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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  Amazing Safety - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By Will - May 17 - 2:11 pm

  At a complete stop in traffic and was hit in the rear bumper by a 2012 Jetta travelling at 45/50 mph. The Passat amazingly absorbed the impact and there was only superficial damage until the body shop determined the internal rear impact bar had done its job but needed replacing. The Jetta was destroyed but the occupant walked away. The VW dealer told me they were not surprised as the Passat is built like a tank.

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  Simply Fun to Drive - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Peter Steininger - May 15 - 7:33 pm

  I bought my Jetta GLI two weeks ago. From the first test drive it stole my heart. The car is very responsive and handles incredibly well for a "compact sedan." Its almost like a true sports car. The car looks great inside and out, and it trully feels like a solid fun German car. Though it may not look this way, the trunk is simply huge. Another thing is that there arent many of those on the road, so it make for a unique ride.

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  been lookin for a year - 2011 Volkswagen Touareg
  By parksi - May 15 - 10:00 am

  11/7/10 - For the last three months I have been test driving every mid size SUV from Toyota to Porsche. I test drove the new Touareg last Thursday and drove it home that afternoon! Its like you know when its " right ".... and it was. Its everything that I have been looking for and more. Luxurious appointments, comfortable, and a perfect vehicle for the mountains and city driving. I bought the Lux TDI in Gallapogos Gray with black interior. Its awesome.

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  Fun little car - 2011 Volkswagen Golf
  By etomic - May 15 - 10:00 am

  After test driving many cars, Honda Accord Coupe, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Civic, Fit, Toyota Corrolla. I settled on the 2011 Golf because I appreciated the lavish interior, I loved the drive, the insurance wasnt killer, and it had a four door option. I really couldnt find anything that was quite as fun to drive as a Golf in this price range. The Surge/Lag effect that was noted in earlier reviews looks like the effect of the normal drive mode up-shifting out of 1st gear to get the best fuel economy. If you truly cant stand it drive it in tiptronic. I really wanted a small compact fun to drive 4 dour and I believe the Golf offered the best interior and most fun to drive for the money.

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  Excellent Car For Around $25K - - 2011 Volkswagen Golf
  By Piaffe - May 15 - 10:00 am

  We considered the Prius, the Fusion and the Audi A3.. This car was the best choice by far. Very well made, great low end performance, great mileage, plus driving the car makes me smile. Much better value then the Audi A3 and the performance leaves the Toyota and Ford in the dust.

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  No Problems for us - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Rochestervwowner - May 15 - 10:00 am

  My wife purchased this for her summer car and we garage it from November thru April. The only problem we have had was a stuck spring on the passenger seat, and that was probably from my nephew slamming the seat back to hard. Covered by warranty, no questions asked. Otherwise, the car has been a joy to own. The oil changes are 20.00 more expensive than usual. No big deal. Liked it so much we bought a Passat, which has been equally great. I was surprised to read all the comments about problems with this car as we have had none.

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  tdi - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By ray - May 15 - 10:00 am

  the vw sportswagon that we purchased has such a smooth ride and the seats are comfortable on our backs while driving or as the passenger, the idea of not bending over into the trunk to pull out grocerys is also a plus, we belive that we bought our best car.

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  Love this car - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By amanda may - May 15 - 10:00 am

  I love this car! 2010 jetta wolfsburg preforms and handles awesome! Gas milage is average for this class and design is on point! I love the touchscreen that comes standard on the wolfsburg and the new interior redesign for 2010 is amazing. I really preferred this model over the 2011 ( felt cheap and like they cut LOTS of corners to get the price down). This is my second jetta, so I know the german cars require maintenance to be able to last ( like all good things) but I dont mind it for the driving experience. Great Job VW!

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  Golf Highline Wagon TDI Standard Transmission - 2011 Volkswagen Golf
  By tomsimmonds - May 14 - 8:42 pm

  Fantastic car. Tons of power especially bottom end out of the hole grunt. Very quiet, no smoke, no smell. Highway cruising not affected by crosswinds. No wind noise. A small amount of road noise which I suspect is caused by the Bridgestone tires but who knows. I purchased four snows on rims so we shall see if road noise is any different. HVAC very efficient and fast to warm up and cool down. If you are over six feet and tall in the torso you wont fit in this car very well. Once you get in its alright but good luck getting in and out.

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  VW Jetta TDI - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ken - May 14 - 11:46 am

  I purchased a new Jetta TDI 6 speed manual car a few weeks ago. First tank of diesel averaged a little over 45 mpg. This car looks, drives and rides like a car costing a great deal more. Standard equipment on this car would be options on others. I can only say this is a great well priced 4 door car.