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 Ive ever owned. - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jim Washington - September 17 - 10:00 am

  Ive driven many cars over the last 40 years including BMWs and Volvos. The Volkswagen Passat GLX V6 4Motion is the best car Ive ever driven extensively. The 4Motion adds substantially to the ride, stability and handling of the car. It corners better than full blown sports race cars of 25 years ago. At 80 miles an hour it is also the quietest car Ive ever had. Seat configuration and support is so good that an eight or nine hour drive is comfortably doable. The additional winter capability of the all wheel drive is icing on the cake.

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  Sporty and reliable wagon, fun to drive - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By TMcLean - September 17 - 10:00 am

  Have had 0 (zero) problems with my 03 Jetta 2.0 wagon, my first VW after many Hondas. While I cant knock Hondas, Im impressed by the Jettas step up in ride, general refinement and classy manners. The 2.0 wont put you ahead of the pack but theres plenty of oomph for the average driver. Great 5-sp shifter, superb sound from the standard CD/radio/cassette system, great bump- smoothing ride, good looks inside and out, whats not to like? And given the plethora of standard features I rate it high for value. It makes me smile every time I drive it.

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  Good Car overall! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By josh - September 15 - 11:53 pm

  My car has 110k miles the engines is still strong, when I purchased it had an air intake installed so the gas mileage is not the best. I get about 315 miles per tank. It is fun to drive and lovely in the winter with those heated seat to bad I cant say the same for the summer. If you are looking for a nice (sport) car this is definitely a must. Always use gas with 91 octanes or higher if not you will lose power and also the check engine light will always be on, emission workshop.

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  VW JETTA - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Superdude - September 15 - 4:26 am

  AWSOME CAR!!!!!

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  It just keeps getting better and better - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By akalita - September 12 - 1:46 pm

  There are no matches for this car in this class and price range. I would even pick this over BMW 3-Series. The engine, even though its turbo, feels like V6, there is no hesitation, and it picks up speed flawlessly. Interior is like a soundproof music studio, no noise, except some wind noise at high speeds. Ride quality is impeccable. It is solid on straight aways, and cornering is supple, even though theres slight body lean in extreme cornering. The car stops on the dime and without any nose dive. Interior designers must be blushing from all the praise at VW. It is interior that looks like $40-$50K cars interior. Heated seats, mirrors, 6- speed auto, all windows auto up/down feature, much more

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  Love This car - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By ilmnc - September 12 - 11:00 am

  All my life I have owned American made cars. Then came time for a new car and we decided to go with a Passat for more room. The car can fit two full size children car seats and a booster in it easily and it is good on gas. I have never had so much fun driving a car before this one. Not even the new Ford Mustang was this much fun. I now find excuses to drive the Passat. It handles like a dream and is very responsive to my style of driving. It has a smooth and quite ride and an outstanding sound system. The standard safety features with the addition of the rear side airbags add a sense of security. You feel totally protected from whatever could go wrong during your drive. I love this car.

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  Amaaazing Car - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VWNut02 - September 11 - 5:26 pm

  I bought this car after a serious accident in my turbo Subaru. I love the design, safety features, style and performance. Its got the upgrade factory 17 inch alloys and spoiler. This car looks tough. I bought it with 52,000 miles on it in 11/05 and have already put 16,000 miles on it. This car is hands down one of the best Ive owned. I have had no major service issues to date. Im a satisfied customer. VW: Drivers Wanted!

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  Best in class...period - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By gianboy - September 11 - 10:00 am

  This SUV (Premium Plus V8) is the funnest, most comfortable, sporty, luxurious vehicle I have ever driven. The air suspension is worth every penny, not to mention the navigation system that is integrated into the display between the tach and speedo. The upgraded sound system will make you think twice before shutting off the Touareg. The power is incredible and the responsiveness, especially if you put it into "S" (sport mode) is incredible. The sound of the engine and the higher revving shifting (together with placing the damping control on "Sport") make you think you are in a sports car.

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  MyJettaGL2.0 - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By anubhav - September 11 - 10:00 am

  I recent bought this new 2003 jetta GL 2.0L. I am satisfied with its performance. Fun to drive. String. Reasonable acceleration considering the fact that it is V4. I had a hard time finding the 12V outlet, but it was hiding "nicely". Music system is good. Wish they have MP3 support too. Man this is file swapping era. NEway, The only problem that I see this is a fuel consuming car. I dont thisnk that I drive that bad, but I am getting even less than 20 mpg city. Their test rating itself is 23. So expect yours to be close to +/- 20.

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  Jetta - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mossgreen - September 11 - 9:56 am

  I have had a very rewarding experience with my car. It achieves 28-30 mpg on premium unleaded. It has incredibly firm and comfortable seats that are appropriate for even the longest drives. The engine is very low maintenance (and very smooth and quiet). Most engine fluids dont need to be changed often. My VR6 is on a 10,000 mile synthetic oil cycle, and it doesnt use even one drop during that time. Im very impressed with the thoughful engineering that went into this car, and its ability to drive long distances with ease. I believe this can be attributed to its large wheels, large motor, and 5 speed manual transmission.