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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  Great 1st car for my daughter - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By lfbmdpc - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Bought 04 Golf 4Dr GL w/AT @ $14,232 + tax/tags after $2K dealer rebate making this an extraordinary buy given safety features (head/side/door & curtain airbags). Car is fun to drive, fast (but not too fast for a 16yo driver), well equipped and appointed even in the base model. Negatives = history of poor reliability (altho improving as of 2003 per consumer reports ratings), dash switchwork seems a bit flimsy. However car comes with 4y/50K bumper-to-bumper warranty and "free" roadside service. Ive owned audis, BMWs, porsches & MBs and this cars germanic roots shine thru even when compared to its more expensive brethren. I bought this for my daughter, but I drive it every chance I can.

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  Diesel Slug Bug - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By flthc - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Averageing 40 mpg @ 40% highway 60% city driving with the 1.9 TDI 6A. Its pretty peppy to boot. Better gas milage than the hybrids at a fraction of the cost. NO SMOKE or SMELL and great mileage, why would anyone not get the TDI?? I paid 17,200 plus tax and I got a price quote from deales from this web site in my area. Very pleased!

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  11 TDI SportWgn - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By coloradotdiwgn - April 25 - 1:11 am

  I bought my TDI Sportwagon about 2 months ago and have over 2k mi on it. I am very pleased. Living in Colorado, it goes over the passes with vigor. I get consistently high 30 mpg in town and high 40s on the interstate (usually around 80 mph). The interior is nice except a little cramped for larger occupants who were used to my monster Touareg V10 TDi I traded in. I would have liked a few features I had on my Touareg on this like the keyless/touch handle entry, automatic dimming rear view mirrors and 4motion. The fuel economy without having a hybrid covers my wants for the other features. I have changed out the wheels/tires to 18. The others were a little boatie in emergency maneuvers.

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  Return to the VW Family - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By Adam - April 24 - 8:53 pm

  My first two cars were purchases that I could afford. This car was a "desire" and a nice treat to myself. It has fantastic pickup, a great transmission, and a beautiful VW interior. It gets good gas mileage for a sporty car. It handles very nicely. The sport suspension took some time to get used to after driving two floaty cars prior to this one. The hatchback is very practical, despite Americans typical disdain of them. My mother has owned 11 VWs with very few reliability problems and they are extremely safe. My brother was in a head on collision in a 98 Jetta going 65 mph. He literally walked away with no injuries. This alone is a reason to buy VW.

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  WOW! Very Impressive Vehicle. - 2013 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By thamid - April 24 - 12:33 am

  I purchased my JSW TDI last October (2013 model) and now have 16,000 miles on it. First diesel and first VW owned. Build quality and reliability thus far has been impeccable. Not a single rattle. There is also a distinct solidness to everything...the sound of the doors when shut, the firmness of all switches/ buttons and so on. Everything has the feel/ quality of a much higher priced European vehicle. Room? I cross-shopped against small to medium sized SUVs and other wagons (Subaru, Acura, Prius V) and the JSW offers more useable cargo space than any of the rivals, all while offering drive-ability and road feel not too far off from a sports car.

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  In for the long haul - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By gopadge - April 24 - 12:03 am

  I moved to a 2012 VW Passat SE w/ Sunroof and Navigation from a 1997 VW Jetta GLS. Ive been driving the Jetta for 15 years and have over 300,000 miles on it. Since purchasing the Passat Ive put over 20,000 in the first 8 months of ownership. The 2.5l is probably not a fun to drive as the 1.8t on current models, but the performance is more than enough for daily driving. I routinely average 32+ mpg on long trips a highway speeds and have averaged 29+ in combined mpg over the past 3000 miles. The car has plenty of room even in the rear for my 63" teen.

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  From Odyssey to Routan - Great Decision! - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By JB - April 23 - 6:16 am

  We traded our 06 Honda Odyssey for a 09 Routan (SEL w/ RSE) and I LOVE my Routan. It is so much smoother and quieter than my Odyssey. I love the get-up and go it offers. The seats are extremely comfortable, and I love the extra features we were able to get that arent offered by the Honda. With all of the incentives VW is offering right now, we were able to get an amazing price for an amazing vehicle. It is truly my favorite vehicle that Ive ever owned.

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  Outsanding Machine - 2006 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By Malcolm - April 22 - 12:00 pm

  This car is the epitome of understated elegance. Since Ive previously owned the A8L, 740IL, S430 and 3.5RL but yet the Phaeton has been the most refined and pleasant of them all. I have had fewer gremlins show up and the service experience has been excellent.

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  Incredible Sports Wagon - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Gearhead guy - April 22 - 3:13 am

  Ive read some of the reviews for 02 Passats, sounds like a bunch of whining to me. I have an 00 wagon, V6, 5 spd, leather, sunroof. Great looking wagon, very roomy. Yes, its expensive, if you get repairs done at the dealer. Dont be stupid, use an independent garage. I drive 25K a year, and have put 140K on a car that was a 3 yr old lease trade in with 48K miles. So Im closing in on 190K. I just had the car checked out by a private mechanic. The check engine light came on about six weeks ago. Ive been told that the catalytic converter is failing, but the mechanic said "just keep driving it, the cars in great condition". The car still has the original clutch.

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  So far, so good! - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By delpas - April 22 - 2:00 am

  Purchased mid-Sept 02. Very nice handling sedan with adequate power (Tip makes it sluggish from a stop, unless you boot it) and good brakes. Im hoping that VW will soon resolve the issue of the failing ignition coil packs....dont like the thought that one or more could fail while doing highway speeds with an 18 wheeler on my tail!