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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  Best Car Ever - 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By CLM - April 28 - 3:36 am

  I am the past and present owner of at least two V-12 Mercedes-Benz models (a sedan and convertible) and the Phaeton surpasses both in every respect including, but not limited to price.

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  Excellent Daily Driver - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Joshua - April 27 - 5:26 pm

  My 2006 Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 is a great daily driver. It has lots of features like the satellite radio, navigation, etc. The leather is improved bigtime as well as interior design, with a quality you only see in higher priced luxury cars. The handling has improved 110% from the previous model. The only quark is to see more of the traditional "German" design to come back. Other than that its a great car!

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  Pleased so far, but remains to be seen... - 2010 Volkswagen Touareg
  By sabotva - April 27 - 3:25 am

  Love this SUV. Purchased at 38k miles and have driven to 41k. Have NOT towed much, and that is a large part of why i purchased this car. 7700lb capacity is impressive. My list of praises is nearly endless. Im focusing on gripes to inform the consumer. Consider everything else perfect.

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  6-spd manual TDI....Great car and value! - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Eric - April 26 - 8:50 am

  I have owned my TDI for 6 months and it has been great. My previous car was a Volvo T5 S40 and I must say the TDI has plenty of power. Diesels have so many benefits but they also offer great power at any speed. Always wanted a VW but didnt like the quality of the gas motors. Decided to take the leap from Volvo (longtime owner--last 4 cars were S60 and S40 turbos...well one Acura TSX in that time also) after having some quality issues. I am very impressed with the quality of materials and how the car fits together. The ride is firm and sporty. It drives like a front wheel drive version of the BMW 3 series (if only the Jetta was RWD it would be the perfect car!) Average 40- 43 mpg.

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  No question about it!!!! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By ww401k - April 25 - 2:00 am

  This car is the bomb!!!! I have owned a BMW 318ti and although the engine was a bit smoother and it tracked a little better the Passat is bigger, nicer interior--many more features and about $5,000 less. Get the leather interior with heated seats...you will not want to get out!!!!!

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  Investigate throughly before you buy! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rose - April 24 - 11:23 am

  I bought the car at 33,000. With 3 months left on factory warranty. The first 2 months I had the car it was in the dealership for about a month in a half still having to pay the car note. There were problems with windows not wanting to roll down, rear passenger doors wouldnt open, sunroof would open by itself. One night I literally could not close sunroof by the switch and had to manually close it. It was problem after problem. Oh, one more thing the oil light comes on for no apparent reason even after Ive had an oil change. Hopefully if you purchase a VW and you have no hassle you picked a good apple.

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  Sporty, reliable, but slow - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By blackjettak2 - April 24 - 12:06 am

  This is a a fun car but when the shocks wear out, as mine have it drives like a waterbed when you push it hard, it is fast off the line but it is overall a slow car this one really needs a turbo....:) The protective door moldings do tend to come loose, and my car is have some issues with door pulls that turn white in the sun... other then that, super reliable, easy to work on, and a head turner even when in factory state, and most of all those heated sport seats in our cold canadian winter..:)

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  Ive loved my used Volks - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Lilly - April 23 - 7:46 pm

  I love my 2003 GLX 4-motion Volkswagen. I think it looks great, it drives great, and I love the way it handles. Only problem I have in Salt Lake City, Utah is the dealership is the last place I want to take it after having a problem with a recall on the fuel pump--which they insisted I should have them replace since it was free! and two days later when I was going up a hill, the car stopped on me and I had to be towed. I guess the "new" fuel pump was defective. The dealership in Sandy, UT also told me I needed a new serpentine belt when they had just replaced it within a year. I have found an independent repair shop in SLC now that I trust; otherwise I would never want a Volks in SLC, Ut

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  V6 4Motion great buy, but underpowered - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Daniel - April 23 - 6:26 pm

  Purchased the vehicle with approx 80k miles. Loaded, flagship model in the lineup, everything electric/mechanical still works fine. This car is a tank -- very heavy, very "safe" feeling. V6 feels underpowered. Shouldve bought the V8. However, 4motion has saved my life twice. No hesitance to load my family (with newborn) into car.

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  Turbo lag - 2009 Volkswagen Passat
  By Alex Povolotski - April 23 - 9:33 am

  VW Passat is a great feat of German engineering. Autobahn for all, after all :-) The exterior is to fall in love for, interior is good and minimalistic, too but the drive feel... The steering is speed sensitive and I absolutely loved it! But... The speedometer has small numbers on it that are hard to read, so its not clear from a quick glimpse on it whether youre making 60 or 70 km/h. The transmission is lovely, very responsive and seamless. You really cannot feel it but the engine is unrefined. Usually, Im a big fan of smaller engines because of their efficiency, and almost limitless possibilities for improvement. But turbo lag kills me. Not responsive at all and jolty!!!