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:

• 

  The Volkswagen Co. Not What It Used To Be - 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By George Lafont - July 4 - 3:26 pm

  Day one from picking up the car from the dealer the handbrake came off when I parked. The car doesnt feel at all like a German car, in fact it feels like its coming apart. About 2 months later on my way home (45 min. commute) on a very hot Summer day, the underneath engine cover came loose fell off and broke into many pieces. When I took it to the dealer, they accused me of running into something and refused to fix it. The service manager even went through the trouble of fabricating a story that I ran over a parking turtarrier with a piece of rebar sticking out tearing the cover off and again refused. Both their customer service and chairman of the board also refused to help

• 

  Worst car EVER! - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By SLC71 - June 30 - 5:46 pm

  BUYER BEWARE! Almost everything has broken (mult. times) on this car ($8K in 6 y - not incl. maint). Mechanics say they see this all the time w/ Passats & VERY spendy to fix! *CRAZY low clearance - 3 belly boots & 2 oil pans *Window motors - repaired/replaced chronically *Doors/locks w/ chronic problems (cylinders, housings, mech., elect., etc.) *Faulty factory sunroof leads to flooding & since electrical is in the floor behind driver, this shorts out the comf. cxl module. *Turn lights have poor quality plastic causing lights to fall out (has happened 3x on each side) *Misc. crap in & out breaks and falls off (latches, dials, etc.) *Mechanic refers to it as "The Dutchman & The Dike"

• 

  Not so good after 5 Months - 2011 Volkswagen GTI
  By englander1 - June 30 - 7:28 am

  Well I blame myself for not doing my homework, but reliability has been less than poor. Three times in the shop for Oil Separator, Water Pump and Oil Pressure Sensor. Like many state VW Customer Service is terrible. When its not in the shop its a great car. Handles well, fuel consumption is also a big plus. I dont tend to keep cars long but this may be a record even for me, may be gone for the first oil change.

• 

  Buyer Beware - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Nuce - June 29 - 1:00 pm

  I was so excited to get the newly re-designed 2007 Passat Wagon! What a mistake! I have had this vehicle in the shop THREE times since I purchased it in March 2006. The Engine Malfunction lights keeps coming on and the dealership cannot find the problem, except to say that that there is an evaporator leak that they cannot fix it. The service manager also stated that they had several Passats that were doing this. Please dont think that the dealership will back you up on these problems; THEY WON"T...I wrote a letter to VW and they were unwilling to help me too. Volkswagen will NOT stand behind their vehicle. The brakes squeak, too. Do not buy this vehicle.

• 

  Run..... from EOS - 2009 Volkswagen EOS
  By nstallent - June 21 - 2:20 am

  My Eos, that I loved, is sitting in Al Johnson Volkswagen repair shop and is going to stay there. I have 12 sheets of repairs. Volkswagen has tried to be very accommodating, but now lets see when I get to settle. I traded my 2000 Camaro Convertible with 22,000 miles, I am really upset that I traded my car for that piece of junk!!!! Nancy

• 

  Buy a Honda - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By 2labpups - June 20 - 2:00 am

  This is the worst car Ive ever owned. Almost every interior feature has broken, Ive replaced a major engine part annually, and the warranty is a joke. Yes, it handles well, and yes, the bodys nice, but beyond that this car has nothing to offer. Unless you want a car thats expensive to maintain and constantly in the shop, buy a Honda.

• 

  Reliability Issues - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By as0723 - June 19 - 1:45 am

  Purchased new and in the past 3 years have had a wheel bearing replaced, suspension makes creaking noises, and the vehicle starts very rough and has even not started several times when cold. The last two items listed (suspension and starting issues) have been dismissed by the dealership service and VW as normal. Even when it wouldnt start and I had to have it towed to the dealership, they eventually got it to start, said they couldnt find anything wrong, nothing they can do and even that the vehicle is operating normally. Normal for it to not start? Thats not normal to me for a new vehicle, and not what I want out of a new car, I expect it to start every time and provide reliable service.

• 

  VW still has quality issues - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By jld2 - June 10 - 8:44 pm

  A new billion dollar factory and still quality issues. My fuel door fell off in my hand! And to add insult to injury they told me that I had to pay to fix it because it was an "external influence!" And when I inquired as to what the external influence was the customer service representative replied, "Cold weather!" So I have to pay $300.00 to replace my fuel filter door because it got cold in Pennsylvania! VW got the engine right. Great mileage, quiet operation, starts quickly in cold weather. The DSG is responsive but expensive, it costs over $300.00 every 40,000 miles to service. Too bad their lousy attention to details like designing a fuel door that will wont fall off.

• 

  VERY Disappointed - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By amdsgd - June 6 - 2:00 am

  I was so psyched to have gotten a Jetta. It looks cool, has a snappy pick up, and a great stereo. But I was disappointed. The random play on multiple disc changer never worked, manual seat backs difficult to adjust, handle for the glove box fell off, drivers door inside handle peeling, back seat drink holder broke second time used. Have had nothing but trouble since warranty expire. Both window lifts broke and the locks are still messed up from the shotty repair. The engine light continues to go on and off at random. And its currently in for repairs of unknown origin. Terrible, terrible service. Cant wait to dump it and get something reliable!

• 

  This vehicle will bring you PROBLEMS - 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ryanrw - May 30 - 3:32 am

  The car itself is a nice looking car. It drives well, tight steering, plenty of torque, and gets great fuel economy. After 5 separate trips to the dealership, however, I am no longer a fan. Sales experience was also terrible. I was rushed out the door and never recieved an overview of all the features of the vehicle. I have been back to the dealership to have the following addressed on different occasions: 1. Windows wouldnt roll down 2. Windshield was installed improperly at the factory and made noise 3. Horn wouldnt work 4. Back up camera wouldnt work 5. Hazard lights randomly come on at ignition and wont shut off 6. Loud bang followed by glow plug light and check engine lig