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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  nice car, most for the money - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By JK - November 9 - 2:00 am

  works as advertised. smooth, powerful and quiet. great highway cruiser, 24 mpg overall. heated seats are a treat.

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  nice car, most for the money - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By jk - November 9 - 2:00 am

  works as advertised. smooth, powerful and quiet. great highway cruiser, 24 mpg overall. heated seats are a treat.

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  A Fun Car, But Take Good Care of It - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By Stuart N - November 8 - 5:03 pm

  My 07 GTI is the most enjoyable new car I have ever owned. Its the perfect size and Ive got plenty of space for people and cargo, too. VW styling never gets old and the retro interior is cool, comfortable and durable. The DSG is best auto-manual transmission ever made. It makes the car feel sporty without making me feel tired. Its a sports car that doesnt beat you up. But stick to the base car and skip the leather package. Otherwise you have a $30K GTI.

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  I love this car!! - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By YyysAzz - November 7 - 11:43 pm

  I owned a 99 Passat that I got from a co-worker that was about to retire, it had 210,000 miles I had driven the car for almost a year and needed a new car. Went looking and the Passat was high on the list. As soon as I saw the Wolfsburg edition I was sold. Almost everything you would want: MP3 CD changer, heated seats, steering wheel controls, fog lights; I saw it on a Saturday and drove out Monday afternoon. I have leased 4 GM SUVs in the last 10 years and I am more excited about this car than all of them. If you are in the market for a great car this is the one you want, but hurry only 6000 Wolfsburgs, if you miss one, wait if you can - a 50 state legal TDI is coming out in the fall.

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  We love our 2001 GLX VR6 - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By D. Graham - November 7 - 5:30 am

  The car is solid and handles very well. The VR6 has plenty of power but seems to really come on-line at higher speeds and RPMs. The leather interior is of superior quality and the Monsoon stereo really cranks and has many features. The sport package really helps the car handle well even at speeds in excess of 100 mph and the 17" wheels really set off the appearance and stance of the car. This car has been often mistaken for a BMW with good reason and is a cousin of the Audi A-4.

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  VWs Sure Footed Vault - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Two VWs - November 5 - 7:40 am

  After test driving all (except VW) major SUVs with safety, AWD/4x4 drive, and towing capacity in mind, the Toyota Sequoia barely met our needs. Just before the dealership, we passed the VW Touaregs all in a row. After crawling over one inside and out, and driving two blocks, she/we said, "I want this one!". The Tour-pig, as I fondly call it, tows more than other SUVs (two trips with 3,500 lb. trailer - tows great), has neat gadgets (I still havent figured out all the gizmos), is rated highly in safety, has the best workmanship interior of all (love them hard German seats!). The traction on snow/ice is tremendous - rock solid. In short, we (mostly) love it! We own 3 Volvos and 2 VWs.

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  I got a great one!! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Eigermoon - November 4 - 10:33 am

  Like other reviewers, I had a window clip break so that I could not roll up my window. The local VW dealer, from whom I did not buy the car, replaced it immediately as well as the other window which had not broken, they were extremely helpful. I also had the car not start one time shortly after purchasing, but it turned out to be a problem with the key fob, also fixed free of charge. I have read all the bad reviews, but I have been extremely happy with this car. I have driven it tons and I love it. I did also find however that you need to keep an eye on the oil, it does need about a quart every 1k.

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  Great car! Best Ive ever owned, I am 40 - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By RO - November 4 - 10:00 am

  Awesome! Great car. The TDI motor is peppy (when linked to the 5-spd. manual) and gets 45-50 mpg. The driveability is excellent. Sporty. Mine has 70,000 and only minor things have had to be replaced, namely, cup holder assembly, glove box door, and power sunroof track guides. The only other bad thing Ive encountered is that in severely cold weather (-10 to 0 degrees), I had the fuel "gel up" on me and had to be towed. Other than that FANTASTIC!. Best car ever owned, this includes: Ford Taurus, Ford Mustang GT, Plymouth Voyager SE, Subaru Wagon, Cutlass Supreme, AMC Spirit, Audi 5000T and more! Id buy another one tomorrow.

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  Love the farfegnuugen - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By wildcat - November 4 - 9:56 am

  Wasnt sure how I would like a small car like this coming from owning pickup trucks but Ive been driving it for almost 3 years now and it has been the best vehicle Ive ever owned. Incredible with fuel economy(about 42MPG) with my 4 speed automatic and it is solidly built. Havent had any problems except for a clip in the automatic windows that failed but they replaced them under warranty. Love my Jetta!

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  GTI VR6 - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By 03 GTI - November 4 - 2:00 am

  I just purchased an 03 Silverstone VR6 w/grey leather and sunroof. The car is a blast to drive and looks aggressive with the 17" wheels.The interior quality and list of standard accesories is excellent. The exterior fit and finish is also excellent.