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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  Lack of Product Integrity - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Wes - March 3 - 10:56 am

  Volkswagen should be more than a little embarrassed. The grade of plastic specified for use in a German designed sun visor should be UV resistant. That it broke down and became brittle in 5 years, with less than normal use (and no abuse) is unacceptable to me as a customer, and definitely to me as an engineer (I understand mechanics of materials very well!). I believe that a defective or knock-off part installed on my vehicle at the time of manufacture, should be replaced at no cost to me and chalked up to quality parts control.. and lets have a lessons learned here.

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  Dissapointed #1 - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ed - February 29 - 12:08 am

  If it has not happen by now the headliner will come off the cd will stop working properly and you will hear a fan noise when the car is started. I have a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 and a 1988 Nissan Pathfinder and this never happen. I wonder what is coming next and I dont what to keep this car any longer. That is my last VW that I would own.

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  donotbuyajetta - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By nothappywithvw - February 28 - 10:00 am

  i thought i was buying a reliable car. i had heard great things about vws and jettas. test drove my car and thought everything was fine with it. boy was i wrong. my car has been in and out of the car dealership getting things fixed. my stero has stopped working twice, my console broke, my rearview mirrors do not work, my brakes jerk when i stop (even when it is not wet) and my car shifts really hard and jerks. also, the service where i purchases my car is not good. i keep telling them the problems and they keep telling me nothing is wrong.

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  Disappointed with GLS Wagon - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By jkilo - February 16 - 2:00 am

  Made a mistake purchasing this vehicle. Build quality and dealer service have been poor. Paint had numerous small blems. Rear hatch trim replaced twice. Roof line trim inserts bow up. Fully loaded highway ride not comfortable. 1.8T slow off the line - OK at speed. Fuel economy not great. Tip: on your test drive set tire pressure to mfg spec - this dealer sets them low to smooth out ride.

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  Worst car I ever owned - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By upchuda - February 7 - 2:56 am

  If you value you wallet, dont purchase this car! I bought this "certified pre-owned car from Osborne Automotive on Colfax. Every piece of the car has had to be replaced including the coolant tank, transmission, gas tank etc. I am so upside in what I owe compared to the $7,437.23 that I have put in it in the last 3 years that I will be paying for the car long after its dead.

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  Never Again - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By verucasalt - February 3 - 10:46 am

  I will never again buy a Jetta. I was warned about how many electrical problems they have, I bought one anyway and now Im selling it, less than a year later. I love my VW, but she loves the shop and constant weekly (no joke) repairs. Research wisely before buying one.

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  Unreliable - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By lulu - January 30 - 10:00 am

  -5/1999: Check Engine Light on. Unstable front driver seat. Covered under warranty. -12/2001: Not starting in the rain. Replaced coil pack. Water leaking inside from passenger side door. $600 not covered under warranty. Car still has problems in rain. -8/2003: Windows fell into the doors. Covered under recall. -10/2003: Airbag light on. According to dealer, passenger side airbag needs to be replaced. $500 not covered under warranty despite car never being in accident or air bag ever deploying. -8/2004: Gas tank blockage. Replaced under warranty. Several visits required because dealer "forgot" to fix.

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  Low Quality Parts. - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By sassyson - January 26 - 2:00 am

  1st problem was a poor paint job or lack of a clear coat. Within a month I had spots on the paint. Problem resolved by them repainting the car. 2nd Problem Valve noise. I had a horrible diesel sounding noise coming from the valves. An oil change solved the problem, but this car only has 22k miles on it and the oil was last changed 4k miles earlier. 3rd problem was my rear break were 90% worn out at 21k miles, which I find to be extremely unusual. Front breaks have 75% of the pads left. There was no unusual wear on the rotors. They wanted $187 to replace the rear brake pads. There is lots of other makers of cars out there..find one built better

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  First and last VW - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By King Richard - January 21 - 2:00 am

  This car is the worst I have ever owned. The CD player does not work on the left channels and has been to the dealer 4 times and still does not work. The windows fall down in the door and cannot be rolled up without repair. VW has extended warrenty on windows but will not honor previous repairs. This is the first and last VW I will own!!!!!

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  Turbo, inter-cooler and oil pump all died - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By zebrafarm - January 19 - 3:12 pm

  I owned a 2013 VW Passat TDI for 8 months. I bought it with 13K miles & traded it in at 29K. At the 29K mileage the turbo went out & I limped home which was only about 2 miles away. The VW dealer had it towed in & it took 10 days for them to complete the repair. If the car had not been under warranty the repair cost would had been $6000+. The parts alone were $3500. The mechanic at the VW dealer said, " We found metal parts from the turbo in the inter-cooler and oil pump, so we flushed the engine & we hope that cleaned it out". At that point I knew I would have to get rid of the car. A design flaw like that will kill an engine & cost $9000+ without warranty. Very poor design engineering!!