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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  Never again!! - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Gallinator - July 6 - 10:00 am

  Too much wrong offsets everything that is good about this car. I am on my ***14th*** window regulator! I live in Phoenix and the OOZE on the door sills is present 6+ months out of the year. The front end undercarriage is damaged (low clearance, a common Jetta problem). I finally bought a DieHard battery after the first two supplied by VW died in the first year. Performance, once excellent, now sucks wind - 0-60 in about 14 seconds. Fuel economy has dropped below 35mpg city 40mpg hwy. VW customer service is a joke - they are rude and do not care. I am glad I do not own this vehicle!! Built in Mexico - and it shows!

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  Fun, Not Perfect - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By NotABimmer - July 6 - 10:00 am

  My 01 Wolfie has also experienced problems with squeeks and rattles pretty much from day one. Dealer tried, couldnt fixem. Oddly enough, they have slowly gone away now. With 15000 hard miles the car seems to be getting better. Engine runs strong,tranny nice and tight, suspension still tight, but not harsh. The remote trunk release failed at 10000, but the dealer fixed it under warranty. No other problems to report. Basically, a really fun car, but still has the "econo-box" feel. It is not an expensive car, and it should not be expected to make you feel like it is. It doesnt. Only thing in common with my BMW is white paint.

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  Doesnt get any better - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Skny - July 6 - 10:00 am

  Absolutely incredible car. when the turbo kicks in I am in heaven!!! Little more leg room would be nice but no kids so no prob.

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  Thank God for the aftermarket - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JettaJ - July 6 - 10:00 am

  I put on alot of mileage on the car per year and I need it to be fun to drive/reliable. I am actually considering getting the new GLI because : - 2 front rotors changed - Front wheel bearing replaced - O2 sensor replaced - The Remote dies after a mounth - Rattles and noises - Speaker changed - The 2 year warranty (2001) By switching my 2001 for a newer version I would regain a full warranty, a new car with hopefully less problems... I still have time to think about it...

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  Still Enjoy BUT - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By aemgli - July 6 - 2:51 am

  This is the nicest car I have owned. It is quick while getting good gas mileage. I said good not great 27city and 29hwy. That is about the best I have been able to get but for the power the engine has it is good. The DSG 6 speed trans is great . You can drive it in Normal , Sport , or Manual. Be warned to get that trans serviced is about $300 . The handling of the car is great. It will take turns and stops like you would not believe . I dont know how it all works but this car feels like it stops better then most small cars out there . This is were I am running into problems. I have been to the dealer about 10 times for problems in the 4 months that I have had the car for eng probs. 26000mi

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  Problems after 30 miles of use - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Chad - July 6 - 1:43 am

  I picked my 2006 Beetle Convertible up a few days ago. The very next morning it was making a clicking noise under the dash and stalling. It did this six times in two days. I had to get it towed to the dealer and that was a nightmare which I wont go into. They didnt have any VW loaners so they gave me over to Enterprise rent-a-car and gave me an $11,000 Kia Rio as a rental. I am beyond frustrated. This should not be happening to a brand new car.

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  Ugh. - 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By E. - July 5 - 10:43 pm

  I am so frustrated w/his vehicle. I purchased this car used in 2006. It has been nothing but problems since day 1. I dont spend less then $1k every time it goes in the shop. Everything that could break, bust, freeze, etc. has. Ive lost numerous hubcaps (strange I realize), one day while driving the interior light switch just fell off, another day the glove box handle popped off & landed in the floor board. The interior fabric is like velcro, it literally takes me an hour to vacuum. Of course everyone thinks its cute...I remember when I thought that too, now Id love to drive it into a concrete wall.

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  great minivan - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By JHudds - July 5 - 10:30 am

  I know there are people out there that poo poo the fact that the van is a Chrysler rebadge... Well I can say that this van is a great vehicle. Sure there are some lemons in every line of vehicle. But from what I have seen so far this VW is by far the best minivan out there. It has S P A C E everywhere. Drives like a dream, and is a great family uhaller. We love the styling that VW has done to the van and the suspension is great. It out handles my Pacifica, and WAY better then the Windstar we had before. We got a great deal on this and it qualified for the cash for clunkers! The MPG on the highway is decent, it falters a little in town though. BUt otherwise a great van!

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  vw convert - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By remingtone - July 5 - 4:53 am

  I have owned a lot of cars. I used to love rwd cars and trucks and hated fwd. I love my rabbit. The interior is way better than what my friends have. It looks great, especially with my optional 5 spoke Gray wheels which sets off the look of the car. The drivers door came off set and scratched the paint, warenty fixed that in 2 days. I dont understand the brakes, every car I have owned gets brake dust all over the front wheels but on this car it gets dust on the rear wheels. I was really hard on them a couple times to see what they are capable of and the rear brakes got so hot I could light a cigarette off it. I dont understand it but I havent had a problem with them yet.

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  Great Car! - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Randy - July 4 - 7:43 pm

  I test drove numerous other compact to midsize sedans. The Jetta outperformed all but the Passat in my opinion. For the price and the added features, I chose the Jetta. The handling and performance are incredible. The only downside is a slower acceleration off the start. Once it gets going though, be sure to check the speedometer because it does not feel like you are going that fast. I also found the added room in the interior to be very accomadating. I am 66" and I am very comfortable in the car with lots of head and leg room. The added features are great a well. The trunk is huge, the stereo system is awesome.