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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  Best all weather car ever - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By Dorothy Niss - December 25 - 12:40 pm

  The 2004 Volkswagen R32 is a keeper. WIth Nokian tires it handles superbly in all weather conditions: snow, ice, rain. My R32 has received standing ovations from fellow concert-goers and a great amount of interest from VW fans. Its my all-time favorite car.

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  vr6 4motion - its stunning - 2013 Volkswagen CC
  By slk528 - December 25 - 9:10 am

  I wanted a mid-size awd car thats comfortable, looks great, gets decent mpgs despite Boston traffic and had nice options for a good price. This car has it all. I had a fully loaded 550i (iDrive was about to crap out too) and this car has more options at half the price. Its faster too. Build quality is terrific. I hope it lasts me a long time.

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  Electrical Problems Galore - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JettaGirl06 - December 25 - 6:33 am

  Love the car and its great mileage, but the electrical problems are horrific. Would never keep it past the warranty. Wipers jump when turned off, blew out two cell phone adaptors, one head light stays on sometimes after engine turned off. There are annoying rattles. A screw fell off of the door panel. The batteries in the key chains last about four months. One tire blew out (could have hit something, but not sure). Radio has poor reception. But love the engine, the really clean smell (does this thing have an ionizer?), the fuel mileage is above stated once broken in.

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  Love my VW - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By shogan070 - December 24 - 8:20 pm

  I upgraded to the 2008 Passat Komfort from a 1998 Passat GLS with a five speed manual. My old car ran great and I have to admit that it was hard to let it go, but I soon got over that. I have had the new car for about a month now and I like everything about it. The 2.0T 200 hp four cylinder is unbelievably powerful for an I4 and a drastic improvement over the 150 hp 1.8T in my old car. The suspension and steering are perfect, I barely feel bumps when I go over them. The fuel economy is excellent as well. I get between 350 and 400 miles out of every 16 gallon tank of gas. This car is the perfect balance of high performance and efficiency.

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  Great car! - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Robert - December 24 - 2:39 pm

  I love the VW Jetta. I keep looking at other cars thinking maybe Ill find something that I like more, but it still hasnt happened. Jetta has a nice quiet interior, great ride, great engine, the only thing I dislike is the DSG transmission, when its cold out it can become very "stiff" and jerky feeling until it warms up. I dont even know how you could put a Civic or a Focus in its category, its a completely different car, much better in my opinion. If you want a loud, cheap, stiff annoying ride I guess then you could opt for the Civic or Focus.

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  2006 Passat Gas Mileage - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By voicetea - December 24 - 12:13 pm

  Just bought a 2006 Passat 4 cylinder turbo. Gas mileage is about 20 miles per gallon in town; 30 to 31 miles per gallon on the highway.

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  Better than I thought - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By buffalogolfer - December 24 - 10:00 am

  Great car to drive. Bought it for my daughter, but I think I like it as much as she does. Im over 6ft tall but on long (2+hr) thruway driving, easy and comfortable. We got the moonsoon sound system- wonderful sound.

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  Review of 2001 Jetta Wagon - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By gbuccolo - December 24 - 10:00 am

  The Jetta wagon looks great, is fun to drive, and can haul a lot of stuff...but it is not reliable. It has spent 30 days in the shop in one year. The problems have been sensor malfunctions, failed switches (casuing the car to be unable to switch out of park), and transmission problems (causing 4th gear to fail and the other gears to malfunction). VW dealer and customer service has been terrible. I have serviced the vehicle at TransOcean VW in Pasadena. I would not reccomend them. In additional to the mechanical problems, they dented the car.

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  Dont let this happen to you. - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JNB - December 24 - 10:00 am

  To get straight to the point the Jetta Wolfsburg is a car to be avoided. I have had it since new and most of the time it exhibits a mind of its own. I wait until there is nothing in sight before pulling out because I never know if Im going to get the peppy little car or the die as you accelerate car. The ASR control feels like its going to rip the drivetrain apart when it engages on damp pavement. But VW says to speak to the dealer, the dealer says it fine. If its doing what it should be then VW needs to go back to the drawing board. What do you get when you cross a wonderful interior with bargain bin mechanicals? The VW Jetta Wolfsburg.

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  Just bought yesterday! - 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By kourtnie - December 24 - 8:00 am

  So far I love my cabbie even though it is my first REAL day with it, I love the fact that it is a convertible, and the black interior is one of my favorites, it has more interior room than my old Integra in the back which is a plus for me, I hate the fact that EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING is manual! The windows, the top, I mean its a 2001 not a 1974! It could have been made a little more up to date.