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 It! - 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Tracey Hamiter - July 20 - 6:53 pm

  Great fun car. The only reason I have considered selling it is I am disabled and need money to pay for hospital bills otherwise it would stay a member of the family. Just last week I was offered a 1998 red corvette in pristine condition. The reason gas and I had to say no.

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  First in a Series - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By Robr6 - July 20 - 10:00 am

  Ill update as the miles pile up, currenlty have 320. This is the first week Ive owned the car. Its not broken in yet. Thus far it handles well, the brakes are great and the low end performance of the VR6 is very strong and very smooth. The Climate control also works well. I have been back to the dealer once to have the balance adjustment nob on the radio replaced and to pick up the center head rest for the rear seats, which was not included when the car was delivered. The dealer made good on both the day after delivery. So far the car is a blast to drive with no real problems.

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  Whoooosh! Fun car to drive! - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By Quepos - July 20 - 10:00 am

  I have had the car for about a month and have liked it more and more with each passing day. Really has a lot of get up and go, leaves Civics, Minis and RSXs in the dust, which I drove. No question, this has the most responsive engine. The excellent fit and trim of the interior also sold me. The GTI interior looks like an expensive car. The hatchback design allowsevery day use flexibility. everyday use. It is fun to drive yet is versatile - the right size and weight for both fun and work.

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  V6 A+ .. Great driving car! - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By atlman007 - July 20 - 10:00 am

  Love the car and have had very little issues. On the 40k service, the dealership came up with a couple of items to repair and ouch! The repairs were as high as on my previous BMW and Mercedes that I owned. Using the dealership for scheduled service and engine diagnostics, but Ill be heading to my mechanic for anything outside of that.

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  2001.5 Passat Love-Hate Relationship - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By klohr - July 20 - 10:00 am

  Owned since April 2001. The car is a delight to drive on the highway. It is smooth and relaxed. It looks beautiful, corners well, and feels solid. However, in traffic it is frustrating. Almost all of the power is obtained with the gas peddle only about half way down. Push down further and not much else happens. It makes the car feel real fast during a test drive but frustrating and very difficult to drive smoothly in a start and stop environment, such as through city streets. According to VW, this is all a "consequence of the design" and there is nothing they can do about it. All in all, I probably wouldnt buy this car again.

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  Clutch nightmare - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By alcent - July 20 - 10:00 am

  Car is pretty nice but beware of clutch on standard tranmission. I had several manual transmission cars so I know how to drive a standard. But I was told by Momentum that my clutch was burned out at 23000 miles. Bull.. It is not covered under warranty and I had to shell out $1800.00. I am getting rid of my Jetta VR6 as soon as I can. I tell all my friends DO NOT VOLKSWAGON!

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  Move over rover... - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Eurofan - July 20 - 10:00 am

  I was hesitant to trade in my 00 Discovery II but after I saw and drove my new Touareg I told them to take old yeller out back and get it over with. Awesome car, I havent been this excited about anything in years. Im even thinking of getting rid of my Boxster!

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  GLI is the way to go! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By h0mersimps0n - July 20 - 10:00 am

  just think of every aspect of a car and add excellent as an adjective and you are describing a VW GLI JETTA

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  Great Car - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Daniel - July 20 - 6:13 am

  The Jetta GLI is truly a great car. It was my first new car purchase and I am very pleased with the result. Interstate driving is very comfortable and you are rewarded with Honda Accord-like gas mileage. In the city, the good gas mileage pretty much goes away, but you do get to enjoy feeling the turbo spool. So far the only problem I have had is that the windshield wiper fluid doesnt spray out, but the dealership is looking into this for me. It has a great sound system and good ergonomics. Be sure to look at more than one dealer for pricing. They will go below "invoice" even if one dealer says they wont. Mine was $1,000 below "invoice." This car is really a lot of fun to drive with the refinement of a BMW 3-Series. This car is a step up in class for VW.

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  My Little Pocket Rocket - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By Jason - July 19 - 7:30 pm

  My GTI was already lowered and had larger wheels and other suspension components installed by the previous owner so the ride is bit stiff, but it corners and jumps up from a stop like a champ! Im totally sold on German engineering. I came from a Mustang background and while this car cant touch a Mustang in a straight line, when it comes to the full sense of drivability and fit and finish, the Mustang with all its plastic pieces and jittery noises cant compete with the GTI. I wont even mention my gas mileage improvement... that goes without saying. An all around great little car and an absolute pleasure to own.