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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  Baileys review - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Jim Ragan - February 8 - 10:00 am

  I love to drive it and am very proud of the little guy. It feels like Im driving a much heavier and larger car.

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  Awesome little car - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By ludwig930 - February 8 - 5:30 am

  Overall this car is awesome. Great car for the price. This is my 2nd VW (1998 Jetta TDI ) and I enjoy driving it. Not a long distance driver, but has all the essentials for city driving. Great tuner car for those small little quirks, i.e. braking, body roll. Basic model looks a little bland but add some sport springs, nice wheels and some window tint and it takes a little step closer to GTI appeal. Could save a little more money on gas with a 6th gear.

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  My 1st Lemon - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lemon Owner - February 6 - 7:16 pm

  Well, Ive been very dissappointed in my Jetta. I purchased my car 11 months ago, and the transmission broke just before the one year mark. This car has always had problems. It jerks when it shifts gears, and when driven at high speeds on the freeway the car suddenly slows then jumps back up. Annoying lights on dashboard wont go away. Also has a loud clicking noise in turn signal area. Car reeks of crayons in summer. Burns motor oil like crazy. Only good thing about this car is that its great on gas. If you buy a Jetta, its best to buy a new one.

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  My bug - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Nativegrl918@gmail.com - February 6 - 3:01 pm

  Love this car

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  Drawbacks Wouldnt Have Changed My Mind - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By Jano - February 6 - 12:40 pm

  Letting the clutch slip out into first gear proves to you that the R32 is a torque monger. Accelerating hard out of 1st, revving to 6K, will only take you to roughly 20 mph. Into 2nd gear (revs only drop to 5K) and the car blasts you to 40 mph. A shift to 3rd is necessary to get you to 60 under 6 secs --and theres not much left in REVs before having to shift to fourth and beyond. Cruising 80 @ 3200 Cornering is great. If youre switching from a regular sedan then the R will impress. If youve already got torsion bars and a lowered ride, then youll look to improve the Rs cornering. The hatch fits my road bike without having to remove my rear wheel. The rack fits my longboard

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  For People who love to drive - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By swgplain - February 5 - 6:43 pm

  My first vehicle was a 1977 Rabbit since then I have had 9 VWs from a 74 convertible Super Beetle to my 98 Jetta I just purchased. VW knows how to build a car that fun to drive, reliable, economical, and easy to work on. I must say that the Jetta is quite an improvement over my previous VWs and I look forward to many years of driving pleasure.

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  I love this car! - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ereimjh - February 5 - 2:53 pm

  I love the ESP which makes winter driving less scary for me: a noticeable improvement on my last car, a Sentra that performed horribly in winter weather, no matter how careful I was. It will even let you know when the tire pressure is low. Throw in heated seats, heated sideview mirrors, an outside temperature gauge and a nice, non-plasticy interior and the 2009 Jetta becomes a classier economy car. I stick with premium gas. Yeah, I know its more expensive but it all comes out in the wash. The fuel efficiency on premium is noticeably better and I can actually accelerate up steep inclines even without putting the transmission into S. Its comfy, too. Instant comradery with other VW drivers.

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  More than just Electronic problems - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By unsatisfied customer - February 5 - 10:00 am

  While I enjoyed my vehicle in the beginning, the car has dissappointed me in terms of reliability. It was a fun car to drive, but a combination of nagging problems and an uncaring dealership in hayward has compounded the problem. My initial problems covered by my lousy 2 year 24K warranty were: busted trunk latch, 2 busted headlights. Now, after my warranty has expired, my radio is completely dead. Close to 300bucks. 50bucks for the dealer to tell me it was broke. I can feel my power steering going out, my brakes will make a funny sound when I turn and brake, and engine will make rattling sounds that Ive never heard before. Wish me luck.

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  2004 Volkswagen R32 - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By Maybaby74 - February 5 - 7:06 am

  Wow, after owning a fixed-up, 480 hp 300ZX turbo, Id never thought I would find another car to meet my performance needs! Everything on the R32 is top notch! The power delivery is silky smooth and linear! its not as fast as some of the import turbos, but its more buttoned down, mature, and easy to live with. The handling/AWD is incredible and the tranny is perfect. The interior is very nice and the exterior hints (not screams) about the capabilites of the car. It is extremely stable both at high speeds and around curvy roads...what a car. And, there are only 5,000 in all of US...Ferrari exclusivity! This car is way more fun then the Z I used to own. and oh...did I mention the exhaust note!

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  Love It - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Troublant - February 5 - 1:20 am

  This car has really exceeded my expectations and I love all the standard features like the trip computer, the ambiance lighting, electronic parking brake, and auto hold feature. Being able to dive it in automatic and manual modes is very fun.