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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  Looks can be deceiving - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lonewolf1977 - January 8 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Jetta in 2000 because it was the most stylish and most fun to drive car in the market. Here are my list of problems - faulty alternator connection, recurring check engine light (Air Mass Sensor error) error, windows fell into the door because of their cheap plastic make, glove compartment broke one day when it was cold, center arm rest latch broke, interior is peeling off, power steering keeps making noise when turning, one of my front-side grills fell out and lost it...waiting for more problems to arise in the near future. Needless to say, AAA has come to my rescue countless times.

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  Love the Touareg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Lenlori - January 8 - 10:00 am

  Researched and test drove all the other mid-sized SUVs. Touareg was by far the best deal. Much better fit, finish and interior design than BMW, Mercedes or Lexus. V-8 gets over 19mpg on the highway with a full load. Could be better, but not bad considering vehicles weight and power. Love being behind the wheel of this vehicle. Amount of features are unreal for the price. NAV coiud be better, but gets me where Im going. Fantastic ride and handling. Luxury car quiet. No problems at all with my vehicle. Dealer has been the best Ive ever dealt with. Everyone that sees my Touareg is amazed by the quality and ride and immediately want one!

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  bugged - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By woodymc - January 8 - 10:00 am

  Way too many reliability problems, for a car with under 8k miles the following went wrong: Limit switch on brake that allows the AT transmission selector into gear fails easily! Car was towed for warranty service to dealer. Then they lost the car at the dealership. They found it after a heart to heart talk w/ the GM. ABS valve recall. Electric windows had a mind of their own. Rear hatch must be slammed shut before electric closure mechanism will "catch". Which of course broke from the slamming. Other than that, it really was a good commuter car. I cannot recommend this car to anyone who lives more than 15miles from a dealership.

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  Steer Clear - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ragincajun - January 8 - 10:00 am

  My new Jetta, with 166 miles on it, lost the alternator belt and died on me yesterday. The selling dealership was absolutely terrible with how they handled it. No sense of embarassment whatsoever. This is my first (and will be my last) VW. I bought it to use as a reliable third car. Oops.

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  Fun Bug - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Ladycat600 - January 8 - 10:00 am

  There have been some problems with the window mechanisms, and a recall on the window bolts, but other than those inconveniences, this car is without a doubt a FUN car to own. It is very attractive, with many comments from passerbys on the attractiveness and admired changes in spaciousness, including an impressive sized trunk.I enjoy listening to the camaraderie of "bug lovers" memories shared with me while sitting at stop lights( with the top down.) It is a sharp, peppy, fun car to drive! If you want FUN at a reasonable price, the Turbo Bug Convertible is THE CHOICE!

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  buggin in USA - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By mike RICE - January 8 - 10:00 am

  wE HAD A BUG WHEN i WAS YOUNGER. ALWAYS WANTED ANOTHER. THIS CAR HAS BEEN AN EYE CATCHER. EVERYONE SMILES WHEN WE DRIVE BUY. WE LOVE THE CAR OVERALL...RIDES NICER THAN MY MAXIMA. ONLY THINGS WE DONT LIKE, THE RADIO IS TERRIBLE FOR RECEPTION DUE TO SMALL ANTENNA. NO CD PLAYER STANDARD. HAD EVERY OPTION UNDER THE SUN AND NO CD..COMEON.

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  2nd VW and 1st Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By royalobtuse - January 8 - 7:50 am

  I picked this baby up on trade in of my 2002 Jetta GLS TDI. I would have gotten the TDI but they were out of the 04s. After getting over the mileage difference (about 10mpg or so) I am very happy with the change. There is a lot more room and with the leather interior and all the included options for only about $50 more a month it cant be beat. My insurance went down about $20 too! You owe it to yourself to test drive one of these!

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  Great Car!! - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By copper - January 8 - 6:16 am

  Bought my tdi Golf new in 2004, and currently have 156,000kms on the odometer. The car has always been serviced as required, and only synthetic oil changes every 8000 km. The car is peppy around town, and great on the highways. I drive approx. 40,000 km per year, mostly highway, but also a good portion in city. The car is very reliable, I have never had any problems with it at all. Just had the timing belt replaced as per the schedule. Never had a problem with cold starts. Runs every time. Very reliable even with a full load, and no problems passing going uphill. Great car.

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  R32 Greatest Car Ever - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By seattlefitz - January 7 - 8:20 pm

  You gotta drive this car! I went from a BMW X5 4.6 to an R32. The hatch is great and provides more useable room than a big SUV. THe car is super fast. The car is sticky on the roads. THe car is so fun to drive. THe exterior is beautiful. The interior is racing style. The only down side is the carpeting is that felt type crap. I compared it to the others. It looks way better than the comparisons. It preforms better unless your a cop and need the extra 10 or so HP. This is plenty fast enough to keep the cops busy.

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  Just Purchased a 2013 VW Passat SEL Premium - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By psujim85 - January 7 - 2:50 am

  It is all that is advertized. Everything works intuitively and is well laid out. The diesel is GREAT. Kicks butt in a start and I am getting 48 mpg on my second tank full. The seats are comfortable and adjust well. My only issue is that the break pedal is too close to the accelerator and my wide shoe picks up one or the other when I do not want to. I have to be careful to pick up my foot each time.