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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  Worst Car Ive ever owned - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ashley2008 - December 21 - 8:13 am

  This has to be the worst car Ive ever owned, it makes my 1999 Dodge Neon look good. I now have 14k on this car, at 4k I started having problems with the DSG Transmission banging into gears and slipping. After several repair attempts including replace a $3k Mechatronics unit, the car is back in the shop! This time been there 4 days and they dont know whats wrong with it but it still keep banging into gears progressively getting worse. Trim pieces in the interior randomly fall off and heater mirror cracked.

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  Great Car - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By scotty78 - December 21 - 4:23 am

  This car is so much fun and great on gas. I drive 1 hour to work and 1 hour back and can get through Friday before filling it up. It is so much fun to drive!

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  Avoid this Vehicle - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By bswansen - December 20 - 10:51 pm

  I purchased my 2007 2.0L EOS in December of 2006 and have been relatively happy up until now. At 72K miles the cam shaft sheered off and required a replacement of the cylinder head. The VW service rep also recommended a timing chain and water pump replacement. $6000 later I have my car back. The AC unit also "blew up" and I had to replace the entire system (condenser, evaporator, etc...) Another $2000 (not at the dealer this time. After paying 20% of the original purchase price after only 72K miles, what used to be my favorite car ever has become an albatross. BTW, if you do buy one,l dont let VW dealers service it after the warranty expires. My experience with several dealers sucks!

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  Pass Em - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Ted - December 20 - 12:50 pm

  I love to step on the gas (fuel) pedal and feel the smooth, rapid acceleration. This car will run. Its handling is superb. It is a very safe car. It gets about 30-32 mpg at 8 0mph with the a/c on. It has a huge trunk. It hauls five adults with ease and has no difficulty handling or accelerating with a load. It does have a slight vibration at idle from the motor, but no one complains. Most are surprised when they find out its a diesel. This is my second VW diesel. The first was a Golf TDI which got totaled. We were sandwiched in a wreck, drove the car home five miles, and were surprised when the insurance company totaled. it. My wife wanted a trunk, so we got the Passat. It is a good car.

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  35k Miles - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jettaowner5 - December 20 - 9:14 am

  I bought this car a month ago with 34k miles. First of all, the exterior design of this car is a beauty. The 2012 Jetta is no where near as nice as this one. In addition, the newer models have backtracked in quality to make Jettas more competitive with Japanese and Korean sedans (another reason why I went with this 2009 Jetta) This 2009 interior is great. It is top notch quality with seat heaters, auxiliary input and soft touch dashboard. I feel like Im riding a luxury car (which I think it is). Bought it for 14k. I love this car!

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  better fuel economy - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By better fuel economy - December 20 - 6:50 am

  I had a 06 tdi and it got flooded. So what do you buy now. I drive 75,000 miles a year. I am 6 ft 1 in so the room in the front seat is excellent. The car handle beautiful. The leather heated seats are very comfortable on long drives. The hand control for electronic instrument display are nice. Also recommended oil changes are only every 10,000 miles. Be careful the oil is high but you can get it on eBay. I also liked the 1000 dollars owner loyalty money. Trunk is big. Lots of room in this car. Thought I might buy a used tdi but they were more than a paid for it brand new with 30,000 miles. I will trade it for a brand new tdi when they come out in august.

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  Almost 600 Miles on one Tank! - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By lou - December 19 - 12:33 pm

  The Volkwagon Passat Wagon TDI is just the best car I have ever owned. I get almost 600 miles on one tank of gas driving at 85 mph!

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  I HAD to have it!! Now so SORRY!!! - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Unlucky - December 19 - 10:00 am

  Problems that required replacement include headlight harnesses, door locks, window switches, air conditioning compressor and four batteries in less than five years (one exploded when I started the engine). The inside finish is peeling off, the radio is mostly static unless right in the city, the cupholders are pathetic and the VW emblems on the wheels have fallen off. I use only dealerships for my routine maintenence/service and they claim that my problems are unique. Each time I get ready to sell the car I have another $1000.00 repair bill and feel I must drive it a bit longer to justify paying the bill!!

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  good - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By bdungey - December 19 - 10:00 am

  acceleration lacks a bit but overall great car

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  VW HITS A HOMERUN - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By mikeYYY - December 19 - 10:00 am

  THIS VEHICLE IS THE BEST ONE THAT I HAVE EVER OWNED.IT IS FUN TO DRIVE AND IT HAS PLENTY OF POWER.THE ONLY THING THAT VW SCREWED UP WAS WITH THE NAME.