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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  Exceeded expectations - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By jkorner - November 13 - 12:56 am

  My first vw I bought this car in July, 4400 miles and 2 trips from Asheville NC to Orlando later. about 560 miles one way I am very pleased overall. I average 30 Mpg city and 45 on the highway one tank was 51 Mpg. This car does every thing you can ask of it. Plenty of room power and great cruising range of 832 miles with 18.5 Gal tank. just be aware Because of the Automated manual trans car will disengage and roll backwards on very steep hills. my Car will not lock from the outside unless keyless remote is used. Car was 26K OTD with Tax. More than one person thought I paid 40K. VW got this right.

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  2008 VW Jetta SE Auto - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By carnut1973 - November 12 - 10:41 pm

  We purchased our 2008 Jetta SE (auto) brand new. My wife was the primary driver on our Jetta and we could not have been more pleased with the Jetta. In fact, 7 months later I bought a 2007 Jetta GLI for myself. We considered an Accord Coupe but the Jetta was $3,000 less and had more features. The car now has over 50,000 miles on it and still has not had any repairs--just regular maintenace...still on original brakes and tires, even. City driving returned around 22 mpg and highway driving would return up to 35 mpg...usually averaged 32-33 mpg on road trips. Quiet and comfortable to drive, cavernouse trunk and loaded with features.

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  Brand new Volkswagen Jetta SE Automatic - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By petnurse - November 12 - 6:30 pm

  Reluctantly I had to trade in my Saturn VUE. I test drove several different sedans that would fit my narrow garage driveway opening. I needed a vehicle with moveable mirrors just in case. I was also looking for safety features and the Jetta had great crash test ratings for front and side. I loved the Jetta SE and it suited me. For the first time in awhile I actually felt the car hugged the road and I felt safe making corners and on freeway curves. It handles beautifully and the interior is so comfortable. This is the second Volkswagen Ive owned and again Im impressed. The sales experience this time was one of the best Ive encountered.

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  Great car!! - 2009 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Gail - November 12 - 11:10 am

  Awesome car with lots of standard goodies. Its extremely quiet and smooth..Lots of storage with the back seats folded down. Super comfortable seats. Heated seats come standard.

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  Best car ever, so happy I bought it - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By JaSoNtheMC - November 12 - 10:00 am

  First of all, I love this car. Second, its worth every penny. I got it at a great price AND the fuel economy is great. I just bought it last night but still, Ive never driven a car like this in my life. Ive driven quite a bit and the gas tank gauge still hasnt moved, I might have to get that checked. I think I might fill up my tank in October or so. The stock sound system is great. Even though its a deisel engine its much quiter than probably all others. Its very smooth and so fun to drive. The test drive made me fall in love. 90 hp my butt! This thing has the power too! Acceleration is wonderful! Sun roof is sweet. E-mail me with any questions!

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  Great Commuter in California - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By absnth2006 - November 11 - 12:20 pm

  This is our second Beetle and the improvements are extrodinary. Our previous, 2000 hard top in Cyber Green, was nice but the new 5 cyl engine and 6 speed auto are far superior. Our fuel economy is actually better now, 27 mpg vs. 24 mpg for the 2000. Our only complaint so far is the trunk lid that is tough to close.

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  The 1.4 TSI Turbo is amazing! - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By CAW - November 11 - 8:21 am

  I purchased my Jetta in August 2016, and currently have over 36,000 miles on it. I commute 110 mile a day total, which explains the high mileage. At this time I have had NO mechanical issues and the only time it was in for warranty work was to adjust some interior trim. Other than that, It has been extremely reliable. As for the car, I cant believe the amount of power and speed that the 1.4 TSI engine has. If you need to put your foot on the gas-it goes. But, just as amazing is the gas mileage-which has ranged from 40 to 45 MPG-which I consider outstanding. I can get over 400 miles from the 14 gallon tank. The build quality is what you expect for an entry level car-a lot of hard plastic, but everything work and works well. I know that they have upgraded the interior fabrics for 2017, so they have tried to address this issue. But for $17,000, I ended up with a car with most amenities, great performance and plenty of interior and truck space. Also, I do my own maintenance (oil changes) and besides the need to remove an engine pan (which is easy-8 screws) the procedure is not complicated like other cars. My only complaint is that the recommended oil can be hard to find if you want to stay with exact VW specifications. But with a 10K oil change interval, its not bad at all. Overall, this is one of the first cars I have had in years that I can see keeping for the very, very long term.

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  Feel Cheated - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Nora - November 11 - 5:00 am

  The mantra at the time of purchase was reliability. Now the mantra is how expensive maintainance will be to keep it from breaking down (again). My car has only 36,000 km on it, it has cost me a fortune in preventative maintainance and still broke down leaving me stranded about 600 miles from home (ERG valve). Dealerships have a monopoly and once you purchase they are free to charge you what ever they want if you want to keep your warranty. I do not feel confident driving distances after authorized service technicians have warned me of potential breakdowns. I will never buy VW again.

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  Whatta Wagon!!! - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By gagrice - November 10 - 8:43 pm

  Picked our new Passat up in Oregon and drove to Southern California. Went through rain, Snow and highwinds. The handling is superb. Averaged 37 MPG overall. Drove mostly back highways to enjoy the handling. It was all I could do to get my wife to let me drive. Her car is a Lexus and she likes the handling of the Passat better.

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  Great driving car - shoddy construction - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jack - November 10 - 6:30 pm

  I bought this car new in 2001. I bought it because it looked great and was a lot of fun to drive. It did not take any time, however, for the interior to develop a symphony of rattles, squeaks, and creaks. This became indicative of the overall quality of the car. Many of the interior surfaces have a thin rubber material applied to hard plastic - it looks and feels great until it starts pealing off. The paint seems very thin to me, as well. I take good care of my cars and this one has a lot of scratches and dings. Mechanical problems seem to arise every time it goes into the shop.