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 nice car - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By lyons - December 30 - 2:00 am

  Whenever I read a review of a Passat, it usually states that it was just like a Saab but didnt break down. After being left stranded more times than I can count with Saab, I drove the Passat and fell in love. This has been a flawless car - and its never left me stranded.

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  turbo rocks - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By giddyup - December 30 - 2:00 am

  this engine blows all comparable models away! honda, toyota, etc. manual trans is a must! rides great at high speeds. Have had no major problems since bought. only problem is leg room in rear, there is none for adults.

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  My new passat - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By hfbouyett - December 30 - 2:00 am

  Great experience, great materials, lot of fun to drive.

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  2011, Asian in teutonic wolf garb! - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By pzeiger - December 29 - 9:11 pm

  I am the proud owner of a 2009 TDI sedan. Am still in love with it after 3 years. Its a great car in every respect; refined, luxurious, fast, stable, gas miser. Went to test drive 2011 TDI. Have to say, changes for the worse. My car handles the same at 50 or 100. Had this car up to 80, felt dangerous, like the rear end was going to fly off. The 09 just gets low on the road when pressed and says give me more! I can handle it! The doors are half the thickness as 09/10 and sound like tin can upon closing. Interior is not as refined, but still better than Asian. Hoping that by the time Im ready for new TDI, VW will have returned what their loyal customer base expects.

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  Great Car Greater Engine - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Pat - December 29 - 6:43 pm

  I have the car over here in Germany and it is great, the 2.5 engine is a dream, strong and smooth. Gas mileage is fine and it uses regular gas. The engine to me is better than the German Twin Charger 1.4L (drove one, while my car was being serviced)If the 2010 Rabbit has this engine, I will buy that.

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  Good so far - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Cholie - December 29 - 10:33 am

  This an overall great car. My husband and I really like the boxy look from the back and the ground effects are subtle but make the car look great it gives it a fuller look. The seats are a little hard, I find my self adjusting the seat a lot to try to find some comfort and I just cant find it. I also wish they all came with standard steering wheel radio controls. The ride around town is great, but on the highway it gets kinda shakey.

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  Nice city car and city hopper - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vwnow2008 - December 29 - 4:26 am

  Great car to drive around the city, peppy engine, whats with the handle bars in the front console, whats with the 5in radio console. mpg could be a better, noisy engine, leather seats on the inside (side towards brake) is cloth ???.

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  Great Car - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By sachin - December 28 - 12:50 pm

  My 2003 Volkswagen Golf is great. It gets excellent gas mileage, about 600 miles per tank of fuel.

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  Love this car.. BUT! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Alexander Lester - December 27 - 9:22 pm

  I bought my 04 Jetta gls 1.8t used with 92k miles on it. Test driving the car was AWESOME! It was fast, steering was very responsive, and the leather interior and front seats were very comfy! There is almost NO ROOM in the back seat.. good luck fitting anybody of above average height or weight back there. The day after purchase I got my first CEL... Failed ignition coil. Immediately went back to the dealership where after a little haggling they replaced it for free. Three days later, ANOTHER CEL!! ANOTHER IGNITION COIL.. After contacting the dealership again they told me the vehicle had an open recall on its coils.. they replaced all four coils and threw in a car wash.. Now running like an absolute champ and I feel like a champ knowing the headaches are behind me.. for now! If you are interested in this car, make sure it has been properly maintained and has had all of its recalls taken care of. If it has.. BUY IT!!

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  Pretty on the outside, ugly on the inside - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By eder_cheddar - December 27 - 2:05 pm

  I got my car used with 62k miles on it. As soon as I got it, the car kept breaking down on me time after time. Maybe I got a lemon, who knows. I had a tiny piece of plastic connecting my inter coolant break on me that crippled my car and was a $3 piece of plastic I got at OReillys. Its terrible that you dont have the transmission oil easily accessible. You have to take it to a mechanic to get lifted so they can access it. My favorite/current issue is the transmission that crapped out on me 3 times. I currently have had the car for 72K miles and its ridiculous to have this occur so soon.