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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  engine fail - 2011 Volkswagen GTI
  By Tyler Harney - May 13 - 12:47 am

  This auto had a significant issue and service recall for intake manifold and fuel injectors at 52,000 miles. Shortly after this repair, the engine failed. Was it timing chain failure? Who knows? I cant afford to replace the engine. It seems that the failure after significant repairs is suspicious. Customer care has ignored our complaints.

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  So disappointed at quality of VW. - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By juyeop - April 13 - 6:46 pm

  I bought VW jetta 2013 SE automatic about two months ago and it has been nightmare driving the car with so many flaws. First of all, about two weeks ago, the car just stalled out in the middle of the road when I was driving 40 miles per hour. Did I get into an accident because of that? almost. Nearest dealership towed my car and had a look at it, but what they said was there was no problem found, so you need to drive with it. Second issue Im having right now is grinding sound and from when gear changes. Ive never had this experience from my previous car that I drove for two years. Last but not least, steering wheel has been off-centered since it came out of dealership. Dont buy VW jetta!!

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  Save your money and buy something else! - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By beachforme - March 21 - 1:58 pm

  I have been driving for 39 years and have owned 16 different cars. This will be my first, and last, VW. I bought this 2013 Jetta with 32,015 miles. At 34,200 miles the air conditioning compressor went out....thank goodness for the warranty! I now have 42,100 miles, and since the warranty expired I have had to replaced the fuel pump, fuel filter, ignition lock, ignition housing, and brakes. I have also had problems with some of the plastic interior knobs coming off. Unfortunately, many mechanics do not like working on German made cars, which limits who will fix your car. This, along with expensive parts, makes repair and maintenance a lot more expensive than your normal US, Japanese, or Korean car. I currently have a 2006 Tacoma with 196,000 miles with no issues, and drove a Civic for 210,000 miles with no problems. For a 3 year old car with less than 43,000 miles I have had way to many problems with my Jetta....and doubt it will make it to 100,000 miles. My advice is buy a, Chevy, Ford, Toyota, Honda, or anything that does not have a VW logo. Sorry to be a bummer, but stay away from this car!

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  Pure garbage - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By alexis - March 7 - 10:00 am

  my 2000 jetta constantly has something wrong with it. Please do not buy this car. My neighbors 2000 jetta also has had many problems. Electrical problems, brake problems, windows coming off tracks constantly, starting problems, annoying knocking that you eventually learn to ignore. Please dont take the chance.

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  Wouldnt get another VW if you paid me - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By cd1138 - January 25 - 2:00 am

  I have had nothing but problems since I got this car. The trunck released at will on the highway, the car wouldnt come out of park if the a/c was on, the windows fell inside the door twice, the paint peeled off, and the transmission has had problems twice. In addition to this all of the plastic parts inside have either broken or fallen off.

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  WARNING!! DONT BUY THIS CAR!!!! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By italialife - January 15 - 7:51 am

  WOW, what a piece of garbage. I read the reviews before buying this piece of trash, but I thought, "eh, let me see for myself.." Im an idiot for doing this. What havent I replaced in this lemon, besides the frame and the engine? I bought the car for $3k with rusty fenders & a rusty chipped hood. Replaced both fenders & hood. It had some small dings, but no rust after that. I replaced the battery $210 ! I replaced the starter, coolant expansion tank, & a few other parts. I had invested a total of $1,728. I almost immediately but it back up for sale because is was beyond annoying to keep fixing little things. My wife hated when I chose to drive it over our other cars....The interior smell is atrocious, it smelled like a melted crayon constantly-- plus the interior is beyond cheaply constructed, which, if you happen to brush against, will smudge and ruin your clothes. The interior plastics were seriously made out to the strength of styrofoam cups. Though, peppy & fun to drive, do yourself a favor DONT BUY THIS CAR! I finally sold this car yesterday for $5k after trying for over 4 months! Making a $272 profit! I cant believe I didnt loose my [non-permissible content removed] on this car. After counting the cash, and after the kid left, my wife and I were literally dancing!

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  I hate my jetta! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Irrate - January 3 - 4:20 am

  There is not enough room to write everything I hate about this car. I have had nothing but problems with this car from day 1. Ive had problems w/ the shifting, replaced a cracked tri-pod ball joint replaced the coolant system, and now I have to replace the timing belt and valves, not to mention all the other minor problems I have had too. The VW dealership is as terrible as their car. I would NEVER recommend a VW to anyone! I am now the irate owner of a very heavy/expensive paper weight. My VW Jetta is worthless. Worst car ever!

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  disappointed - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By posvw - October 9 - 9:14 am

  In June, 2014 I took my 2006 VW TDI with 112K mi to the dealer for a timing belt change. I also needed a fuel filter change. Did I ever get a shock - not just sticker shock! When the service guy first called me it was to tell me my fuel filter was BLACK and that meant my injectors were shot. He also said that with this model, this year car, that there was a 50/50 chance that the cam shaft and lifting arms would need to be replaced. He explained that VW had designed these poorly with dissimilar metals and that they fail. Sure enough - a bill to the tune of $4k. So I sent 2 letters to the VW Customer Care center - Ive never heard I apologize so many times in my life! Run far and fast

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  Drivers Wanted - Mechanics Needed - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By lithia scumbags - August 13 - 10:06 am

  My 2000 Volkswagen Jetta TDI is the worst car Ive ever owned. It has had lots and lots of problems with the front end, brakes etc... the list is endless. Dont make the same mistake I made, buy a Honda or Toyota. I spent all my free time at the dealership, waiting for the latest excuse why my car wont run right, but how there is nothing wrong with the car.

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  The most trouble prone car of them all. Stay away - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Vince - August 6 - 10:22 am

  I bought this car from a family member with only 16K miles and it was garage kept. Its a 2.0 convertible with automatic. I cant begin to say how cheaply built this car is and VW should be ashamed of this product. The structure of this car creaks and moans over smooth roads. The drivers door handle (plastic) was cracked and this cracked the entire door panel. Replacements are hard to find and expensive. I got a new door panel and got metal door handles from ebay. The drivers door latch switch broke. This needed an entire latch and the switch lowers the window when opening and closing the door. Without this switch say goodbye to the top. So I did this myself. Then the rear plastics all cracked. Then the flaps to cover the top frame broke and the top wouldnt move so I took them off to fix it. Then the rear window separated from the canvas. I repaired the rear glass to save me the $2500 for a new top. Once I had this fixed, then the rear drivers window regulator broke. I took this to my friend and he fixed it for $300, but then the power top broke. So I disabled the power top and do it by hand since Im done fixing stuff on this car. So its fate is destined to be the in junkyard, but for now its just rolling junk waiting for its destiny. All of these repairs are on a low mileage, well maintained car. Other driving impressions- it drives like a cheap economy car. Braking is good. Acceleration is below average. Transmission and engine are still working for some reason. Structure is poor as I described above. Interior storage is average. rear seat room is tight. Paint is good. 30MPG highway. I can not recommend this car under any circumstances even if its given to you for free. It is very poorly over-engineered. Parts quality is very poor. Construction quality is poor with cheap brittle plastic and weak adhesives holding things together. Parts cost is very high and availability is poor as it may need to be shipped from Germany. So nothing here to see-keep looking.