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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  Never Buy a VW again - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By crewdawg63 - January 2 - 2:16 pm

  Bought this 5 years ago hoping to get 30 mpg for a long commute to a new job. Had a 1986 Jetta once upon a time that was GREAT, so figured I’d get another one – BIG mistake. Good: Heated seats are warm and cozy in the New England wintertime while waiting for the heater to warm up. It’s small and fits in tiny parking garages well. The 2 rear seat reading lights are awesome for the kiddos – they control their own light and it does not create a distracting glare for me. Lots of airbags. Good city car – don’t care if someone scratches nor dings it anymore. It’s paid for. BAD: Build quality is horrible. Replaced 3 water pumps in the past 3 years-they seem to last just beyond the 12 month warranty, of course. Driving back from a long road trip up the east coast, all 4 brake rotors warped and I just got thru having all 4 brakes replaced (ouch!). The car wash ripped the radio antennae off the top. Dealer wants $1000 to remove/replace the headliner in order to fix. The heater on the driver’s side blows air on my shins, so my toes continue to stay frozen no matter how hot the rest of the inside is. The exhaust just cracked behind the manifold, another $700 bill which had to be fixed in order to pass inspection. Now the automatic transmission and clutch is starting to act up, shifting hard and not dropping in to gear without banging on the shift lever. The auto door locks sometimes don’t lock or unlock the back doors. The key fob doesn’t lock/unlock unless I’m within 3 ft of the car, even after repeated battery replacements. Rust is starting to show on the body, despite my attention to keeping the car clean. I’m going to give this car to my 16 year old son as his project car. If he can keep it running, he has wheels. No matter how I drive and keep the car tuned up, the best I can get out of it is 25 mpg. I’m going to go buy Toyota or Dodge truck. Might as well have a quality built hauler that people will get out of the way of – I’m tired of people pulling out in front of me when they see this POS coming.

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  FUNTASTIC! - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By ED - December 31 - 5:53 pm

  I could not agree more with the two previous reviews. I test drove the Volvo C70 and there is no comparison. The EOS is much better looking, has more features, is a lot quicker, and costs $12,000 - $15,000 less! I picked up my car on Saturday. It is blue with cream interior and the luxury package. The WOW effect when you lower the top in unbelievable. There is no appreciable cowl shake with the top down and with the top up it is extremely quiet. The back seat is very suitable for two adults, I had a 6 8" person in the back and could raise and lower the top with no problem. The "feel" of this car when you are driving is unbelievably solid and safe. I own two Lexus models and the build quality of the EOS is outstanding. This car is FUNTASTIC!

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  Strong value for the money - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By John Witherspoon - December 31 - 8:23 am

  I have a Black 2016 Jetta Sport model with a MSRP of $23,300 which includes a unique two tone white/black heated leatherette seats and automatic transmission. The two tone white interior can be found in other cars though at a minimum the MSRP would be 5K or higher. Standard features include a sport suspension, fog lights, front and rear spoiler, unique gray/black 17 inch rims, heated outside mirrors, navigation, rear view camera, 8 way adjustable driver seat and 6 way passenger seat, Apple car play ( or Android Auto) and an above average sounding stereo. It has the highest safety rating of 5 stars. Fuel ratings on the highway are 37 and city is 25. Reliability has been average. Interior volume is on par with a mid size with plenty of leg and headroom for both front and rear passengers and a mid size trunk. The places you touch such as the center armrest, steering wheel, gearshift, armrests on the doors are black leather with white stitching and are soft. The white stitching adds to the more upscale look of the two tone interior. Hard plastic and chrome cover the areas that you do not touch. Simple dash layout that is not as dramatic as others in this class like the Mazda 3. Getting to adjust the manual seats and power outside mirrors take some time time to figure out. The engine is a 1.8 with 175 horsepower and 185 in torque coming on at a low 1800 RPM. This makes the car accelerate to 40 where the majority of the driving is done quicker than the majority of compact vehicles and even cars with over 200 horsepower. 0 to 60 is also good at 7.5. The car feels like it has more power than what is under the hood. BMW has been doing the same thing for many years. You will always have plenty of power and no need to mash the pedal to get up to any speed that is needed. Tires are Pirelli at 17 R45 so they are tall and wide giving good grip for handling and smoothing out the bumps on the road. You will feel the road bumps though nothing to jarring. On smooth pavements the car is smooth and quiet as there is increased insulation and the tires do not resound with noise. Handling is above average with no body roll and the steering has a tighter feel. It is a fun car to drive. With my local VW dealers online discount and the conquest cash for switching my Hyundai Sonata the bottom line was $20,500. Other compact cars like the Civic, Cruze, Corolla and Elantra can offer more features like a sunroof in this price range though you will get a weaker engine and not as much fun driving as this Jetta. You could get a better performance and handling car like a Mazda 3 or Ford Focus though at this price point you would get cloth seats, no navigation and other features the Jetta Sport has included. Most experts agree even with the billions VW will pay over the next few years with the scandal they and their other companies Audi and Porsche are not going to fold. If your car buying budget is 24K or less it would be worth to test drive the VW Jetta Sport and see what your dealer can offer in discounts. I think it has the most value when you look at the unique two tone interior, the features, mid size interior room, good fuel economy and a driving experience that is fun.

