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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  As Advertised - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By RJDOZ - June 15 - 4:56 pm

  I normally do not rate a vehicle until I have 30K+ miles on it but I just had to share my pleasure with this vehicle with you. I currently have 8K miles on this SE with no problems. Im a salesman and Im on the road alot for my job hauling good size samples. Not as much room as my previous 4runner (which my wife now drives) but enough room to get the job done. Back seat room is larger than you would think and the rear split seats fold down flat which works well for me. Really a nice ride, fun to drive, gas mileage as advertised, and the 4motion has really been a champ in this tough Midwest winter. I drove about everything in this class but I kept coming back to the Tiguan.

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  The Bunny Is Back - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Billy - June 15 - 2:50 pm

  The VW Rabbis is very practical, fun, and has an easy ride. It feels lighter than the Jetta. While it has a relatively spartan interior, the fit and finish is excellent and it comes standard with all the necessities and then some. This car is very solid, with its German engineering and feel. I am very impressed.

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  Economical yet Fun - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mike - June 13 - 11:20 am

  Bought the six speed manual in July and have put about 1200 miles on it so far. Got 41.5 mpg for the first 500 miles and 43 mpg for the second 500 miles (mostly highway but some stop and go). The car handles great and has good acceleration. I traded in my 2003 Passat and this car is almost as big as my Passat was. Not as luxurious as the Passat, but I didnt want to spend the extra money and I wanted the high gas mileage. Unlike a couple of the other reviewers, my air conditioning has been great (live near DC and it has been hot recently). Looks sharp - good head turning quotient.

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  Passat is worth the extra money - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By sinner - June 12 - 10:00 am

  For anyone looking into buying a Volkswagon Jetta, think twice about buying a certified pre-owned Passat. They are a lot more of a car and the GLS model, like what I bought, have a lot of "standards" like 8 speaker system, trip computer, CD & Casette player, and more. The Passats handling, if you take my challenge and do a test drive, will sell the car.

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  R32: Incredible Fun! - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By tgrundke - June 12 - 10:00 am

  Start this car up and the exhaust note on ignition will blow you away. Move the tach up past 3800 RPMs and the growl is beautiful. This car has sickening amounts of torque and traction and body lean and roll are very well controlled. The ride is stiff, but never uncomfortable and it is wonderfully balanced. The shifter on this vehicle is the best that Volkswagen has ever placed in a standard production vehicle and compares very well with those from BMW and Honda. In short: this car is too much fun.

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  Our first Diesel - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Newlyweds - June 12 - 10:00 am

  We recently moved out of the city and were looking to reduce our monthly gas bill. We test drove a Jetta TDI and were immedieatly impressed with how solid the car was. The interior was well appointed and the ride comfortable. The mileage was what sold us ulimately!

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  Love my jetta - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By kris - June 11 - 5:13 pm

  Just bought a new 2008 jetta se. My first one and so far I have enjoyed the car. Great ride, enough power to get me where I am going and fast if I need to. The interior is comfortable, the access to all the controls is handy. The handling is great.

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  This Truck is Awesome! - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Joseph - June 10 - 10:46 pm

  Ive had my Volkswagen Touareg for about a year now and I love it! Before I purchased it, I was thinking about the Lexus RX 330. But, then when I look at it, Lexus RX was not macho enough and the T-Reg was more "manly" looking. I love it, its the best SUV out there for the money.

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  Jettas are UNDERATED - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ed - June 10 - 6:00 pm

  This is my second VW, I had a Passat in 95. So far I am loving it really for the money it is a steal, when you look at the interior fit and finish, engine performance! And the driving experience? NICE, I love the euro feel handling and electric assist steering is great feel. It also has a very tight turning circle which no one has mentioned. I have yet to hit 1K miles but am averaging 24 MPG combined...I would think that will get a bit better when the motor breaks in.

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  I Love My First Dub! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Thom Rowe - June 9 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Passat 1.8T, 5-speed manual for 4 months now. I think its a great ride - fun to drive, easy to take care of, and it looks great. I have fallen in love with the German engineering.