm

  Car was okay until 90K miles. The turbo on the diesel grenaded, causing not only all the damage in the turbo, but also the exhaust system (which had been redesigned and you had to buy the newer version). Very expensive repair. Asked VW to help, but there comment was that it was out of warranty, your on your own. The car was three years old at the time. They also made the comment that I had put a lot of miles in a short time. Really, a diesel should be good for 300K+. At 140K miles, radiator starts leaking, and was replaced. Radiator fan had to be replaced as it liked to run until it ran the battery down. Now one of the glow plugs needs to be replaced, one of the rear window regulators, and the electric steering is humming. Nickle and dimming now.

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  Unbelievable for the money! - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By HSJ - May 15 - 9:26 am

  Sure there are better-looking and sportier cars, but none can match the GTIs combination of good looks, great interiors, very sporty driving and great pricing. I have the manual base car, and the list of "stuff" that is standard is amazing: 10-speaker(!) kicker Monsoon audio, Bi-Xenon headlamps, Driver Information Display (with 2 awesome trip computers), auto up/down on all windows, heated power mirrors, lots of user-programmable features, steering wheel controls, sports front seats, power outlet in trunk, great "mood" lighting at night, map lights all around - list just goes on. I love the interior lighting at night. After this car, other non-luxury cars interiors seem cheap.