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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  Passat 3.6 Sport is the Best FWD Car on the Planet - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By tblank - April 15 - 2:13 am

  I bought a Passat 3.6 with Sport Package 1. The Recaro seats in the sport model are superior to anything I have tested or ridden in, including my dads Mercedes-Bernz S420. The leather is baseball glove quality, incredible. The 3.6L engine has great power and torque max is at 2,750 rpm (better than the Infiniti G35). This car has a solid Mercedes-like feel that is absent in the Acura TL, Toyota Camry, etc. The manufacturer incentives (for leftover 06 models) dropped the price so low that NOTHING else competes: It costs $4,000 - $5,000 less than the TL or a comparably equipped Infiniti G35 (though no interior option is actually as nice in either). The sport pkg. also has stiffer springs and shocks and sits 15mm lower, I love it. The steering feel is light but accurate, but I would prefer more effort.

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  Spewing thick blast exhaust smoke - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By PR - April 14 - 8:26 pm

  Started before warranty but thought it was typical of diesels. Past warranty real problem of excessive smoke while accelerating and what felt like clutch slipping so that the car would almost not move, very dangerous when departing from stopped position & left turning. Nobody knows anything but it will be thousands to TRY & fix. Very disappointed.

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  Good Ride. Interior Quality is So So - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By emc2 - April 14 - 4:00 pm

  Ive enjoyed my Touareg for 2.5 years. So far it will give you a good ride, it has a good engine with German performance. I like the modern design which remains good looking today compared to other SUVs that I see on the street. Cons: some small details like the A/C buttons and mirror controller have worn off. Yet, they were replaced at no cost. The gas consumption is huge. I spend around $140 per month with an annual mileage of a bit less than 10,000 miles.

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  Real recalls - 2008 Volkswagen R32
  By Echo346 - April 14 - 11:50 am

  After a year and a half this vehicle has had THREE major recalls. One required dropping the entire fuel tank (read nightmares involved with this on VW forums). I will not go into my adventure with this except to say VW service is questionable. Now the DSG transmission (mine is starting get "clunky") just got the latest recall. Be careful when buying a used one. Ergonomics are strange. AUX input in glove box, Bluetooth controls on steering wheel, however, Bluetooth is not an option (dealer will not tell you this unfortunately), cruise control is a switch on turn indicator (should have put it where the worthless phone button is on the steering wheel), paddle shifters are small.

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  Nice Car Cheap Parts - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By pdiddy8274 - April 14 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the car used with 50k on it with 1000 3 windows didnt work nor did the sunroof. the molding outside is falling off the car and the wipers do their own thing besides the $1500 in perforance parts i added to make the car actualy move it is not a suggested car.

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  Great car until out of warranty - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By COcarman - April 14 - 10:00 am

  This car is great and very fun to drive. I have always felt that I was driving a more expensive car on the inside and having taken this car up the mountains along the front range, it can pass with the best of them. That said, it is now out of warranty and very stupid and expensive things are breaking such as the front spoiler ($150), passenger side mirror housing ($250), Glove box door($130)etc...you get the idea. Overall, I would recommend this car to anyone looking for an entry level German sedan that doesnt want to break the bank. With the new 4 year, 50k mile warranty, you probably wont have the problems I have had.

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  Cute Car - Rotten Inside - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VW Never Again - April 14 - 10:00 am

  I bought my brand new 2000 Jetta in Dec-99 and sold it in Nov-02. In that time, 2 engine sensors went bad, my cd changer broke and had to be replaced, my drivers window fell into the door frame, my trunk lock broke not once, but twice, and my coolant sensor went bad (while at the dealership getting the trunk lock repaired) I decided that a 3 year old car shouldnt have that many problems. Not to mention the fact that VW never has any parts available and they think their cars are so good they offer 4 year warranties on the 2002s but wont stand by the quality (or lack thereof) of their 2000s.

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  Keep Looking!!! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By not another vw - April 14 - 10:00 am

  I loved the look of this car and that is why I bought it; dont be fooled too. I have had the electrical system replaced twice, mass air flow sensor replaced twice, transmission replaced once, engine coil replaced once, rear back brakes needed replaced early and front brakes are warped, the exhaust system is very noisey at first take- off and it is sluggish. I have maintained this car to the manufactured specifications and then some, yet the car still fails me on a regular basis!!

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  As bad as it gets - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By highlife - April 14 - 10:00 am

  I have owned quite a few cars over the years, including a previouse VW, and this is the most unreliable car yet. Transmition needed repair the day it was delivered. Rear brakes gone in only 25,000 miles. Engine sensor bad, center console handle self destructs. This is not a cheap car, I expect better from a ford focus ! I will buy another VW product !! Dont buy !

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  Luxury Sedan at Family Car Price - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By JLMoran - April 14 - 10:00 am

  Looked at the Camry, Accord, and Lexus ES300 as well as the Passat. The VW won hands down. Im 6 3", and headroom was critical for me. Out of all the cars, the Passat and Camry were tied. Factor in that a Camry with all the features of the GLX was only about $1,800 less, with a shorter warranty and slightly lower crash scores, and the Passat was a no-brainer. The ride is silky smooth, and the engine gives me plenty of power when I need it without having to really punch the accelerator. In fact, I have to be careful as I find myself doing 80mph on the highway without even trying! Yet so far Im averaging 23.6mpg.