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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  2012 TDI - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By catom - April 5 - 5:00 pm

  I purchased my Passat 3 months ago and have driven it 5200 miles. I had to search for 2 weeks to find a White car with black interior but I located it in Fairfiel, CA. The salesmen, Zain, had the car as he promised and the whole process went smoothly. I have had a high of 44MPG and a low of 38MPG with a combination of city and freeway driving. It performs great once you learn to use the torque of the engine and not floor it. The radio is great and the bluethooth works every time. Ive had no problems to date , it;s been a fun car to drive with loads of room.

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  I love this car! - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dlaporte1 - April 5 - 3:06 pm

  We bought this car new in 2006 and now have 211,000 miles on it. Weve replaced the timing belt twice and had 3 wheel bearings replaced. We recently replaced the original battery and the brakes have only been replaced once. Yeah, the rubber has worn off the radio buttons, but thats just cosmetic, who cares? I change the oil every 5,000 miles religiously and it doesnt leak or burn oil. Its been a great car! Were contemplating replacing the wheels because theyre getting beat up - again cosmetic.

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  Great engine, great mileage... - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By rickallen - April 5 - 2:50 am

  I traded in a hybrid for the increased power and nominal trade-off in mileage. I love the amount of power in the diesel engine while still getting great gas mileage. Passing, accelerating, cruising, are all easy and confident maneuvers that were frenetic in the hybrid. Im completely hooked on torque with so much available at a low rpm. Im hoping that more companies come out with diesels to provide some good competition to this one.

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  This Car Could Be With Us For 15 Years! - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Dolphin - April 4 - 10:10 pm

  I needed a new car, and it came down to the Passat TDI and a Camry SE. I am happy with my choice. The United Gray with gray leather interior looks great. We had some trouble with the original radio, but that was replaced. I am considering adding the rear fog light. This car will end up with my daughter when she goes to college, she is 10 now, and it is an incredibly solid car. It has room for 5 in comfort, and gets 33+ MPG’s cruising at 80-85 MPH, with enough torque to pass anything in your way! it is a little heavy on the wind noise at these speeds, but I can still hear the sound on my kids’ video games!

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  Loved it - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By kristikrum - April 4 - 7:49 pm

  Sad to say I totalled my wagon last week. This was a very functional and reliable car for me. I haul lots of stuff to work every day, so it was great for the space factor although removing head rests to lay seats flat was a bit cumbersome. I received the car at 70,000 from and rode it to like 117 in 2.5 years. In that time I changed the impeller (seems common) on the coolant system and the front bumper shield thing rides a bit low to the ground so it was dragging and held up by duct tape in its last few months. The brakes were great, and I didnt mind the cup holders either way. This car saved my life in my accident where I hit the cement wall on the freeway, so Im 4eva grateful.

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  Fantastic! - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By 2VG26 - April 4 - 7:33 pm

  I have now had this car for a year and three months and this car has served me well. It is extremely fun to drive, gets great mpg (when youre not on it) and shuns most everything on the road. The manual transmissions are bullet proof and the electromechanical steering has great feel and control. Overall this is the best bang for my buck!

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  Excellent car for the money - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jetta Driver - April 4 - 5:06 pm

  This is the first Volkswagen that Ive ever owned. I looked at others in its class and the features that are standard on the Jetta are better then the other vehicles out there. The Jetta has been a fun car to drive and almost makes me feel young again. I am disappointed with the A.C.. It does not produce alot of cold air.

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  Brake problem! - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By badbrakes - April 4 - 4:16 pm

  Not a bad car overall. But I guess some lucky few (including me) have experienced defective brakes. I had to replace the rear pads and rotors at 21,000 miles and now again 9,000 miles later! VW claims this is normal wear and tear. Ive owned and driven many cars and never had to replace pads, let alone rotors before 40,000 miles. There is no brake wear indicator light for the rear brakes, only for the front. The rotors are designed so that they have to also be replaced every time the pads are replaced. Very expensive!

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  Still happy with my GTI - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By Eric - April 4 - 2:16 pm

  Leased it two years ago this month. Now has almost 25K on it. The only problem so far was a fuel sending unit which kept indicating car was out of fuel. Dealer fixed it and no further problems. Car drives great, I average 27-28 MPG in a commute that is equal parts highway and city driving. I have owned MANY MANY VWs over the years, and some have been very problematic. Not this one. I plan to buy it at the end of the lease due to its reliability, economy and performance. Once its mine I will chip it and replace the OEM wheels & tires to improve the performance ever more.

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By Skeptic - April 4 - 5:46 am

  I was skeptical about buying this for all the reason noted in most car reviews but my wife loved it. It has turned out to be a great vehicle with no defects in the fist 4 months and 6,000 miles. Got a great price on it, better than Honda, Toyota or Chrysler. We have owned a VW, Toyota Camery, Infiniti, Audi, Mazda, and Volvo and they all have/had their issues with build quality and mechanical quirks. So far I am pleasantly surprised and for a minivan that we will eventually get trashed by kids this is a great vehicle. Also, the VW dealer was the only one willing to give loner car and free oil service for the life of the warranty. Thats cool.