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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  I Love My Jetta - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jetta Lover - May 11 - 7:03 am

  I purchased the Jetta 2.5 on June 3, 2006. It has everything that I wanted in a new vehicle, including a moonroof, heated leather seats, awesome stereo, 6 CD player, on and on and on. The red exterior and the camel interior are very pretty together. It rides so smoothly and is a fun car to drive. The thing that I love the most is the quick pick up when you are on the very hilly roads of Pittsburgh.

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  A great ride! - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By John Heffernan - May 11 - 6:21 am

  Dont expect a lot of pick up but beyond that, an amazing car!

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  Love this car! - 2005 Volkswagen Golf
  By lizzieinmd - May 10 - 7:46 pm

  I bought my 2005 Golf TDI brand new in February 2005. I love the fuel mileage - average of 46-48 mpg and I dont visit the gas station very often. It is a really fun car to drive with what feels like lots of power due to the torque. It is, however, expensive to maintain and not always easy to find a good local VW mechanic. VW dealer service always seems to be sub par (I have been to 3 different dealers for service). I still would not give up my car because I do love driving it!

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  I love it - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By dado - May 10 - 4:16 pm

  I love this car. Handle great, pretty fast, and just plain sexy. I recommend it over my m3.

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  Awesome! - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jared - May 8 - 7:33 am

  After having a GTI for a while, I decided I needed a bigger car. As fun as the GTI was, it was just getting too small. I looked at the Audi A3 & A4 and the Acura TSX... The 2006 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is like an Audi, for $3,000+ less and is equipped with many of the same features and parts as a comparably equipped A4. It even has the same engine. This car is great to drive, has a good pick-up and is extremely nice inside.

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  2008 New Beetle Conv - 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By airbornediver - May 8 - 5:10 am

  I traded a 2004 VW Touareg for this conv. I love my new Beetle. I got the triple black model. It gets attention everywhere I go. The 150 HP engine has enough juice to move. It would be nice if they had a turbo. Maybe they will come out with a sport model. I miss all the comfort features that the Touareg had. Power seats and lumbar would be nice. Also a nav system. I ride hard all the time so fuel economy is not the best. No this car is lots of fun to drive. It beats my Touareg in that department. Having a rag top is awesome. That is the main reason why I got my new convertible. It needs some nicer wheels. Ill be investing in some chrome wheels soon to bring out the bold looks on this bug!

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  First VW - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By First VW - May 7 - 10:16 pm

  Love It! Bought it for my wife, but havent stopped driving it at every opportunity. Fun to drive, fast, comfortable. Only problem is the DSG transmission. Wish I bought the manual. The DSG shifts smoothly but is awkward at a start, and is difficult to start on a hill. Its kind of like driving a manual shift without the benefit of controlling it with a clutch. The dealership says its received many complaints but "thats the way its supposed to work". BUT they extended the DSG warranty ;) Bottom line is that theres a problem, they dont know how to fix it, so they extend the warranty to calm the masses. Poor solution. BUT Would definitely buy it again. Most fun car to drive ever!

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  Not What They Used To Be - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Rebecca - May 7 - 10:10 pm

  This is my 4th Beetle and my favorite thing about the new Beetle is that the heater works. Heres a list of things that no longer work in the car; drivers side window no longer goes up and down, tape player stopped working, antenna fell off, passenger side window motor had to be replaced (as well as drivers side, but still doesnt work because the button broke off), side view mirror button broke off, trunk doesnt latch, hood latch occasionally doesnt work, locking gas door no longer locks, A/C no longer operating. This is unbelievable considering I am the only driver of this vehicle and am no kid. Also, most importantly its oil consumption worrisome at best.

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  Great Car - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jattaman - May 7 - 2:00 am

  I bought my new style Jetta in June of 2002. With only 27000 miles on it at the time, I got a great deal. I have had few problems since buyibg it. The plastic clips holding the window broke causeing the passanger side window to be stuck down for a couple of days, but I cant complain bc the dealership fixed it w/o any charge to me. I had to replace a vacume line after the engine light came on, which was a little expensive if it werent for the extended waranty. The cup holders could use some improvement, but other than these few "problems", this car has been great.

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  My TDI Review - 2005 Volkswagen Golf
  By John Russom Sr. - May 6 - 9:06 pm

  The Gold GLS TDI is everything I wanted and more. This vehicles diesel engine is the quietest and smoothest I have ever driven. It has hardly any smoke under normal driving conditions and it is unbelievably responsive. My best mileage on the interstate was 56.8 mpg and least around town is 39 to 41 plus. VW has done nothing but improve their engine design. My daughter and son in law also drive one and they benefit even more than me due to long distance driving that they experience with my "hockey playing" grandson. The ample head and leg room and comfortable ride were important attributes to me as I compared the car with others in same catagory. The fact that the VW diesel had been around for many years influenced my decision tremendously!