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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  I love my Jetta - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lish - January 22 - 2:00 am

  Ive had Hondas, Chryslers, Cadillacs and all three of the big three pickup trucks. I have never had a car as fun to drive as this. I commute 90 miles a day and never get tired of driving this car......Not a single problem in the first 9,000 miles

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  I love it! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By rachelandrascal - January 22 - 2:00 am

  This car has numerous standard features (for fun and safety). Take one for a test drive . . . it will sell itself. I got a baseline Jetta (only "options were spoiler and automatic transmission); but compared with other manufacturers I was considering (Honda, especially) Jetta standard features are considered "optional" by most others.

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  A Strange Love Affair - 2005 Volkswagen Golf
  By Ron Campbell - January 21 - 9:53 pm

  While this is perhaps the smallest and least powerful car I have owned since my days as a Triumph driving bachelor in the very early sixties, it is without a doubt the one car I have truly loved. Its stupid to love a car, but there it is. Of course this love does not detract from the love of family or country or home town, but dont anybody ask for my keys. This is MY agile little baby and like Silver and the Lone Ranger nobody drives it but me; my black beauty is a one-rider horse. So this is a fine man/machine love affair, a strange love affair more intense than all the affairs Ive had with high-cost high-powered babes...cheap, too, like a good tart.

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  Perfect niche car for both of us! - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By Love our Passats!!! - January 21 - 1:53 pm

  I leased the 08 passat turbo tiptronic for my wife last year and she has nothing but good things to say about it. The build quality is superb, its quiet cabin has a great layout, its quick and torquey 2.0 turbo engine gets great mileage while providing ample power in all gears! The price for the turbo level is unbeatable with std features like power seat, alloys, cd/ipod jack etc. I liked hers so much I just leased my own in the 6 speed manual and I am now as happy as she is!

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  The GTI 337 Experience - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By bjrieder - January 21 - 10:00 am

  Dreyer & Reinbold was the only area dealership not charging a $1-2K gouge fee. Jason, my salesman, actually knew as much as I did about this very limited 25th European Anniversary Edition (1 of 3 delivered to Indy dealerships). Followup service has been outstanding. The driving experience has been equally impressive. Despite the draw-back of turbo lag, the cars overall performance overshadows in every way that of my 94 300ZX NA. "Car nut" friends who drive it expecting to be underwhelmed by this small-engined VW, come back w/ huge grins, proclaiming it to be one of the most exciting and impressive cars theyve driven.

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  vweurovan by Milan... - 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By vweurovan - January 21 - 10:00 am

  the best minivan ...

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  TDi 2002: Good value - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By DAC in Hamburg - January 21 - 10:00 am

  We went looking for a mid-sized car with better gas mileage than our SUV (we had 2 4x4s in the driveway). Of all the competitors (according to an Edmunds search), the VW TDi was a surprising option. The turbo diesel in this little 4 cylinder is very surprising. Though not a sport car, the performance is good enough to give the feel and handling of a sport model while still providing a lot of room for a family and the mileage usually limited to a hybrid. Very good buy as well!

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  My Killer Bee Rocks!!!!! - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Robert Rittweger - January 21 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my 1.8T GLS New Beetle a couple days ago from a dealership in Dalton Georgia. I Bought the yellow concept which they only made 2000 of. The concept has the ricarro seats they put in the turbo S, yellow and black seats, yellow stiching in the seats and wheel, and yellow wheel inserts.I recentaly blew away a 2002 Boxter while it was trying to pass me, boy they looked suprised. This is a awesome car for the money and would suggest it to anyone looking for a nice car that is sweet,fast,and reliable.

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  Passat Wagon -- no compromises - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By dermeister - January 21 - 10:00 am

  With a new baby on the way, I needed just a bit more room than my previous Passat 1.8T sedan. But I didnt want to compromise on performance, overall engineering, looks, or quality. Im very happy with my 02 Passat Wagon/Variant. It has willing performance, good low-end torque from the V6, very stable handling at low and high speeds, and great room thanks to the practical square wagon design. I chose a the buttery smooth 5-speed manual, but the 5-speed tiptronic is equally nice and pleasing. The wagon back actually adds a considerable amount of room, and also adds more rear headroom than the sedan.

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  BEST CAR OUT THERE! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By SUGAR - January 21 - 10:00 am

  THERE IS NO BETTER CAR ON THE MARKET FOR THIS PRICE AND QUALITY!