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 still smile at it - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By VWnutAZ - January 10 - 3:26 pm

  I still love driving my car. The engine sound and the handling are excellent. I have had a lower suspension installed (which also weighs less); love it. Its really nice to have the Golf (GTI) get a great engine and suspension (especially independent rear) that put it back on top of the list of small performance cars. I think Volkswagens efforts to push their products upscale is a success.

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  Classic and cool - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By wxcruiser - January 10 - 10:00 am

  I often read that this car was pricy when comparing it to the competetors, Focus, MP5, Matrix, Vibe..... but in reality, its a great deal. VW puts so much on the Golf as standard, where the competion will sell a really stripped down model. Put all the features you would want onto the car, and the Golf is very competative, and more refined in my opinion. It drives great, feels classy, and with TDI gets great fuel economy, and lots of pep. Its unfortunate more US car makers do not yet have the diesel option, though that should change once we get the cleaner diesel in the states.

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  LOVE IT!! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By cbridges - January 10 - 10:00 am

  I love everything about my Touareg except for one thing. The gas mileage. It kills me(and my wallet!) every time I fill up. It gives the word "guzzler" a whole new meaning! However, it is so much fun to drive and I love it so much that I have decided to overlook this one flaw. Also, I receive comments, questions and compliments on it everywhere I go. My Touareg receives more attention than any other vehicle Ive ever owned.

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  Stunned - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By bomo0119 - January 9 - 9:33 pm

  Im totally stunned!! The gas mileage of my Tiguan rivals that of my Honda but the build quality far exceeds ANY vehicle in its class. I feel like Im driving a near luxury vehicle. I was very nervous about paying cash for a vehicle, but now if I could Id buy one for everyone in my family. Safe, stable (feels like its glued to the road) and just out and out FUN TO DRIVE!

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  Runs Awesome, Have Minor Problems - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tim - January 9 - 7:56 pm

  My Jetta runs great. I take it on the Autobahn and top her out, but take care of her as well. The check engine light is always on, but apparently it will blink if something major happens. Other than that, I plan on keeping it for a long time, add some sway bars and suspension.

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  Why buy a Honda Hybrid? - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By pastoot - January 9 - 5:50 pm

  It is truly amazing to me why Americans would buy a Honda Hybrid, which contains a very complicated system (Battery powered/gas powered) engine, has no power on the highway, and hardly reaches 70 mph. The VW diesel engine is known to run 200,000 miles, is very duriable, and has power to maintain highway speeds exceeding 80 mph. My TDI set at 80 mph on the highway, has a tach of a mere 2,500 rpm. It is not even sweating. America, you are missing the boat here. A VW TDI is built both engine- and body-wise to run circles around the hallowed Honda that every one seems to think is Gods gift to fuel ecomony. Oh just one more thing, my VW can run on vegetable oil.

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  Best Car on Market - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By 04sienna - January 9 - 1:50 pm

  This car has everything needed to make anyone happy. It has a performance of a porsche, with the best looks on a car ever seen, and is a solid German car. There is no car that compares to it, with it perfect combination. This is one of the best cars ever owned with the lowest price. Dont let the reviews that the passat isnt meant for america drive you away, it is a fine German luxury import. It doesnt have full power seats, but what car is there that has everything else.

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  I Love My Fast! - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By Roger W - January 9 - 5:56 am

  The GTI is fun, sporty, stylish, responsive, and fast for this class of car! It is nice for driving to work but my Fast cant wait for the weekend when we run in the hills. The back seat is a little small but I did not buy it to haul my kids. It has plenty of room for shopping, and you can always fold down the back seat. It has comfortable seating up front with most everything within easy reach of the driver, and the air-conditioned glove box and center armrest work great for keeping the beer chilled. Just kidding about the beer!

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  Finest Car, near luxury, Fuel Economy - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dieselguy1 - January 7 - 3:33 pm

  The Jetta TDI 2005.5 is an exceptionally well built car and is a top performer. The diesel engine is quiet and smooth. Acceleration is crisp and road handling excellent. I do quite a bit of back road, very windy driving and it handles the road wonderfully. Fuel economy so far on a brand new 1 week old engine is 45 mpg! in mixed city driving. Top speed going to work is maybe 50 mph. Avergae speed is 40 mph.

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  New to VW - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By malter - January 7 - 2:13 am

  Have owned the car for 2 weeks so far I am impressed. Gas mileage is great. The performance of the engine is very impressive . The transmission and clutch operate like butter (the best FWD manual I ever drove). The handling of the car is a little strange at hi-way speeds, on lane changes with the DSC on, the frt. end bobs and sways a little.With the DSC disengaged (off) the car is neutral and reacts normally, strange for a safety feature. My MFD display has started to fade in warm weather the dealer has ordered parts, hopefully this is a one time occurence.