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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  X5 Beater - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By badjoujou - September 20 - 10:00 am

  I took me alomost a month to decide between the VW and the X5. Boy did I make the right call. Other than a little pep off the line the VW holds its own with the Bimmer and then some. VW has better AWD system and suspension and is just a blast to drive. If you are looking for an SUV that handles exit ramps at 80+ and can go off road, this is the place to be.

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  VW Deisel Get Good Grades - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Justiniandog - September 20 - 10:00 am

  After getting used to the auto tiptronic transmission I love the VW New Beetle TDI. Smooth, powerful, and fuel efficient. With all the traveling I do, I fill the tank every 7=8 days and thats not a complete refill mind you. Love it...its a keeper.

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  Watch Out for Leaks - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By mark - September 19 - 1:26 pm

  I loved my 2002 Passat, until recently. It has been a great family car Howevr, it rained, a seal around the windshield wipers leaked, and the electronics "brain" entirely fired. After paying the dealer, $5,200 to repair the problem the car is still full of electronic problems, like a flashing radio display, fritzed and motor in the truck. My dealer refuses to stand up and acknowledge any of this as being their fault. Thus, because of a faulty design,and/or gasket and shabby dealer service, I am now driving the last VW I will ever own.

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  Flawed Design - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By blankfiend - September 19 - 4:01 am

  Id like to meet the genius who designed this beast. I was just informed by my dealer that to change the liquid cooled alternator would involve 14 hours of labor to pull the engine and cost $2118.00!!

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  Happy driver - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By charliec - September 18 - 5:26 am

  This is the second TDI that ive owned and both have been excellent road cars. I enjoy the engine torque that gives outstanding highway performance. Yes, diesels can have performance and the enconomy is a added benifit.

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  Quirky with a Great View - 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By gruvass - September 18 - 2:00 am

  Youll ride high in the saddle with a Eurovan in your corral. Takes premium gas, entry/exit is a bit awkward, only has one slider but oh, the view. We love the German fit and finish and the caverous space, especially without the rear facing seat in our MV Weekender model. If youre looking for a top handling model pass on this one, but if you have touring and camping in mind this is one of a kind.

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  turbo S beetle - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By wcp - September 18 - 2:00 am

  great buy for the money.

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  CUSTOMERS BEWARE!!! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Lava - September 18 - 2:00 am

  I did all my homework before I bought this car and also read message boards to make sure I did not miss anything, well I did. Everyone who has great reviews has relatively few miles on their car (<10,000). Ive had nothing but ignition coil problems with this vehicle. It seems that all 1.8T engines in VW and Audi have this problem and nothing has been done to fix it. They just repair it which typically takes 2-3 weeks and tell you that "theres a 90% chance the others will go." On top of that the computer board malfunctions and causes check engine light to come on. DONT let the exterior and interior attractive design fool you.

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  Great Car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Daniel Miller - September 18 - 2:00 am

  Great Car..... Ride is pleasant and quiet. Interior is fabulous and the lights at night spectacular. Excellent build quality.

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  Too Many Problems - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tigerroux - September 18 - 2:00 am

  I havent been too pleased with the many various problems Ive had with this car. Brand new, the biggest problem being a replacement of transmission, rotors, broken rear view mirror,a security system problem, and sticking drink holder mechanism. These were all fixed by a very good dealership, but all of this happened before the car had 5,000 miles on it. It doesnt give me a warm and fuzzy feeling on the reliability of what might happen next. The other thing Im not too happy with is the gas mileage. I think VW could do better.