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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  drive - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By hyegirl1 - January 31 - 10:00 am

  fun to drive yet problematic from day 1. Unable to be repaired, not reliable, not safe to drive. Never had so many problems with a car in my life. VW of Am is not helpful and car does not perform. The car is a lemon!

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  Dont Buy This Car !!!! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tf4543 - January 31 - 10:00 am

  This car has been nothing but problems since it was purchased. There are MAJOR problems (transmission, coil packs, etc) that Volkswagen refuses to address. VW has no regard for its customers.

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  A Quality Car @ A Good Price - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jpc - January 31 - 10:00 am

  This is my 2nd Jetta (91 Jetta - 11 years 200k miles) and the evolution of the vehicle has been impressive. Excellent quality and attention to detail throughout. The 2.0 is not a racehorse but delivers excellent economy and exceptional reliability. If you want speed get the 1.8. The handling, braking, and overall driver experience are a pleasure to experience. Only mystery has been 2 occurrences of Check Engine Light and recall for power windows. Very Pleased overall.

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  Leslie Long TDi Review - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Leslie Long - January 31 - 10:00 am

  My experience with this vehicle has been one of my worst experiences ever. The day I drove it off the lot, I knew I had made a mistake. The car had a booster problem which caused the brakes to apply when you perhaps did not want your brakes to apply. Finally, Volkswagen was forced to repurchase the car because of the "Lemon Law".

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  Jetta - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ramon ruiz - January 31 - 10:00 am

  Vw have been the best to me. I have an old bug and now a bew jetta. The jetta has gotten me a lot of looks. And i just love it.

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  Awesome car with VW problems - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By ChrisB - January 31 - 10:00 am

  This is my second Passat. I love the styling and the ride. With all VWs get used to continuous electrical problems and weak air conditioners. Headlights will start cutting out, blinkers not work, etc... (not covered under warranty). I love the car but this will be my last passat due to constant nagging problems. My first Passat had an engine that would cut out at 65 MPH on the highway (VW did not think this was an issue).

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  My GTI - 2005 Volkswagen GTI
  By GTI baby - January 30 - 8:16 pm

  I love my GTI, It has been very reliable, it has the speed that I need, handles very well, and on long road trip my husband would take my car over his Impreza any day. My GTI is fully loaded, and many people are very impressed with the interior, and its design. The gears are very smooth, not rough.

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  Love My Eos! - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By eoslover - January 30 - 12:56 pm

  I bought my Eos yesterday and cannot stay out of it! Im truly enjoying driving it. Top down or top up, its a fun ride.

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  never again - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By john - January 30 - 5:13 am

  superb handling and performance is easily forgotten considering the problems its had. 15 months and 18k miles later it has been in the shop at least 8 times for more than 30 days. Service department was friendly but inept at fixing any of the electric malfunctions that plague this vehicle. I bought early and should have expected problems with the new model, but now 15 months later there is no excuse for not being able to fix the same issues I brought it in for within days of driving it off the lot. Do not buy one of these unless you have a satisfaction or money back guarantee from the dealer and at least 30 days to drive it before you pay.

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  Great Car With A Few Problems - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Lily - January 29 - 7:46 pm

  Overall, Ive had a great experience (short, so far) with my Passat. Its extremely fun to drive and gets pretty good gas mileage. At 9,000 miles, it hasnt visted the shop yet, although the engine seems to be slightly noisy and has a light rattle.