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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  I LOVE my GTI - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By SarahB37 - July 28 - 1:13 pm

  After test driving several cars (Mazda3, MINI, Subaru WRX, Rabbit etc) I decided to purchase the GTI. I knew right away that it was the car I wanted. It is so much fun to drive. It is very powerful, handles corners great, the interior is very comfortable, it has a quiet ride, gets good gas mileage, is safe, etc. It comes with built in Sirius Satellite radio. I was concerned about the electrical issues VWs are known for when researching cars, but was reassured by the fact that the GTI is made only in Germany and that the electrical issues have been addressed.

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  Dont buy this car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Dont buy this car - July 28 - 12:56 am

  I will never buy a VW again, after my troubles with this car. It seems like every oil change finds at least $200 of additional repairs that are needed. Two cv boots went bad early on. Problems with heated seats, side mirrors, stereo knob, ashtray near back floor, brakes, rotors, temperature sender, etc, etc, etc. I had always owned Hondas and wanted a change. I am tired of the expenses associated with owning a Passat and will be trading in for a Honda soon. I had Hondas that needed less repairs during 10 years of ownership than this car needed in the first 3 years of ownership!! Crazy - considering this car is supposed to last forever and be so great. I dont believe it any more!!

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  So Far So Good - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By Sue in FL - July 27 - 11:03 am

  Im coming up on the 5,000 mile service and I have no complaints about this car. I still am excited every time I put the top down or open the sunroof. One minor issue is that the sunroof is significantly louder than my Jettas, but the roof opening is also much larger.

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  Thank god for a warranty - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Roosy_h - July 27 - 10:10 am

  This is my wifes car so I dont drive it, so in other words its driven easy. So why did the water pump go and transmission have to be replaced under 100,000 miles, not to mention it has had window problems twice, and had its sensor replacements. These problems speak for themself, the car does not meet my expectations. One thing to say, VW honored their warranties and autmatically extended the warranties for the windows and sensors. I didnt have to pay for the replacement of these items or else I wouldve been out $7,000 just this year. It goes to you show you never and I mean never buy a car during a new model year/new generation year.

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  2006 Jetta GLI 2.0 L/200hp/turbo - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By The Jet - July 26 - 11:26 pm

  Just purchased an 06 Jetta, red with charcol interior. I looked at Toyota, Honda, Nissan. For driveability and price it was a tough decision. No barganing on the Honda Accord Hybrid, all quotes were $30,000. The Nissan Altima looked pretty good but the mileage was not impressive and the price a little higher for the same features. Toyota had nothing to interest me. Drove the Jetta, excellent road handling, good acceleration, comfortable, manual transmisson and clutch very smooth. Gets 26/34, uses premium though,for this engine (2.0L turbo/200hp). Overall impression; excellent fit and finish, good comfort features, sporty, firm ride but not stiff, very quiet interior, premium sound system.

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  06 Passat 2.0T Sedan - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By DAE - July 26 - 6:23 pm

  We thought this was a great car at first. It is a little weak off the line but it has a nice smooth ride. Then, the car locked my wife out on several occasions and spent two days in the shop while they tried to repair it. The dealer ffinally installed a new door lock assembly. Next, it developed a stutter when shifting from first to second. Before it went in for that, the summer heat hit. The gas milage dropped by 10% over five days when running the a/c. I asked them to check that too. Two days prior to the car going into the shop for these items, the A/C quit altogether - just as the temperatures hit over 90. That was twenty-two days ago and we still dont have the car back. Six more days and it qualifies as a lemon in PA.

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  Great Car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Great ride - July 26 - 10:00 am

  Needed a new Ignition Coil, car started rattling one day called and brought the car in. Had to wait 3 weeks for the part. Couldnt drive the car without the part... it was a few days shy of the Lemon Law. Now the lights are going out on the dashboard. A/C smells after driving long distances. Car rattles when the engine starts, takes a while for the engine to sound right.

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  2004 Touareg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Ray W. - July 26 - 10:00 am

  After only a week---very quiet,comfortable ride. Superb interior appointments with extensive convience and comfort features. Power adequate, 6 speed auto is smooth. On the highway 2800 rpm=80mph. Basic sound system is of high quality and A/C is excellent. Reliability evaluation is only a guess since my car is brand new and the model has no history.

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  Good car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By bub - July 26 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned my Passat 3 weeks. Had a much smaller car previously. Im impressed with the gas mileage of my 1.8T and the body integrity. Very solid, good looking ride. A high quality car for the money. If you want a little more style than a Camry or Accord, this seems like a pretty good choice.

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  Audi performance; VW price - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Randy - July 26 - 5:16 am

  I test drove Audis and BMWs before deciding on the Passat. I love the six speed transmission, and using the Sport setting makes the car go like a rocket. Insurance is very reasonable on this model too. Absolutely no problems in two years of ownership, which is something even my Honda couldnt deliver (I dont know why Consumer Reports keeps knocking VW quality, when Ive owned 3 VWs and had few problems). The power and performance of this car is great, and its comfortable on long trips. If I had it to do over, I would have paid for the leather package because I plan to keep this car for a long time.