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 - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By rich fidler - April 21 - 7:33 am

  very heavy, smooth, safe car. Very solid german feel, almost all high end options on most other cars are standard on Touareg. Tires are expensive to change if you get the 19s like I have but are very reasonable as 17 or 18s. I have 2 sets of tires, great in the snow with the all seasons on 17s in 18" snow in Tahoe. NO problems. Mechanically very good, poor fuel economy but its a V8 ! 14 in the city, 19 on the hwy. I get oil changes for $75 at a VW dealer. Had a headlight bulb blow, and an airbag under warranty replaced in over 2 yrs. Highly recommend.

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  Very Fine Automobile - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Dennis J - April 20 - 12:12 am

  I bought my 2005 GLS TDI new after test driving a base gas model. At the time, the gas and diesel models were the same price, the diesel mileage was far superior, and the cost of diesel was quite a bit less than gasoline so this was a no-brainer. Now, diesel is often more expensive than gasoline, and sometimes even 15-20% more, so the diesel advantage is not what it once was. Still, I like being able to go almost 600 miles on a fillup, and I love the power, reliability and longevity of this engine. I have 175,000 miles on my Passat and have not had a single repair bill outside of scheduled maintenance. The most expensive maintenance is the timing belt replacement every 80-100K miles. The car has excellent pickup, not as peppy as the gasoline Passat, but much better than most cars that Ive driven, including V8s. The 10,000 mile interval for the synthetic oil change offsets the higher costs associated with changing the oil. This service, like most, is best performed by the owner, the dealer, or a shop specializing in German autos. Maintenance costs are slightly more expensive and servicing establishments more limited than Japanese, American, Korean or other cars, but the Passat spends very little time in the shop. I think that this has been an extremely economical car, but it drives as well or better than cars costing quite a bit more to purchase or maintain.

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  Outstanding car - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By crazknuck - April 19 - 10:00 am

  This car is outstanding, I have been a VW owner since 1996 owning a 1990 GTI 16V, 1999 GTI VR6 and now my R32! After reading about the car I thought it was too good to be true, after buying it I was really impressed. It is quick, nimble, extremely fun to drive, very comfortable even though they are racing seats, extremely well built. Nothing seems out of place. Wheels and tire combo are perfect they hug the road very well.

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  Exceptional - 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By Canuck55 - April 19 - 10:00 am

  Ive had MBs, BMWs, Lexus and Jags. This is the best by far.

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  VW PASSAT 04-SSSWEET - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By EHONDO3 - April 19 - 10:00 am

  CAR IS VERY FUN TO DRIVE,WILL JUST GET UP AND GO, RUNS GREAT FOR A 4 CYL. AUTO. HAD MY SHARE OF SHIFTING GEARS. IF YOU FEEL LIKE SHIFTING YOU CAN WITH THE TIP-TRONIC TRANS. I GOT THE BLUE/SILVER PAINT-BEAUTIFUL, A REAL HEAD TURNER. 1ST GERMAN CAR, BIG DIFFERANCE BETWEEN HONDAS,TOYOTAS. WELL MADE CAR, HAD IT 3-MONTHS LOVE-IT. SO FAR SO GOOD.DRIVE ONE BEFORE YOU BUY.

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  What a car! - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By Terence Underwood - April 19 - 12:59 am

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  Practical sport - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By fh - April 18 - 11:10 am

  Ive had this car for one year. Fun car to drive, and its utility has been important to me. The gas mileage is reasonable for the engine performance as well. Excellent fit and finish, and only one questionable item in terms of any defect, which has not been a problem. I wanted a car with a sunroof, still having reasonable headroom. That put the Hondas (Civic and Accord coupes) out of contention, by comparison.

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  Fun in the Sun! - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Bino Bug - April 17 - 5:13 pm

  Weve had nothing but a fine experience with out VW Beetle. We orginally went shopping for a Mini Cooper, but we fell in love with the VW. The performance and features as well as price were comparable to the Mini, but the available service in the U.S. were the turning point in our decision to go VW and we our so glad we did!

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  Awesome and Fun - 2000 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Chaofee - April 17 - 10:00 am

  Great fun car to zip around town. Terrific VW stereo sounds with an easy to operate top! Car is solid for the price and drives like a German engineered car without the sticker shock!

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  awesome - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By kerryhale - April 17 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car for my wife...I want it back for myself. And i HATE cars..I drive a big pickup truck. Fit and finish are first in this cars class by a wide margin. Acceleration with the turbo engine is exhilarating (or at least exhilarating for a car under 23,000, that is). Everything about this car is nearly perfect. I am completely satisfied, more so than with any car we have ever owned. I would STRONGLY recommend this car to anyone, even someone who can afford 35,000- 40,000. You wont find more car for your money.