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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  Indigo Blue - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Michael99 - October 25 - 10:00 am

  Only had the car for less than 1000 miles, drives and feels very solid. Lucky enough to be in Germany while driving it, get to really drive it to its full potential. 1.8T is a very responsive engine, quiet on the Autobahn even at 100 mph. Fun car to drive, still in love with the blue instrument cluster. It is American Specs.

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  Not Your Old College Bug - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Dicker - October 25 - 9:36 am

  This car is as fun to drive as it is to look at! People smile and wave and give me the thumbs up, when I drive. When I park, someone almost always wants to ask about my little luxury convertible! The power and handling are very impressive, almost like a small sports car, especially with the Tiptronic transmission! I am very pleased with comfort, handling and performance, but a little disappointed in the gas mileage!

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  Suspension problem caus. prem. tyre wear - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Tedd - October 24 - 1:23 pm

  Very pleased with the overall performance but rumbling noise on certain road surfaces is most disconcerting and appears to cause premature tyre wear. The dealer and his staff knew of the problem when I first approached them but VW will not acknowledge the problem as one which demands some beneficial attention for the customer. They say it is a .characteristic of the vehicle and are not prepared to fix it or offer compensation for the excessive tyre wear. I would love to hear from any other owners who have experienced the problem.

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  I Love My Jetta! - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jetta 2.5L PZEV - October 24 - 5:33 am

  I bought my Jetta in July 2006 and Ive just love it! For a compact sedan, it feels luxurious. Ive always wanted a Jetta, and Im glad I waiting until they came out with a different look. It is bigger than the old model. It has excellent handling on the road. I just wish it got a little better gas mileage. But, with the safety airbag features, you cant go wrong with this car. I got the Package #1. It is awesome!

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  Best bang for the buck - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Steve - October 23 - 10:53 pm

  Highs: torquey engine, great interior design, amazing spec list standard, cost of ownership is very low. Gas mileage is pretty poor, but if youre concerned about gas mileage youre probably not even going to be considering this car anyway. The 170 ft-lbs of torque is apparent from very low in the rev range, and worth the trade with gas mileage as far as Im concerned. When compared to everything else $20k or less, the Rabbit shines through.

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  Jetta GLX VR6 - good but could be better - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dco - October 22 - 11:36 am

  Quality of material is excellent, craftmanship is less than perfect for the Mexico built models. Suspension too american and soft. Manual Shiffter too long and rubberry. Equipement of US car is unacceptable compared to european model which comes with AWD, 6 speed manual,201 HP and GPS for the same price.

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  Always something to repair, nothing BIG....yet! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By billych - October 22 - 12:53 am

  This car has always had some minor problems, nothing major, but most annoying. However, now that I have 50k miles, more seems to be malfunctioning. A few weeks ago the engine light came on which turned out to be a malfunctioning turbo charger recirculating valve, total cost $303.59. Now the entire headliner is falling down. The dealer said the glue failed. They estimated the replacement to be $800! Ill look elsewhere, thank you. Bottom Line: This was my first and last Volkswagen. Needless to say, I would not recommend this car to anyone.

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  97 GLX Reliability issues - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Scrappy - October 20 - 10:00 am

  Door alarm problem - car arms itself whenever the rear door is opened or that electric window is operated. Need 2 keys to get it started. Engine Sputters - Car sometimes hesitates and runs poorly for a few days then is fine for weeks at a time. Side door molding strips keep falling off. Buy some doublesided tape ahead of time. No big deal to fix. No place to put stuff. Ex: Cup hldr under ashtray so unusable for anything taller than soda. though. FIX ELECTRICAL PROBS! VWs notorious for this. Youd think theyd have solved by now.

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  fun little car - 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By alyse - October 20 - 10:00 am

  Lots of leg room for 61" and 65" drivers. No room in back, though. Cup holders are awkward. Expensive to repair and scheduling service is a pain. Non VW stations cant service it because the malfunction codes are standardized (I believe there is a pending lawsuit about this.) Service Engine light goes on if you dont click the gas cap. Get the manual shift if you want any power.

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  BEST car Ive owned! - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By ManaGrace - October 20 - 10:00 am

  I bought my car used with 64,ooo miles. It now has 88+ and its still kicking! I have only had everyday normal wear and tare problems with it.