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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  its a blast - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By AWDBurnout - September 12 - 10:00 am

  This car gets two big thumbs up in every way except for fuel economy. I love driving my R32 everyday

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  Awesome - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Terrence Griffin - September 12 - 10:00 am

  I love this car

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  I get so many compliments! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By probinso - September 12 - 10:00 am

  At the risk of jinxing myself. . . I *love* the car. I have 10K miles on it to date and the only problem was a trouble light that was fixed in a quick (free) visit to the dealer. Shell cruise at 85 all day no problem, eats traffic on the highway around town. So quiet I have to use the cruise to keep from speeding. Had to get used to downshifting more to pass -- can be sluggish in wrong gear. So pretty, people stop me on the pking lot to tell me. Great winter car with heated seats and ASR for ice.

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  Luxury on a shoestring - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Robebrown - September 12 - 10:00 am

  We looked at a lot of cars, from budget Subaru to opulent BMW 500 series. The Passat won out, not because it was the best at any one thing, but because it had more good things in one package: comfort, convenience, driveability, roominess. And the wagon is easier to parallel park than any other car Ive owned. GLX is not exactly cheap, but for the money, it gives you more than most other cars in its class.

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  Best GERMAN Automobile - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By United4Life - September 12 - 10:00 am

  Best German automobile. Excellent drive and excellent overall.

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  2005 Passat - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By drcar1 - September 10 - 10:35 pm

  To be honest I havent had any problems with my 2005 VW. It has worked great, it is fun to drive maybe too fun....I get a lot of speeding tickets in it and Ive been pulled over several times going like 5-10 over so maybe it looks fast too!? As for everything else I get regular inspections on the car and it works great. Just have to take car of it. Take it to the dealership at least once a year to run diagnostics and youre good to go.

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  Best Wagon on Market - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By vooch - September 10 - 1:50 pm

  25,000 miles on my car - mostly driven in and around New York City - Awesome MPG 35+ on highway ! and decent in City. Not the slightest issue with build quality, this is a 1st rate car - Id put it side by side Volvo - Merc - Saab and in every way it beats them hands down. It has huge cargo capacity - the wife and kids love it. My sold my last Passat (1996 wagon) at 190,000 miles - after 11 years it still looked perfect -

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  VW is my God!!! - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ghodd - September 10 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for about 2 1/2 months now i purchased a black used 5 speed Jetta with 64,838 miles on it...i know its high mileage but i havent had any engine problems yet..the fuel economy is perfect, the only problem i need to get fixed is minor. My right passenger window i think the motor burned out so i have to get a new one, AND sometimes when i lock my door with the lock button on my key the car locks but the drivers side door the actually lock its self doesnt lock but it engages the alaram so i have to unlock then lock it again..but that only happens sometimes..its not a big deal.

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  Driver Found - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tony - September 9 - 6:46 pm

  I beat the crap out of this car on a daily basis,driving it all over the Tri-state area and it has never left me stranded.Just keep up with the maintenance and they are all go! Repairs seem to be easy to do.Most of them I can do in my driveway.Could you expect anything less from a Peoples car.

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  Best Buy! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By TommyBoy - September 9 - 1:43 pm

  I love this car. I have put 85,000 miles on it in about two years. I change the oil, rotate the tires and it keeps on running. Ive had ZERO problems out of this baby. I routinely get 50 mpg! With gas prices at $3.00/gallon, why wouldnt you want this car. Its fun to drive, peppy and has great fuel economy.