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:

• 

  my new beeeeetle bug! - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By stank - September 16 - 2:00 am

  candy apple red with after market wheels and porsche rims. its a very nice LOOKING car, very sporty, easy on the eyes you know... one of the things i love the most is night driving in it. get a little sleepy at night driving for long distances. two things strike me : one, the lights, absolutely ILLUMINATE the road. its wonderful. the other is, the actual build of the car. when playing music, it actually feels like the music surrounds you. its very easy to get things in and out of, as the seats dont just move forward, they actually LIFT UP and tilt forward. easy to hop friends and children in and out. maybe car seats some day too;)

• 

  Sassy - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By nirefry - September 16 - 2:00 am

  I wouldnt trade my VW for anything. The only problem that Im having with my little topless bug is that other people are jealous that they dont have one, too.

• 

  Best car Ive ever owned ... - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By boulderfolk - September 15 - 7:16 pm

  Mind you, Ive only had it for three weeks, but I absolutely love this car. The only problem encountered thus far was the MIL light going on less than 24 hours after I bought it. Dealer said a hose came disconnected, and it was fixed in 15 minutes (hope next service call is that attentive!). Have driven it on snow and ice, and it handles like a dream. This car was MADE for states with terrain like Colorado. Snow, ice, mountain passes, dirt roads ... it can take it all. Clean it up, and you can take it on the town. Fiance says she feels like shes riding in a luxury automobile when she rides in it. For the price, I dont think you can come closer to driving perfection.

• 

  great looks at an affordable price - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By mawazo vw - September 14 - 8:40 pm

  The car really scoots for a four cylinder engine. I find that I had to set the trip computer to warn me when I exceed 75mph because I would be doing 85 by the time i merged onto the freeway-different sound which is much quieter than my previous V6 VW GTI. Majority of my diving is on the highway and I can average 32MPG during my commute cruising at 73mph. Great standard options. Very easy to operate HVAC.

• 

  TDi - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By TDi Love - September 14 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car. Fast. Efficient. A best kept secret in the USA. In Europe the TDi rules. Customizes well. Strong chassis. Highly reccomend this car.

• 

  white wolf - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By whitewolf - September 14 - 10:00 am

  this is my first vee dub. love the german feel. i find myself driving with the windows down so i can listen to the turbo whistle. love the 1 touch windows and sunroof. the monsoon rocks. sounds better and louder then bose stereos ive heard and it was only a couple hundred upgrade. lots fo features for money. the whole wolfsburg package is great with the bbs wheels, sport seats, leather wheel and shifter. i dressed mine up with a spoiler, mud guards, tinted side marker and vw. chrome exhaust tips. in side i have the new vw aluminum dash kit. it personalizes it. i havent seen another white one in a year. after my lease is up ill buy another one

• 

  Love at first sight!! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VR6FAN - September 14 - 10:00 am

  Ive been a big fan of the Jetta, but more so, the awesome VR6 engine; when I heard that VW was upping the hp from 174 to 200, I was at the dealer asap. Ive only had the car for one day, but Im in love already. This new VR6 engine really has a lot of pull power w/ no hesitation whatsoever (1.8T). The build quality feels BMW/Audi-esque and the suspension is just right. If it was any stiffer, the ride would be too jarring -- I am willing to sacrifice some performance for some ride quality. I cant wait until VW puts out the Jetta/Golf RSi....

• 

  Green With Glee - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JH - September 14 - 4:26 am

  I also have a Honda Civic Hybrid but the Jetta TDI for the same money is much more fun and better quality. The diesel engine has tremendous low end torque and the turbo is rocket fast in sport mode. Just did a round trip from San Diego to LA and back and averaged 46 mpg. Been getting in the mid 30 mpg around town. The three mode transmission is fun for whatever mood. Leave it in D for economical commuting, drop it into sport to zip through traffic and manually shift when in the mountain twisties. Good seats with nice bun warmers and plenty of room for my 6 foot frame. Feels like a BMW or Audi for many thousands less. With free service and tax rebates how can I go wrong?

• 

  my 4th TDI...LOVE IT. - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By chimayred - September 13 - 1:18 pm

  im not a gear head but i like cars. Ive owned a Lexus LX470, 330, AUdi TT, Dodge Stealth, Dodge Durango, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Mercedes C260, couple of Jeep Grand Cherokees, 2 Jetta TDIs and a 2006 Passat TDI. I absolutely love it. Drives great, use it without snow tires in Maine winter, drive 35000 miles a year, getting 49mpg highway regularly, looks great, great fit and finish, great sound system. Ive already put 70,000 miles on it (65,000 miles on original equipment Continental all seasons). I drove this entire horrible Maine winter with those tires and 50,000 miles on them. This is easily better built than my wifes Mercedes C 260 (so much so that she wants one).

• 

  Great Golf TDI - 2005 Volkswagen Golf
  By Billsbuddie - September 13 - 8:53 am

  This is my 4th VW and all have been diesels. This car now has 15,000 miles and my last tank yielded 46 MPG. It is a manual and I drive it pretty hard, I love the torque. I have had one plastic part which broke, fixed under warranty. There have been no other problems with this car. I am 61" and experienced a bit of difficulty with getting in and out of the car, but I am no spring chicken. Once inside it is quite roomy. The back seat is a bit small for full grown adults, however, it is usually just my wife and myself so the back seat is not a problem.