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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  Mad Cool - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By VeeDubya - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Is what our 13-year-old son says about this car. It is absurdly fun to drive. It needs brighter regular headlights and its gas mileage is a bit disappointing, but these are cavils in an otherwise splendid car.

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  DONT BUY A VW - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By SC JAMIE - September 29 - 10:00 am

  HAD CAR FOR LITTLE OVER A YEAR. HAD TO TAKE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP OVER TWELVE TIMES FOR REPAIRS. COOLANT LOSS, DRVR AND PASS WINDOWS FELL DOWN SEVERAL DIFF TIMES. O2 RECALL. PROBLEMS W DOOR HANDLE LOCK ASSY, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 97 JETTA, AND HAD NO PROB WHAT SO EVER. DEALER TOLD ME THEY ARE GETTING PARTS FROM A DIFF MANUFACTURER ON THE NEW MODELS. HOPE THEY GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER SOON.

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  Could Not believe the value for price - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By masterofdisguyz - September 29 - 10:00 am

  This car is so fun to drive, and it gets a lot of attention. i have the black on black (leather) 17" wheels, sunroof, everything. Sometimes the acceleration is sluggish but I think its because its new. It will get better once it "breaks in". LOVE the car. its so fun to drive and the PRICE??? forgetaboutit! Best bargain for the money. I will definitely buy another GTI. Absolutely.

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  from Golf to 337 - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Ashley Jacobs - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Ive drove a lot of VWs and this one is close to the best. I traded a 01 Golf GLS for the new Rabbit GTI 337. I lost the excellent gas mileage of 430 miles on one tank of fuel to about 300 miles on one tank that holds 14.5 gallons along with my sunroof. However i have gained the 180 horsepower 1.8T that is the same engine in the Audi TT or A4. The car also came with 18" wheels and a performance exhaust, Recaro Le mans seats and a body kit. I love my new VW.

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  I love this car - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Arica - September 29 - 10:00 am

  This car is the best. When I test drove it, I knew it was going to be the one. Its a small compact car perfect for zooming in and out of traffic and getting where you need to go.

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  CAN ANYBODY FIX THIS CAR? - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dieseled out - September 29 - 10:00 am

  This car was supposed to be my answer to commuting. I cannot keep it on the road. Check engine light has come on at 50,000 miles and at 90,000 miles it is still on. Volkswagen mechanics throw up their hands. What do I do? I have spent $2400 for the mechanics to silence this light. What is the 100,000 mile warrenty for? They still say glow plug relay. I began to bottle and sell the ooze that leaks from the doors. If Volkswagen could fix this problem, I would have a decent car. Power windows are a big joke. Fix them in a timely manner for Gods sake. You could not run fast enough to give me another one of these cars.

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  Just Doesnt Get Any Better Than This - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By AJVWPASSAT - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Wow...I just bought my 00 Passat GLS turbo sedan (moonroof, alloys) 2 weeks ago and I couldnt be any happier with it. The car got me 34mpg going from Ocean City, MD to central NJ! German engineering at its best!

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Sam in Utica, NY - September 29 - 6:10 am

  My Jetta Wolfsburg constantly surprises me. After the 1,000 mile break-in, my gas mileage was 34 MPG on my last trip. The car takes regular gas, not premium as noted in some articles. It has plenty of pep with the manual transmission. I drove an automatic five cylinder and was underwhelmed by its performance. Do yourself a favor and buy the 5-speed. Youll save over $1,000 and have more fun driving. My last Jetta was an 03 Wolfsburg with the 1.8T. The 2.5 reminds me of my old Jetta, but the quality and reliability of the 07 has greatly improved.

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  WoW - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By dave farviknugen - September 28 - 9:06 pm

  For sure will get speeding tickets cause its way fun, surprised havent been stopped. Yet. Should be the best selling car in America. Canoes and kayaks fit fine on roof rack. Lots of stuff in back. Back seat is better than previous years VWs. Did I say this is fun?

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  Rabbit is a sure-footed ride - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Gregory - September 28 - 8:46 am

  A reassuring, solid ride with all the peppiness youd expect from a car that calls itself a Rabbit. Ive been a long-time Civic driver and the ride quality of the Rabbit really impresses me. The Rabbit is a very refined car and an excellent value for the money. On the downside, fuel economy is not super.