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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  Not a bad car for the price - 2000 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Angelina75 - June 24 - 2:00 am

  The Cabrio is one of the best deals you can get on a convertible. There are lots of things they could improve, but overall its a pretty good car. Its very solid; you dont feel like youre driving a tin can down the road. You get an okay amount of power in the manual transmission version, though this car could NEVER be classified as sporty. You can also fit in any parking space that exists.

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  Silver Bullet - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By dartmthboy - June 24 - 2:00 am

  Having driven a 1997 Mits Eclipse GSX (AWD, 210hp, Turbo) for 5 years, I was a little skeptical about jumping to a FWD, 200hp, 6-cyl car. At the suggestion of a friend, I took the GTI VR6 for a test drive and was pleasantly surprised by the cars performance and the total VW experience. It far surpassed my experience with Mits, Subaru, and Mini Cooper. After 5 months, I have few if any complaints and the car gets more and more fun to drive. Overall: Super fun drive, great interior and exterior and overall great package at a great value. My biggest complaint with my Mits GSX was its reliability and so far my GTI has been A+.

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  First and last VW - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By SweetStellarS - June 24 - 2:00 am

  I bought my VW in Sept of 1998 and so far I know all the service department employees at 3 different VW dealerships in the area. I bought a lemon but the BBB didnt think so, they also thought that my extended warranty was good enough if anything broke on the car after the manufactures warranty ran out. So far it has covered ONE minor thing, honestly it was a waste of $1000! My 1989 Ford Escort was more reliable! The bugs at the dealership now because I almost KILLED myself making a right hand turn when the vehicle completely turned off making me go straight into on coming traffic! You name it, Ive had the problem! My advice, DONT EVER BUY A VW!

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  Piece of Dung - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ovaleye - June 24 - 2:00 am

  Those who give it praise now will indeed curse this car in the future. I have seen people judge their cars by whether or not they were stranded while driving. This car has stranded me 6 times since purchased in May 1999. That may not seem like much to other Jetta drivers (who probably have not been this fortunate), but I can assure you that it has been quite a disappointing journey for me. I will not go into detail about what has happened to this car during the last three years, due to limited space! Lets just say that I have put nearly $5000 into this car since after the 24000 mile mark!

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  A Huge Disappointment!! - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By TrickyKid75 - June 24 - 2:00 am

  Within 2 months, my O2 sensor needed replacing. Then I had a brake light that refused to flicker but stayed on. Thank god I was still under warranty! Less than a year later, my speedometer dropped and after two diagnostic tests, it was revealed I need a new instrument cluster. Soon after another O2 sensor was required. Then, following the O2 sensor recall, I was back in the shop for a Mass Air Flow sensor replacement. Also, the metal under my backseat window moldings began rusting within 2 years. Overall, youre better putting your money into KMart than a 99 GL Jetta.

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  Truck-Stop Attention Getter - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By rainylake - June 24 - 2:00 am

  We purchased a TDI Golf for my wife. Her commute if 1hr. She loves the MPG, sound system and color(black). I love the drive. It cruises with ease on the interstates. Passing is a breeze. Some concerns: cost of maintaining and long term reliability(previous Honda owners). If you want a great small car with some zip, get a TDI Golf. The car takes corners with ease and feels intact with the road at any speed. Hatchback is roomy, but rear seats are not.

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  Decent - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By peterpeterpeter - June 24 - 2:00 am

  Good car. Well-built. It loses its value quickly.

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  Better then a BMW at much more affordabl - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By TomMalloy - June 24 - 2:00 am

  After owning a BMW the purchase of a VW Passat I thought would be a come down after buying my first one in 1996, but after 100,000 miles with absolutely no problems save for routine maintenance, I was convinced of this vehicle’s superiority, and I purchased another in 2002, which is better then ever. Again in 2002, I toyed with buying another BMW or the now more affordable Mercedes Benz, but with 6 years of great performance and reliability, I bought another Passat. If you want a car that will perform like any other high-end vehicle, and wish to not injure your pocketbook then the PASSAT is defiantly the car to consider.

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  All-around great car - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jettadriver - June 24 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car for almost 3 years now and with 38,000 miles on, have never experienced any problems with the car. Great German handling and quality, really puts Japanise and American competitiors to shame.

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  The Peoples Luxury Car - 2005 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By Maxwell Stein - June 23 - 4:40 pm

  While some would argue that VW is the maker of inexpensive economy cars, it has been gradually making its way upmarket. The Phaeton is the companys attempt to match Mercedes and BMWs flagship sedans directly. For the most part, the experiment works. The Phaeton can best be appreciated from the inside-out where the driver and passengers are coddled in top-quality materials and a pleasant environment. The styling is sublimely understated to the point where it might be considered the Passats big brother. Still, it wont confuse anyone out there with an S-class or 7-series. Its performance is quietly competent but certainly no M-5 bahn-burner.