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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  Awesome car until your engine blows - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By jeem8 - July 25 - 1:42 pm

  Brought car in for fuel pump recall/warranty. It was running rough and finally the oil pressure light came on. Had car immediately towed to dealership. Told that the engine with 80K miles is ruined due to lack of oil. Car always had plenty of oil, but apparently the pressure was just low enough to damage engine even though the warning light never triggered before this episode. So a 2006 with 80K miles is toast. Worst car experience we have ever had and we will never buy/lease a VW again. Terrible reliability.

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  Reliable but Raucous - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By neil - July 25 - 3:53 am

  I bought an 07 4-door right off the showroom floor, black with the 17" V-Vision wheels (I was hooked). This is my third VW, and the other two (78 Rabbit, 88 Fox) were bulletproof. I compared the Mazda3, and the Rabbit offers far more features, refinement, and power (the 2.5L has terrific torque) for the money. Since October 2006, Ive put 20,000 miles on it (18,000 miles in the first year). It feels like a budget Audi. What sinks it are the rattles (see Suggested Improvements). Ive had it to the dealer once; whatever they did only muted the rattles a little bit for a little while. No new car should rattle this much. Ive had numerous Fords (no paragons of quality) that were far quieter.

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  Good car but high maintenance cost - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By gstreat - July 25 - 1:36 am

  I have only 81,000 miles so far and gone through both external and internal CV boots. The worse part about maintaining this vehicle is the recommended replacement of the timing belt at 90,000 miles which will cost over $1000.00. If I had know this before I purchased it I would be driving another car. Better engineering is sorely needed if just for this one part. Be careful when you need new brakes being sure you get the ones designed for VW hat has the wear sensor. Otherwise the "Replace pads" light will come on.

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  This car does it all - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By SeattleBob - July 25 - 1:06 am

  Ive had my 2007 Passat 2.0T for almost a month. Im averaging 29.6 mpg. This car replaced my unreliable 2003 Land Rover Discovery. My heart wanted a sporty convertible. My head wanted a good mileage and plenty of cargo space. This car does it all. It is a joy to drive and it has plenty of space for 4+ people and cargo. It has a solid feel, very comfortable, and superior fit and finsh. It has plenty of bells and whistles to compete with luxury cars twice the price. The large sunroof fills the desire for feeling the sun and wind. This car should be on your short list if you are seeking a sporty, roomy, fuel efficient car under $30,000.

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  My Vdubb - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By DaLarr - July 24 - 11:10 am

  Well, I just got my Jetta a week ago! Evrything is great on the car from the interior to the exterior to the build quality. I already have to take it in for the alignment (VW said no problem they will handle it)! Something went wrong with the CD player but thats a small fix! I have the navigation system and love it! I dont know why some others dont like it, but it works great for me. All in all, its a great car!

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  VW Stinks! - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By tarfoot - July 23 - 6:16 pm

  The car seems to be nice at first when you get it but after a while everything needs to be fixed on it. Even the oil change on it is $90. Its fairly new and i have put over 10,000 in repairs into it. Whatever you do DO NOT BUY A VW!!!!!! I also no people who have sold theirs for better cars since they had to go to the dealer every other week. Just to replace the air filter which is custom ordered it 75 you cant by the filter at walmart. I will never own a VW again and i encourage all of you not to even look at one. They might get excellent gas mileage but the money youll save you will spend fixing it. Then all the dealers want to run diagnostics every time which is 75. DONT BUY A VW!!

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  Hate This Bug: Buyer Beware - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By ekl - July 23 - 1:40 pm

  This was the car I always wanted. Although parts of the first two years of ownership were fun, overall this is the worst purchase I have ever made. I will NEVER buy another Volkswagen! Ive owned this car for 4 1/2 years. In the last year, my bug has been towed into the dealership 3 times because it will not start, and Ive shelled out $3,000 in repairs. Ive had the seat handles replaced multiple times, the trunk will not open on the first try, the headlights short out constantly, etc. To date, Ive had the following replaced: throttle body ($800), front airbag sensor ($450), alternator ($500), windshield ($350), front grill ($500). I know the bug is very cute, but dont buy this car!

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  Never go without a warranty - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By gunz20 - July 22 - 10:30 am

  Our first import car. TDI is great for fuel economy. Problems; we hit 20000 miles & had to replace the fuel filter. Could have been bad diesel fuel, but paid because its suggested to be replaced every 20000 miles. Vehicle now has 64000, no problems since. Trunk lid latch doesnt work in cold weather. Got it replaced under warranty, now it doesnt work again and no warranty to help. Most recent, driver side door electrical harness went out, leaving me with no controls, no way lock car or open up the fuel tank door. VW wants $500 to repair. Dealer said passenger door is going out, another $500. Also, we have replaced several, blown exterior light bulbs, some multiple times.

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  Do Not Buy - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By JLCJR - July 21 - 3:03 pm

  I was very satisfied with the dealer and the vehicle until today. I have 15k miles on my vehicle and the tires have already worn completely out. They are Dunlop 8000s. They dealer has said that they have had major issues with these...Some people are only gettin 12k miles. I called VW about it and they said that they would give me ONE tire. What a slap in the face. They will not stand behind their product. Do yourself a favor and buy a Porsche, BMW, Lexus, or Merecedes. They are known as luxury vehicles for a reason. They stand behind their cars and they give great customer service. I will say that the dealership has really stood up for me, but I will never buy another VW.

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  Terrific - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Carlee - July 20 - 10:33 pm

  Ive only had this car for month thus far, and I absolutely love it. Its the basic 2.0 T model, but its everything I could want. The little extras that come standard with the new Volkswagens make it fun to own and to drive. I would definitely recommend this car to anyone. Aside from the "conveniences," this car also offers up exceptional gas mileage.