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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  A Happy, Classy Car - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jen - May 13 - 6:46 am

  Overall I am in love with this car. The exterior styling is attractive without being excessively flashy, the interior is well thought out and welcoming. The steering is excellent, and dont be fooled by the 150 hp; the torque more than makes up for it and gives plenty of passing power. This car has a very solid feel for such a little thing. My only disappointment with the Jetta is its gas mileage. Ive observed about 21/25, which is a bit inferior to other cars like the Civic or the Accord. Overall I am more than willing to make this trade off since I see a billion Hondas on the road every day, which makes me feel a bit more unique in my happy-looking Jetta. :)

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  Make sure you take a long test drive - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By Tom - May 13 - 1:56 am

  I have had this car for a month now and I can tell this is going to be the most painful car I have ever had. I read the two reviews that discussed the messed up ergonomics and I just didnt pay attention during the test drive. There are so many design flaws that it takes away from what could be an extremely enjoyable car to drive. So here are the design issues to be aware of: - the windshield is sloped more then my 2008 and appears to be tinted less making night driving a challenge with the glare from oncoming traffic - the sloped window has made the door opening smaller, making it hard to get in, especially if the seat isnt all the way down - apparently VW engineers think Americans have big waists but tiny butts because there is all this extra space in the arm rest area that leaves you trying to not leave your arms hanging in space and they designed a seat for someone without a butt. Trying to put your legs inside the bottom seat bolsters can be painful in several areas - once seated you will see that you need a 6ft wingspan to reach the door handle to close the door? Speaking of the door, you have have good control of the door when opening it because of the wide swing path, it will easily hit whatever is parked next to you or it will close back on you - once in the seat you notice that you have to contort your left foot to put it on the footrest or put your leg on top of the bolster, which I do and it is causing a nerve to be pinched. On the other side, the brake and gas pedals are so off plane that I either practically break my ankle moving from the gas to the brake or I have to physically lift my leg up and pull it back to get over tho the brake. Also, the gas pedal sits weirdly behind the center console so you have to contort your right foot to get to the gas. Speaking of the center console, it sticks too far out so in contorting your foot for the gas your knee is constantly rubbing the hard plastic on the console making my knee very sore by the end of my drive. I drive 40 minutes each way to work but my test drive was around 25 minutes so I didnt pick up on these issues and should have known better. I get out after my commute and walk like I have broken ankles. Buyer beware and pay attention. Some other points: handling is good but the backend gets jumpy if going to fast on winding roads, it is not a very planted ride; gas mileage is not great, I have only 30 a couple of times; the low beams are not very bright so I find myself putting my highs on when I might not otherwise; the front defrosting takes awhile, I had a very thin sheet the other morning and it took 10 minutes to clean it off, not looking forward to when winter really hits; I mentioned above about having someplace to rest your arms, well theres no center arm rest to speak of, my 2008 Passat had an electric parking brake well VW cheaped out and went back to a hand brake that results in no armrest. Overall the car is fun to drive but the design issues that result in comfort issues will probably make this my last VW.

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  used to love her - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Anonymous - May 12 - 2:00 am

  I have had my 99 Passat for about 2 years. She has well over 200,00 miles and i have had no engine problems. however, i have replaced the drive axle for the second time in about 4 months. Im still not positive if the first replacement was defective or if there is an unlying issue with the car. Other than that however, i have absolutly no complaints!

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  My baby - 2006 Volkswagen Golf
  By m33k0n - May 11 - 4:23 pm

  I bought my Golf back in September, and I was struck by an Impala within the past week..Not sure on the damage yet, but the car did good and I was safe. Golf was a quick car, but the transmission liked to "clunk" when the engine wasnt heated up to 90 for some reason. It is comfortable to sit in for long periods of time, and the seat is very adjustable (im 411" and it suits me very well!) the stereo sounds amazing compared to other cars I have drove in. (Kia Rio, Fiat 500, Ford F150). The car took to bump roads well. Handles well with sharp turns, and its great in the snow. Its also been -30 here and its still working fine.

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  This car is amazing - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Karrie - May 11 - 4:20 pm

  This car is amazing! When I drove it I was sold. Actually I drove a manual turbo frist, then I drove my top of the line tiptronic transmission convertable. Now I am a proud owner. Great on gas. Fun fun fun. I drive it everywhere. It can tackle any hill, mountain or weather. Dont forget it can handle California freeways.

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  Fun and high quality - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By Coastal - May 11 - 1:53 pm

  After four months and 5,000 miles Im delighted with the Eos. Its quick and tight and I get 30+ mpg on the highway. Its exactly what I was looking for. The seats are comfortable and every feature seems well-thought out. The six-speed manual shifts crisply.

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  Luv the VW - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tallulah - May 11 - 3:50 am

  I love, love, love my new VW! I feel Llke I am driving an expensive car but, Im not. I went from a Ford to VW and I could not be happier. It is good on gas, its so cute, and has an awesome stereo system in it!

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  poor quality of assembly - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By rrrr - May 11 - 12:33 am

  It seems as if this car was not well put together. The windows squeak when going up and down. The plastic of the handlebars seems to not be well aligned. The reflectors on the doors fell off within weeks of purchase. The steering wheel is not straight and the dealer cant or wont fix it.

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  VW Passat TDI SE Review - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By M. Carey - May 10 - 12:42 am

  Turbo Diesel fuel mpg is excellent: 45+ hwy, 33 - 39 city. Interior room is very spacious. Controls are friendly, simple, intuitive. Turbo diesel acceleration is sporty. Touchscreen is good but no navigation system. Most features are smart and helpful. Car requires little maintenance, so far. Overall, an excellent vehicle/purchase.

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  On the Mark - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By dman - May 9 - 10:13 pm

  We owned a 2008 Toure for 1.5 years and we love the Tiguan even more ... here are the reasons: 1) Practicality - smaller but not to small to hold 5 adults and luggage! Great gas mileage for SUV 2) Free 3 year maintenance program 3) Overall fun to drive and cost of ownership