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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  Buyer Beware - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Brian - July 12 - 8:30 am

  I bought my Volkswagen Beetle new in 2002. Weve had nothing but trouble with it. It has tons of rattles that cant be fixed. the hatchback shocks failed three times and the CD player has never worked. We had to have a complete engin rebuild at 58,000 miles (the engine came apart) and a dealer that doesnt give a darn. Do yourself a favor buy a Honda or Toyota.

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  Love my new VW CC - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Lena - July 11 - 11:26 pm

  Its a great looking car, fun to drive and makes you feel really good on the road! Everything about it is perfect, has all I wanted.

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  What a car! - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By cobraboy1 - July 11 - 10:13 pm

  Wow, this car is totally amazing! I spent 3months test driving all different cars in the class, bordering the class, and in classes above and beneath just to narrow down everything. In the end I decided on the Certified Pre-Owned 2010 VW GTI, which I bought for 19.5k with just 16k miles on the clock. The top three for me were, in the end, the GTI, Mazdaspeed 3, and the WRX Hatch. Third place was the WRX because while I loved the AWD and the power. I really didnt like the price, nobody orders the base models. the Speed3 was close but didnt have the refinement of the GTI.

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  S to Wolfsburg Edition - 2014 Volkswagen Passat
  By flbntz - July 11 - 5:42 pm

  Had an S in Blue, damaged, not convinced fixed right, traded for this. Opera Red, Cornsilk leatherette interior. Beautiful car. Very much a Volkswagen. Elegant, but tough. Understated. A machine. Awesome on the highway. Like the new 1.8l turbo. Had a 2.5l inline five on a 2010 Golf. I thought it was more than enough engine for that car, decent gas milage, but this is better.

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  Might be the best car Ive owned. - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Marc-n-Judy - July 11 - 2:00 am

  Purchased this car from the 1st owner, with 148,000 miles on it. Have driven it daily, with little or no trouble. Might be the best all around car I have ever owned! Waiting for VW to bring the new Passat (or Toureg) to the U.S. with diesel, plan to buy another when they do!

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  JETTA GT - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By titanone - July 11 - 2:00 am

  Over 6 years of reliable driving, great fuel economy and handling. Cheap to own and maintain.

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  Never Again - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Fitzy - July 11 - 2:00 am

  For starters they have the worst customer service on the planet. Secondly, I have had more problems with it than I could even fit into this review. Engine light constantly comes on and VW charges $97 just to tell you why, side molding has fallen off both side doors multiple times until I finally used epoxy, my door lock on both front doors broke and the lock would spin in place instead of unlock my doors, my passenger side window fell off the track and into the door and broke into pieces, my driver side window no longer works, cruise control broke, A/C no longer works, brakes went faster than I would have imagined, and even the mufflers are garbage!

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  I will have a VW TDI from here on out! - 2001 Volkswagen Golf
  By rhettwheeler - July 11 - 2:00 am

  My family is a Toyota family. I collect old Landcruisers. I have been a finance and sales manager in the car business for 6 years. This is the best driving, handling, and most efficient car Ive ever been in! I will allways have one in the family from now on!! What a Great Purchase!!

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  Love the jetta...... - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By meca 1122 - July 11 - 2:00 am

  Great deal and great car.Love the thing.....

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  Very great vehicle - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ev_rickus - July 11 - 1:23 am

  This car has been very good to me through everything that I have put it through. Snow, heavy rain, whatever it has been, the FWD has been wonderful; I have never once gotten stuck in snow and have driven it in the mountains for 3 years now. Esthetically pleasing, and fun to drive. We have had to replace the water pump (5-6 years ago), and the front drivers door sensor, but otherwise no major repairs. The trans is having trouble, but what can you expect at 170k miles and after 13 years. The cloth on the headliner is falling off, and center console broke off, and the glove box door broke; ultimately, a great car that my family has had it, and I would consider getting another VW!