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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  Love this car - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By jwschmchr - October 2 - 4:40 pm

  I bought this car new with 35 miles in 2003.I have since put about $15,000 worth of performance mods into this car. The build quality is excellent for a $25,000 car. I was lucky to be stationed in Germany for 2 years with this car. It drives like a dream on the autobahn and on the back roads. I lapped the Nurburgring in 9:18 my first lap on the track. With some work this car is easily as fast as a 911 carrera on the track.I have never had any major issues with anything breaking. Just do the scheduled maintenance and it runs like a top. After driving more $$ cars like the BMW M3, Mercedes AMG 55 and my 2000 740i sport the Golf GTi is as well built and as fun to drive as any other high $$ car.

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  Most fun to drive CUV under $35K - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By newjerseyguy - October 1 - 8:00 am

  Its no GTI, but for a CUV it is the best out there in its price range. Handling and composure on all road surfaces is excellent. Not skittish like the RAV4 V6, and better gas mileage than the Acura RDX. Fit and finish is better than the Honda CRV. Comfortable and quiet interior, controls are simple and in the right places. The 2.0T motor is smooth and refined with plenty of kick when you need it. And dont be put off by the high MSRP as large discounts can be had. Flemington VW was awesome, with no pressure and knowledgeable salespeople.

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  I love this car - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Neo - October 1 - 7:20 am

  I usually suffer from some buyers remorse when I buy a car, but not this time. I just bought this car to replace an Infiniti I30T and I couldnt be happier. I had test driven the Lexus ES, BMW 3 series, Maxima and a few other cars and chose the CC for its styling, peppy engine (the 4-cylinder 2.0T is much quicker than the 6 cylinder I had on the I30), and price in comparison to other cars that were less sexy, had fewer features and were $5k to $10k more. I get more compliments on this car than others I have owned and people often wonder what type of car it is. I would definitely recommend (and have recommended) this car to others.

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  TDI - Great Ride, Great Milage - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Stefano - September 29 - 1:00 am

  Wow what a fun car. It has plenty of power and plenty of range. I am getting about 500+ miles to a tank of diesel # 2 fuel with about a 13 gallon capacity. It starts right up, even on cold mornings. Also, it only needs oil changes every 10,000 miles after the break in period. This car is great.

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  Great Car, I love it! - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By luvmyvw - September 28 - 10:00 am

  Overall, Ive been absolutely thrilled with this car. Ive driven 60K miles in just over two years, and the only problem was losing an oxygen sensor ~50K. Handling in adverse conditions has been confident and sure, and it drives just as comfortably at 25mph as it does at 95mph. Ive been impressed with the cargo capacity with the back seats down. And the gas mileage has been great. I often get better than 30mpg on long freeway trips.

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  my car - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Joel - September 28 - 10:00 am

  a wonderful car, drives very smooth and is extremely reliable. looks like a spaceship at night with state of the art purple and red interior lighting. a pure pleasure to drive

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  Looooove My Beetle - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By KKelsch - September 28 - 10:00 am

  I love my Beetle, 6 speed, how many women out there can drive this baby? Only one thing wrong with it - I have to remind myself every time I drive it. You dont need a Traffic Award!

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  your dream small SUV is here ! - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By markt - September 27 - 10:16 pm

  a luxury car barely more expensive than a Japanese! the Tiguan has all the features me and my wife have been looking for, it got the looks and it is very practical. the 4Cyl turbocharged engine with the 6speed Tiptronic trans will give you the feel of driving a sport car all while being very easy on gas. the interior is very fancy and well designed, everything looks right at its place and nothing looks cheap. the downside to that is that it only uses premium gas, and its repairs are relatively higher than the regular American/Japanese car. so if you are looking for comfort, top safety and luxury, and power. i say the Tiguan is the way to go, because compered to it, the x3 looks overpriced.

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  VW saved my life - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Cayla - September 27 - 6:56 pm

  I love this car!It saved my life! I will always trust this car. I flipped my jetta 6 times going over 100 miles an hour and was ejected from the car because I wasnt wearing my seatbelt. I pretty much walked away. I only have a broken arm and cracked my back from the ejection. No cuts or anything. The window air bags protected me from glass and other objects. I would have uploaded the picture to prove it but theres no up load for pictures. Anyway, if youre going to get a car get a VW. The best car ever:) promise!

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  Great car! - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Josh - September 27 - 1:13 pm

  I love my Jetta! It has tons of great options, great quality, and great fuel economy. It drives like a much more expensive vehicle. Great safety and convience features.