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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  Buy one and you see what I mean. - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By G. Wilson - May 14 - 8:20 am

  I have seen and read numerous reviews on the CC. I perchance a 2009 CC Lux., and I have 15K on it so far with no problems. The turbo 4 is all the power needed to motivate this sedan, and the 31 mpg on the freeway is spot on. I would recommend this car to anyone who wish not to see him or herself coming and going ever time you take a drive. This has been one of my best perchance as for as a near Lux. car.

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  I Looove German Engineering - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By MachSchnell - May 14 - 7:20 am

  After owning a 2003 MINI Cooper S, I can honestly say that there is no comparison between my new GTI and my "old" MINI. The Super charger in MINI definitely had some lag in it but not so with the Turbo in the GTI. The interior quality of the VW is in a far superior class. If the track is where you plan on spending a majority of your time than the MINI is probably the car you want... but for real world driving the GTI is the better choice. The passenger seating is another area where the GTI outclasses the MINI. The GTI is cavernous in seating and hauling accomodations by comparison. If you love shifting gears and the sound of a highly tuned engine winding up its Turbo than look no farther.

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  Solid Effort from VW Lets You "Go Green" - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By wk - May 14 - 4:56 am

  2010 Jetta TDI; Graphite Blue, Titan Black interior; 6 spd; 17" rims. Love the styling of this car inside and out -- paint color is absolutely gorgeous. Interior fit and finish is stellar, especially for this price range. Trunk is enormous. Everything you touch feels solid and thoroughly German. Genuine leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter a nice touch. V-tex seating surfaces do get insanely hot, but theyre the best synthetic leather interior pieces Ive seen -- cant wait to try the heated seats in the winter. Above-average mileage around town, terrific mileage on the highway. Its not a dragster, but accelerates strongly on the highway (3rd-6th), and is quite bored at 90 mph.

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  I love this car - 2009 Volkswagen EOS
  By Cindy - May 13 - 8:30 pm

  I love this car. I have a new 2009 color-gold/silver, not the official name, it is beautiful. Everything works well, very quiet and I get lots of looks. I love having the moon roof so I have a great sun-overs car all year. The only thing I dont like, is the movement of the windows after you turn the car off- they go down a little before rolling all the way back up. This is bad in a rain storm. I would recommend this car to anyone who had considered buying a convertible. It is better than a convertible with the sun roof! It gets great gas mileage so I dont mind the premium gas.

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  Wunderbar! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By DMW - May 13 - 3:13 pm

  So far none of the negative criticisms can be found with this vehicle. It meets all expectations. Purchased it as a pre-owned (or pre-loved as they say) and it has had only one visit back to the dealer for warranty work. The rest of its service has been done by and will be done by, a reputable private mechanic. I have had 6 Jettas, 2 Passats and a GTI. We are VW people and realize no car is infallible. Take care of it and it will return the favor. Most people are too reliant on dealers for service and that is not what dealers are known for despite their claims.

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  Awesome! - 2005 Volkswagen GTI
  By Pete - May 13 - 3:03 pm

  The 2005 Volkswagen GTI is absolutely amazing. My previous car was a mid-90s BMW 325i and let me tell you, its just as luxurious as the bimmer, minus the power seats but hey now I have heated seats for the winter :). The car is quiet and comfortable but upon demand, the power is there to put a smile on your face. Handling? Absolutely amazing! These cars love the twisties! Now its competitors are the likes of the SRT-4, WRX, and RSX. The car is more comfortable and enjoyable then the rest, now power is an issue but there is a solution. If you dont care about warranty issues, chipping it is the best the best thing you can do! With APR software I beat modded RSXs,SRT-4s, and WRXs. Two words,buy it!

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  Love my MV! - 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By CharlieD - May 13 - 2:03 pm

  Wow! I dont understand why more of these sold? I love my Eurovan MV - Comfy, usable space, easy to drive and the fit and finish is great. About the only thing I think I miss is rear AC, my kids have to wait a while to get cool on hot days. I plan on driving this car for a long time and Im completely satisfied with its overall performance and ride. I cant find any safety data about the Eurovan, but I found a danish site that rated cars by accident per million miles and fatalities etc, and the VW van was rated excellent - for all years including the newer faster types like mine.

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  Great car...so far - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Vic - May 13 - 6:56 am

  My wife and I love our Passat. It has been one of our favorite cars since the 98 redesign. My wife drives this car (and I get the minivan). Its big enough that we feel very safe with our 2 little ones in it, yet we still consider it a sports sedan. I worry about long term reliability on VWs. Thats why we are leasing. Nice thing is that the basic warrenty will cover the entire lease.

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  Really a great car - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By lovetodrive - May 11 - 8:30 pm

  I love this car. Great mileage, great ride. Compared to both Prius and Civic Hybrid before buying. For the expected longevity, and amount of long distance freeway driving, the TDI (with ability to use biodiesel) was the best choice for me. Seems to be a much better ride than either other choice, and much larger. All-in-all a great car. Hope for reliability. If so, cant be beat.

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  Love At First Sight - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By sys3175 - May 11 - 2:00 am

  I saw this car sitting at a lot near my home when I was in the market for a new car, I actually wasnt all that interested in a used vechicle but due to financing problems I was running into I decided to give the dealership a try. Within 15mins I was on a testdrive and immediately noticed how well the car handled, with 40,000 miles on it; it still ran as if it was brand ,new I had driven an Impala SS (2004), Malibu (2004), Toyota Camary 2004 and a few others and nothing came close to it except the Imapala which was over double the price. Everything about this car feels quality, the interior, exterior, door handles..