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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  Very Pleased with our SEL Routan - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By stjohns - January 22 - 4:39 pm

  After over a year of trouble free ownership we can recommend the Routan as a high quality family frendly van. Feature and handling have been 1st class. VW carefree service at zero cost is risk free. A lot of after market products can be purchased at great prices thanks to T & C sibling. to high volume siblings at Chysler.

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  Great interior room for a small car - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Wild Blue Yonder - January 21 - 10:00 am

  I am always amazed at how much stuff I can get into my Beetle. Just pop down the back seat and load up boxed up computers, office chairs, you name it. This weekend I bought a bistro set with a table and two chairs...all pieces fit in just fine. I also carted home a rocking chair in it...in fact I tried fitting the chair into my Mazda 626 and it did not fit...had to come back home and get the Beetle.

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  Still Smiling... - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By FDCapt2 - January 21 - 4:20 am

  I picked up my 2006 Volkswagen Passat 3.6 a week ago, and havent stopped smiling since. Ive had many cars in my life, and this is one of the best. It has such a great feel when driving and is very, very quiet. I realize that having a car for just a week leaves the oppurtunity for things to go wrong, but I really dont see that happening with this car. Each day I find something else unique with this car, like the little snowflake that flashes next to the outside temperature reading to help you remember to be careful of black ice, etc. Also, the stereo system from Dynaudio is one of the best youll ever hear. All in all, I really think this is an amazing vehicle.

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  Best Hatchback ever!! - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By rcm - January 21 - 2:00 am

  This is my 3rd new body style GTI (99 0r newer). I love it. Powerpacked, loaded with luxury and safty features. Awesome warrenty, 5,000 mile sevrive intervals, and good customer service. I would recomend to anyone looking for a fun/safe to drive $20,000 car. No better car for the $$.

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  Great Wgn! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By D.P.B - January 21 - 2:00 am

  This is one of the most fun cars to drive, ever. It has tons of cool features, an awesome warrenty, and it just plain looks cool! Great mileage and dependablity.

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  Best Bang for the Buck - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Todd Earnest - January 20 - 8:33 pm

  This is my second Volkswagen Jetta TDI. I dive a ton and the uncompareable fuel mileage is nice on the wallet. I visit the gas station about half of the time as I would be doing if I had a gasoline engine.

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  Volswagen Jetta TDI - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ernie - January 20 - 1:26 pm

  The Jetta TDI is a fun car to drive. It gets excellent fuel economy, 37-48 MPG. I havent hit that imaginary 58 MPG yet. I love the styling and handling.

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  Fun to drive - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By cantwaittodrive - January 19 - 9:56 am

  I love driving the Tiguan. I was worried about the 4 cyl performance (had a 6 cyl previously) but this vw shifts seamlessly and still has plenty of power. The ride is super smooth and I love the exterior styling. Test drove the Ford Escape and Mazda CX-7 and the Tiguan beats both hands down. Feels like a solidly built vehicle, corners nicely and the controls are easy to access.

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  Great Car For A Great Price - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lee - January 19 - 2:10 am

  Wow! This car is very fun to drive, has lots of power (I have 2.0L Turbo). Handling is crisp and the ride is very smooth. The interior design is much more than I would expect for car at this price point. Anyone looking for a car in this price range needs to test drive one of these. German cars are not only well thought out, they just handle better. Heated seats are great in the winter. The car even does all right in the snow, where the traction control makes a very noticeable difference. There are also several well thought out innovations to the car which make simple things more convenient.

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  GREAT CAR!! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Matt - January 18 - 4:53 am

  I just got my car, it was a lease return that was turned in early. I got a great deal and the car has everything I wanted. I had a 99 Jetta and decided I wanted something newer. This car is awesome and i would recommend. Ive been reading that people are having problems. And Im sorry you are, because I had my 99 forever and had nothing wrong except minor repairs.