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:

• 

  you get what you pay for - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mark Walter - November 13 - 12:08 am

  I bought this car in the winter my 2005 Passat had suddenly died and I needed a car fast. The jetta was about 20,000 out the door at an excellent interest rate. i have put thew tires on and done scheduled maintenance and that is all for 75000 of driving. I live in the north in cold and lots of snow. It handles well in snow never got stuck. This car isnt fancy but reliable. I have owned toyota carolla, nissan altima, honda accord. I would say it is no better or worse than these models. the accord was nicer but 5,000 more so it should be. It is quitter than the toyota. the nissan was the older model so cant compare to current day altima. If you buy this car do scheduled maintenance and it should perform well keep it till it dies and it will be worth the money. I have read many of the other views and have never had any of those issues. if you get it new for 0 to .9% for 60 months like I did it is a great deal

• 

  Best Euro Sedan for the money - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Grimreaper - November 12 - 2:00 am

  Perfect car it is not, but for the money it is the best Euro sedan on the road. Fun to drive, comfortable cabin and excellent design.

• 

  Good Solid Car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Hawk - November 12 - 2:00 am

  I brought my passat in 2003 new. We are know in 2010 and I have not had any problems that I am surprised about. I drive my car on a daily basis. I currently have 97,500 miles on my car, and plan on changing the timing belt at 105,000 to drive the car another 100,000 miles. I plan on replacing the shocks and springs with Eibach brands and I plan on finding some factory 17 inch vw wheels to place on my car. I dont plan on buying a car anytime soon. This car has treated me very well.

• 

  GR8 Bug Convertible - 2009 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Robert Preston - November 11 - 7:56 pm

  I hesitated to buy a new beetle for a two reasons - first because it was not Germany made. Then I learned that Hondas are from Ohio, so that was silly. Second, what would the resale value be (now who cares, I love it). I have the Harvest Moon Beige with a Beige Top and Tan interior, in my opinion the most sophisticated looking. One issue I have is keeping it showroom perfect. The first big wind in a parking lot allowed the door to hit a car parked next to it, not unusually hard, but enough to ding my door (the other car had no damage). This made me feel the metal/paint finish was inferior to other cars I have owned. I may get a daily driver and try to keep it for weekend fun!

• 

  2000 VW "THE PEOPLES CAR" - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By codyle01 - November 10 - 1:33 am

  I have had my VW GLX 4-motion for almost two years now. All I can say is this car has been there for me I have owned mostly trucks and SUVs but Im very impressed with my VW purchase,I bought it with 80,000 miles on it and now has 111,000 miles and no problems. A good tip for those looking at VWs is to stay away from the 1.8 turbo they seem to be nothing but trouble. If you have a check engine light take it to auto zone first and get a free diagnostic test done this can save you a ton of money. You can also save money by buying parts online and taking it to a good independent mechanic they can do most hardware repairs but not so much computer repairs.

• 

  2001.5 GLS V-6 - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Summit - November 8 - 2:00 am

  We bought this vehicle new in 2002. Within three weeks, two taillights had gone out (bulbs). At 45,000mi the rear brake calipers had to be replaced as they were warped. Warranty did not cover it. On long trips, both my wife and I find the seats very uncomfortable, causing backache! Two speakers were blown with the Monsoon system. Great styling, no doubt. However, concerns about reliability haunt me. As this is my wifes car, I am used to the rock solid reliability of myToyotas. The Passat is a great road car though. Would I buy one again? Nope.

• 

  Poor Build Quality - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Rey - November 7 - 10:00 am

  The car has a tight feeling while driving. Around Chicago where the highways are in poor condition, I found the stiff ride very harsh.I was surprised at this as most reviews gave accolades for ride quality. At about 14000 miles the car had an electrical meltdown. It would not start reliably, internal lights would flash, windows did not work, and neither would the radio. The dealer in Appleton WI refused to help me.Since then I have noted a number of squeeks and rattles .Most bumps even small ones are transmitted right to the interior so this is quite annoying. Gas mileage is mediocre. I cannot really recommend the car based on my experience.

• 

  windshield cracks - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By maj - November 6 - 11:30 pm

  This vehicle has had 3 cracked windshields in less than 2 years, and we cant see where anything hit it causing the crack. What we have seen is the crack occurs in an unusual pattern each time, in a 90 degree angle, looking like an "L" shape. The dealership says its a coincidence. We disagree. Even the dealership says they havent seen this pattern of crack before but they deny it has to do with the window shield frame or the installation pattern. We are sick of dealing with this and are worried that this is going to affect our premium for insurance.

• 

  2002 Volkswagen Passat GLS 1.8T Sedan - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By r. davis - November 5 - 3:16 pm

  This car has good pick-up, but it experiences hesitation at low speeds and starts. The dual transmission system is excellent. Over the road, the suspension on curves and incline is excellent. Slow driving with breaks in the payment show the car as stiff and weak on absorbing breaks in the road way. The car needs more insulation to block external noise.

• 

  Not for Cold Weather!!! - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By The Husband - November 3 - 5:50 pm

  The car is beautiful and performs well in the warm weather. It is much better on fuel than my Jeep Wrangler. It really makes my wife happy and I like that. The problem is that the windows have to open (when the handle is pulled) to open the door. If it gets below 20 degrees, the windows wont open. That means that you cant get in, and if you finally do, you cant close the door or the glass will break. Because of the security VW voids the warranty if you install an aftermarket remote starter and they do not offer one.