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 the Golf - 2001 Volkswagen Golf
  By Rickss77 - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle. Fun to drive and great on gas. Looking forward to moving up to another VW.

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  Like an Audi A4, but faster and cheaper - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tk1 - July 21 - 2:00 am

  So far soo good. Corners well, good suspension, and very quick. Lots of practical touches.

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  5 years passed. Still Love it. - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By AndyM - July 20 - 7:30 am

  1999 VW Passat. Love it. Love it. Love it. After 5 years/70K still looks like a new. Since B5 was designed its body style become classic and has been cloned by other auto makers. Havent had ANY serious problems with it. One year ago replaced original battery and tires. Soon will have to replace breaks. Other than that - just regular maintenance were the only major expense. Its a pity some other people here had bad luck with their Passat.

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  Passat wagon-love it - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By amelia - July 20 - 7:06 am

  I have been very happy with my wagon, with basically no trouble.

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  Excellent vehicle! Love the car. - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Shel - July 19 - 7:40 pm

  I was leery about the purchase. Never owned a foreign car. I average about 47 mpg on the highway and 41 in the city. I have no complaints about the car. I love it and the fuel mpg!!

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  1 sweet R32 - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By 4motion4me - July 19 - 10:00 am

  I was looking into buying a Subaru WRX STI, but after two test drives in each and reading as many Road&Track,Car&Driver,and any other info I could find I desided to go with the R32. I traded in my 2003 GTI VR6 that had 29,000 miles on it. That was a great car but this is a whole new beast. Once you own an all wheel drive there is just no going back. This car handles like a dream, the seats are the best Ive ever been in. Cabin is put together very well and the pipes are crazy. The climit control is awsome, heated seats are so sweet on those cold winter days. I live in the central valley of California so these tire are the best. If there was one thing I would change(give me a spare tire)!!!!!

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  excellent - 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By gunther - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Car is full of fun gadgets and it is a nice ride. People ask you what type of car that is becasue there are not may like it and it looks nice

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  Lucky to have a good VW - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Danny - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Amazed at some of the issues that I have found on this board. I was lucky enough to find one of the good ones I guess. I have logged over 69,000 miles on mine, and have only had to replaced a temperature sensor, which was expensive. The only time my engine light comes on is when I get into the lower states like Ar, Tx, etc. (gas issue maybe).I have a 1999 with 111,000 miles so I guess if the only thing that I have replaced is the sensor I will consider my self lucky. Nice car to have on the highway. Trunk light works when it wants is another problem that I do have.

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  BEAUTIFUL - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By MYMAL - July 19 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is absolutely beautiful all around. unique design in and out, with a gorgeous interior (have it in the Teak color & blk exterior, V8). Very quiet drive for an suv, amazing with the air suspension, feels like a sports car in the handling, has options galore included with the V8 model. I love it and have not had any problems at all. Would definitely appreciate better fuel economy, an auto-trunk open and close (b/c its heavy) but otherwise very pleased with the VW Touareg!

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  Great all around SUV - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Dustin123 - July 19 - 10:00 am

  A great all around SUV that fits our needs. We can load up the family and dog wih plenty of room. We can also put down the seats and load up on construction material from the local home center. Monster power from the V8 engine. Excellent performance on the road and off-road.