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:

• 

  Passat - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Doc Padre - October 30 - 2:00 am

  Fun to drive, but small things are breaking constantly. Primarily cosmetic. Trim has come off three times, two inside and one outside. Warranty is covering, but a nuisance.

• 

  Always something to repair, nothing BIG....yet! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By billych - October 22 - 12:53 am

  This car has always had some minor problems, nothing major, but most annoying. However, now that I have 50k miles, more seems to be malfunctioning. A few weeks ago the engine light came on which turned out to be a malfunctioning turbo charger recirculating valve, total cost $303.59. Now the entire headliner is falling down. The dealer said the glue failed. They estimated the replacement to be $800! Ill look elsewhere, thank you. Bottom Line: This was my first and last Volkswagen. Needless to say, I would not recommend this car to anyone.

• 

  Disappointed - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By Julia3 - October 6 - 10:00 am

  My car has 3500 miles on it and so far: 1. the power steering fluid leaked out, 2. the drive tensioner belt broke, 3. the air conditioner compressor wore out, 4. and the right front window belt lift broke--the window wouldnt go up or down. How could anyone sell such a poor quality car? Why was I so gullible to purchase such a poor quality car?

• 

  Problematic car. - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Unhappy Jetta owner - October 6 - 10:00 am

  Loved the car at first. After 1 month, it developed a water leak in the driver door. Many visits later the leak is not fixed. Other problems include 3 of 4 windows have had the regulator go out. The lumbar seats broke. The emissions light comes on frequently. The air conditioner has built-up a bad smell. The water coolent light comes on but the guage is normal and coolant level is good. I have never missed the required maintenance and it still has these problems. The car drives great and is appealing to the eye, but these problems are not worth it. I wish I had purchased the extended warranty. Actually, I wish I could go back and never have purchased the car.

• 

  Never Again - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By DavisFam - October 3 - 10:50 pm

  Best to stay away from this one. I was a devout VW fan until this car. Had a 2004 VW Jetta that was great. This thing has electronic ghosts such as the emergency brake coming on and off, the gas light comes on with ample gas in the tank, the check engine light....its been in the shop numerous times, all they do is reset the codes if any and the problems continue. It also has a problem starting occasionally after filling it up with gas. For the price, VW should do better. I was going to set my sights on a Eos next but, I refuse to buy another VW. I find regular maintenance is way overpriced as well. I follow the manual to a tee and also use synthetic oil and premium gas all the time.

• 

  DONT BUY A VW - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By SC JAMIE - September 29 - 10:00 am

  HAD CAR FOR LITTLE OVER A YEAR. HAD TO TAKE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP OVER TWELVE TIMES FOR REPAIRS. COOLANT LOSS, DRVR AND PASS WINDOWS FELL DOWN SEVERAL DIFF TIMES. O2 RECALL. PROBLEMS W DOOR HANDLE LOCK ASSY, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 97 JETTA, AND HAD NO PROB WHAT SO EVER. DEALER TOLD ME THEY ARE GETTING PARTS FROM A DIFF MANUFACTURER ON THE NEW MODELS. HOPE THEY GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER SOON.

• 

  CAN ANYBODY FIX THIS CAR? - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dieseled out - September 29 - 10:00 am

  This car was supposed to be my answer to commuting. I cannot keep it on the road. Check engine light has come on at 50,000 miles and at 90,000 miles it is still on. Volkswagen mechanics throw up their hands. What do I do? I have spent $2400 for the mechanics to silence this light. What is the 100,000 mile warrenty for? They still say glow plug relay. I began to bottle and sell the ooze that leaks from the doors. If Volkswagen could fix this problem, I would have a decent car. Power windows are a big joke. Fix them in a timely manner for Gods sake. You could not run fast enough to give me another one of these cars.

• 

  Never again will I buy VW!!!! - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By GEN - September 26 - 10:00 am

  This is the first car I have ever owned. I was so happy the day I got it. I picked it out from color to package. I got everything I wanted and was thrilled. Well that is were the fairytale ends. The dealership has been horrible to work with and this car has problems after problems. First the side molding broke. We have no idea how. Took it in to be fixed along with a door that would not close. Well they fixed the door, but not the molding. The homelink system fell out next. The radio does not work now and the kicker is just tonight I went outside to pack the car for a trip and I have three inches of water in my back floor board. My car is leaking.

• 

  Not worth it. - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By John - September 25 - 5:26 pm

  I have owned my used Passat for less than a year. I bought it with 70k miles, and it currently has 85k. In that time I spent $4000 maintaining this car. Engine leaks from everywhere, bad coils, and some preventative maintenance changing the timing belt and water pump. There are still issues with it I simply cant afford to fix. I really wanted to love this car. I really wanted a reliable car. This wasnt the right choice.

• 

  Never Again - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By JJ - September 23 - 6:33 am

  This my LAST VW. I have electrical problems galore. Now the headliner is coming off and some of the leather on the drivers door is coming unglued. What terrible quality for a German car, and VW wont stand behind their own work after a measly three years. I am going back to the Japanese cars. They know how to make quality and stand behind their products.