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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  First Volkswagen - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By First Volkswagen - November 17 - 9:21 am

  Great car for the money. I am 6 foot 3 inches tall and still have plenty of leg room.Love the way it drives and handles the road.Very quiet inside the car to me.I have only had it for year and half .Use back and forth to work. Been on short trips 160 miles but nothing longer.I have no mechanical problems.Still would recommend buying.

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  Teutonic Solidity - Fun To Drive! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By m-photo - November 17 - 3:23 am

  Ive had the car for seven months now. Its had zero problems so far, no defects. The 2.0T engine is very quick! The car is nimble and crispy. The platform is really rigid. Im an auto enthusist so I drive the car hard. The brakes are excellent. I love the "brake assist". The steering is pretty good, but its a little light. Under hard acceleration theres quite a bit of torque steer - meaning the car veers to the right somewhat. Most people wont notice it, but I really dig into the accelerator. This is normal w/ Front Wheel Drive cars. The transmission is pretty good. It downshifts quickly for passing. I would prefer the Tiptronic function to be adjacent to the Sport setting though.

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  Top of the line VW? - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Lori Cox - November 17 - 2:00 am

  Love driving the car, hate the design. You would think buying the top of the line VW would insure top of the line quality. Not so. All four door handles have broken (some more than once), power windows failing, and weve had several mechanical failures before 50000 miles. Dealers are inept and rude. Dealer parts and labor are astronomical. I will never buy a VW again.

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  Hate this VW Passat - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Hate my VW - November 17 - 2:00 am

  How can I describe the worst car experience of my life. We bought this car used in 99 with 60K miles on it. Admittedly, we have driven many many highway miles and the car now has 196K on it but everything, everything has broken. Weve replaced the brakes four times, two "super reliable Audi" transmissions (dont buy that sales feature), constant problems with door handles, constant front end problems, etc etc. We thought the car was cool and powerful- the best compromise for a growing family buying a station wagon. What we ended up with was a huge money pit that has not had the check engine light off for more than a week since we bought it.

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  Great car, needs some improvement - 2001 Volkswagen GTI
  By Helicon Twist - November 17 - 2:00 am

  I went to VW after giving up on GM. The GTI moves quickly and handles beautifully. Its suprisingly roomy for a compact 3-door, with unbelievably cargo carrying capacity. The interior is very comfortable and remarkably upscale for the price. However, there have been some (minor) build quality issues (nothing related in any way to driveability), and VW needs to seriously address these in the future. VWoA also needs to serously improve its customer service, and its dealership network.

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  I love this car - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By sammyjack - November 17 - 2:00 am

  This is the best car I have ever driven for the money. Mine even has heated leather seats, which are so nice. I even bought the car used, and it is in great condition.

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  Jetta 2002; bad reliability - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jgd - November 17 - 2:00 am

  My experiance has been disappointing. With just 5800 miles on the car I needed two coilpack replacemaents and a new engine computer. Not to mention replaced window regulators and armrest locks, twice!. Also a recall for the ABS system. The car was in the shop for no less than 50 days since I started the lease. I will pursue Lemon Law.

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  I love it - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By rocketdiesel - November 17 - 2:00 am

  I picked up my new car on January 3rd. I have 1600 miles on it already. I am getting between 500 and 600 miles out of a tank of fuel, combination city/hwy. This is a great car I plan to keep a long time. And you can even make our own fuel.

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  Worst car on market - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Jules1477 - November 17 - 2:00 am

  This car has been nothing but trouble: the gas mileage is half of what it should be, the dealership lied about the length of the warranty in relation to the length of our lease, and when we tried to get out of the lease early found out that they have this weird policy that could cost you thousands of dollars. Go with something else, preferably that doesnt share a service center even with VW

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  My Fast - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By Joe - November 16 - 10:16 am

  This car is awesome. It has 200 hp and 207 lb. feet of torque! It gets up and goes. For those of you who are worried about reliability consider this: previous models where built in Mexico, this GTI is built in Wolfsburg, Germany. Its handling is top notch for a car that weighs 3,000 lbs. It is faster than its main competitor, the Honda Civic Si.