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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  great car - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By beetletest - March 2 - 10:00 am

  Fun car. Great to drive on highway. Good value. Very good guality. Would buy again.

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  I also love my car and hate the dealer - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Heidi - March 1 - 4:16 am

  This was the first car I purchased on my own. I did the research and I felt strong negotiating with the dealer. I have been loyal to the dealer, until I found another mechanic who offered a second opinion on a pricey repair. He taught me about how I was getting ripped off. The new mechanic educated me, showing me the parts and how they worked. He treated me like I actually had a brain. The dealer always presents problems - every time I went in for routine maintenance - as if it always was urgent and threatened my safety. I have stopped going to the dealer. Had I been treated as if I had a brain I might still be going there.

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  Problems Already - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Problems - February 28 - 10:30 pm

  I bought my 2005 Jetta used with around 30K miles on it and have had it just over a year. I love the looks of it and have enjoyed having the vehicle until now. My vehicle had 42K miles on it when I started hearing a rattling noise. Come to find out, I had to have most of my engine replaced! When I went to pick it up, I drove about 1 block from the dealership when my car started jerking and wouldn’t always accelerate when the gas was applied. I immediately drove it right back to the dealership and now Im needing a whole new transmission! Thank God all this is covered under warranty but I dont think its right that a car with so few miles should be having so many major problems!

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  Fantastic Buy! - 2016 Volkswagen Golf
  By Kittens95 - February 27 - 9:25 pm

  Purchased the SE model with automatic transmission. Its a blast to drive. The car rides like a luxury car and is super quiet at highway speeds. The doors close with a solid thud and overall the car feels more expensive than it is. There are w lot of small touches that are really cool like the cooled glovebox, carpet lined bin in the doors, and rear view camera that deploys from the logo when in reverse. The fender audio system is amazing! The car looks small on the outside but is very roomy for the class. Handling is exactly what youd expect from a Volkswagen. It handles corners with ease. Plenty of power. Mileage is at 28 mpg or so but I have a lot of stop and go traffic and the car isnt broken in yet. My only gripe is the transmission. It can be a bit clunky at lower speeds as Edmunds says. Its eager to up shift and seems to have trouble finding the right gear when coming to a stop. There is of course the option to shift yourself. Its not enough to stop me from loving the car but something to consider. Perhaps a transmission reprogram would help. Cant comment on reliability yet. Overall this car would be a great buy for many people but always seems to get overlooked by all the Civics, corollas, and even jettas.

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  Great Car - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By are - February 27 - 6:26 pm

  Solid ride. Great handling. Comfortable seats. Huge trunk. Head and shoulders above the 2005 TDI Jetta that I had. TDI rocks with all that low end torque. It drives fantastic quiet and secure (10 airbags). The DSG automatic transmission feels like a CVT, seemless. Drives comparable to a new Mercedes c300 (My father owns one)

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  A must to consider - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Chris - February 27 - 11:56 am

  The 2007 Volkswagen Passat 2.0T has excellent all around functionality, a great feel, great design and it gets good gas mileage too.

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  Avoid Touareg - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By hman - February 27 - 10:30 am

  This truck is a sluggish gas guzzler. It has a cheap build and the horrible VW dealer network that treats you like a pain instead of a customer. It looks great outside, but skimps on build quality. The interior finish looks great, but uses cheap materials. Stick to Toyota or if your ego demands, BMW X5 is amazing in comparison.

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  Somewhat disappointed - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By MJM - February 26 - 9:43 pm

  Bought the car for my daughters. They hated it it. 1st VW Ive owned in 25 yrs. I expected more from the company. Just drove it 700 miles home and was surprised at how well it rode and drove at its age and mileage. *However* nothing else impressed me. The trunk is huge but that does not make up for the poor electrical design. Had to replace a taillight 4 times in 6 months. I know others who had the same problem I couldnt find a cupholder? Is that what that thing is called? The fuse box is in the most ridiculous place possible. You just cant get to it. Surprised that there is no gas cap cover interior lock. To me, the car is no big deal

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  Best vehicle purchase EVER!! - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By cdstraw - February 26 - 3:50 am

  Absolutely fabulous vehicle. Purchased as New Jettas were hitting showroom and dealer wanted to clear out old inventory. Within 3 months dealer wanted to purchase TDI back and give me and exceptional trade on New Jetta. No Way! Average city driving 46-48 mpg, Interstate at 65 mph cruise, 60 mpg!

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  Frustration, Frustration! - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Stephany Morgan - February 25 - 6:46 pm

  I enjoyed driving this car for about the first 48000 miles. Then problems began to occur with an "oil sludge" problem. I am told this is a significant problem with the 2001 Passat. Most recently my Passat was at the dealership for about $1000.00 in parts and service and was driven only 7 miles before the same indicator light again appeared. I have already purchased another car due to the problems and unreliability of the Passat but at this point I am unable to even sell this one until this problem is taken care of.