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  Well.... 2 months later back on lot - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By kempboy - December 31 - 7:48 am

  I bought this car with 100,000 miles on it and from day one it was a fun car. The car was fun to drive when it worked... First to go was a valve cover and pep boys only sold one that cost me 47 dollars to do and I had to do it. Then I got another 10 miles on the car and oil and antifreeze was pouring out of the car from the oil cooler gasket cost me 350 dollars to fix. Now remember I only drove this car 10 miles before this happened. This car was built well inside parts hold up however mechanically you need to know what your doing or your in trouble. I read reviews and didnt listen I should have these cars are trouble please take my advice and buy something else

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  The best one I have owned - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Robert Peterson - December 31 - 3:03 am

  I like this car. It is comfortable, reasonably powerful, gets decent mileage even with AWD and feels solid. I had a couple warranty problems - one with brake pads, the other with a temperature sensor. Both were fixed by the dealer without charge.

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  Calling Dr.Porsche - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By BuySwedish - December 31 - 2:00 am

  You can spend millions if not billions on quirky,Mtv like commercials, but you cant build a quality car?I have to say it is by far the worse car I have ever owned.This is coming from a guy who has owned three Saab 900s.Why is this? Well,Everything falls apart,everything from the side mirrors to the shift knob, to the gas door, to the window switches, to the melted fuses to the terrible radio(hasnt worked in a year)

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  jetta safety - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tinajetta - December 31 - 2:00 am

  i was involved in a horrific accident wherein my jetta rolled over three times. i had my seatbelt on and walked away from the accident unharmed. i have loved this car from the day i bought it. after i totaled it in this accident, i went a bought another one.

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  Take a long test drive - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By arbee - December 31 - 2:00 am

  Purchased a 2004 in dec 03, partly for the tax break. Car is built like a bank vault, everything seems to be of high quality, switch gear feels very audi/mercedes like. Acually i like everything about the car except for two thing. Fuel milage is poor - best i can get driving only for mileage is 19-20 on the highway. Regular driving 12-14 mpg and this is on premium fuel. Second thing is seat design, seat is comfortable for about 1/2 hour, after that, the much too firm side bolsters cut into my nice normal sized rearend. Like the car enough though to have seat bolsters changed at upholstery shop, right now using a seat pad that works ok.

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  Great Car buy poor remote antenna - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By asamreth - December 31 - 2:00 am

  Great car, but VW needs to improve on the range of the remote entry. My previous car, G35, has a range approximate 10 times. Folding seat concept not all that exciting. Wind noise can be annoying. VW needs to redesign rack system or improve on the aerodynamics.

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  sweet ride - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Brian Thompson - December 31 - 2:00 am

  Drove the 1.8T Beetle for the last four years and loved the ride. The Jetta powerplant feels just like it. Plenty of power from the 1.8T and better handling than the Beetle make this a much better ride. The interior styling is beautiful.