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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  Inspired car with fatal flaw - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JohnTDI - May 4 - 2:00 am

  Bought the car brand new, May 98, & Ive had a love/hate relationship w/ it ever since. The car is a blast to drive...great acceleration & amazing fuel efficiency. Cars efficiency has ruined me for all other cars. Frustrations: radio replaced twice, key ignition sticks in start position, replaced fuel injection manifold, replaced 2 glow plugs, all 4 side moldings peeled off, hard starting in WARM weather (recent problem). Problems have been covered by the 100k mile warranty, but what happens when it runs out? Car will cost more to maintain after 100K miles than it did to make payments on it. Bought it for fun, economy, & reliability. Ended up with 1 of 3.

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  Solid for the most part, but not awesome - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By BCgoalie - April 30 - 2:20 am

  I bought this car wanting a fun-to-drive compact sedan, and thats what I got. Unfortunately, there have been a few costly problems. At first, the car was in commendable condition, but some cosmetics like the glovebox, radio antenna and side molding on the doors have started to fall apart. The engine and transmission have been completely problem-free, but electronic issues with the power windows and a moody stereo system have a tendency to break. Overall though, the car has been extremely reliable, is peppy and good looking, and my next car will be another VW!

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  Great car for the price. - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By david84j - April 29 - 6:20 am

  The Car is a great fun vehicle. Fairly affordable. I have fun driving the car. I am on a 24 month lease to get a feel for the car. If i like it I will keep it. So far so good.

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  From BMW to R32 and Back - 2008 Volkswagen R32
  By crooner12 - April 29 - 12:23 am

  I purchased a 2008 R32 back in January. It was a great little car, had good performance thanks to the AWD, and sounded magnificent with the dual exhaust. Coming from an 06 Z4 3.0i, it was a totally different experience. Not as luxurious and not has sporty handling, but it felt just as fast. Ultimately, I missed the convertible and didnt think the "boy-racer" styling fit my personality, so I traded it in for a BMW 135i convertible.

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  BMW here I come - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By BMW here I come!!! - April 28 - 7:26 pm

  Bought this car brand new and fell in love with it, until I realized that I was going to be at the dealer every 4 or 5 months because something failed or broke.

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  Great Car! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Nankov - April 28 - 12:56 pm

  I own a 2002 2.0L Jetta that currently has 98,000 km. on it. Ive had no major problems with it. The car is solid and it handles great. The base engine is actually pretty good, plus its good on gas! I love driving this car. It has nice looks too! You gotta love VWs.

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  Love The Jetta - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rayl224 - April 28 - 2:00 am

  Had one non routine problem that was covered by warranty. Some repairs are a little more costly than other cars. Burns oil. Otherwise the car is great and I love drving it.

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  Jurys Still Out - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Sandown - April 28 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car, used, as a certified car from a VW dealership. It had 51k miles on it, but was very clean. The brakes were brand new (metallic pads). Now, 6,000 miles later, the rotors are starting to warp. We just got back from a trip into the mountains, and the upper rpm power is not very impressive. The 22.5 mpg average fuel consumption is a little lower than expected for an auto in mixed driving, especially with the price of premium. I live in Phoenix, and I bought the car in December. Now that it is getting warmer (low 90s), the AC pull-down time is longer than expected.

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  Happy, but some concerns - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Peter Kreinheder - April 28 - 2:00 am

  The Toureg is a great auto for VW to enter the SUV market. I cant wait to get the Phaeton!! The quality of the interior is superb. However I am having a lot of problems driving after snowfall, or driving thru deep snow. Snow gets stuck to the undercariage causing a lot of vibration and discomfort. This has happend 3 times this winter and have to go to a spray wash to melt off the snow. Furthermore, had to once take it in to the dealer to remove pact mud/sand from a rear well that caused significant imbalance. My other SUVs never have these problems. Our Tahoe has no problems with high snow, mud etc.

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  Beware the ABS Module failure - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By ca_dryheat - April 27 - 10:15 pm

  July 3, 2014 on I-5 in Los Angeles, the ABS module failed on our 2011 Sportwagen TDI. The module controls the power steering, a/c, brakes, airbags, etc... We get off the freeway, and drop off car at McKenna VW in Cerritos. Problem diagnosed July 5, and Im told the repair will be $3200. Service rep tells me to call Customer Care. I do this and start a case #. Four days later, I get a call - VW will contribute $700. "And we dont have to do a thing, since youre out of warranty," I am told. The car has 50,000 miles on the odo. 12 July - we finally get a call that the car is ready. $1860 is the final bill. Took VW 5 days to get ABS module from Texas to California.