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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  Power Windows need Prozac!! - 2012 Volkswagen Beetle
  By vetteviper - November 16 - 9:28 am

  We have had the car 1 week and noticed the windows have a mind of their own in terms of rolling up. It stops halfway up and then lowers to where you see about an inch of the glass and after several attempts, we get it back up. At one time it was all the way down and would do nothing when we pulled up on switch, just sat there. Both windows behave this way. I will be calling my dealership in the morning but almost afraid of what they tell me after reading about all the problems with out any solutions that worked.

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  2009 Wolfsburg 2.0T 6sp Auto - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By doit - November 15 - 1:23 am

  I picked up a new 2009 Wolfsburg 2.0T with the 6sp automatic a about 5 days ago and still have nothing to say about the car other than its great. The interior design is well laidd out and comfortable. The red led lighting from the overhead console is a nice touch for driving at night. Outside the car design just looks sharp, love the unique wheels. Performance is great, trading in a 2006 GTI 1.8T 5 sp manual, I was not expecting the power this car has, but it does put a smile on your face. So far the first couple tanks of gas has given me an average of 30.1 mpg that too was a great surprise as well. The mpg should get a little better when things break in a little more.

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  Love/Hate Relationship - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Adriver - November 14 - 1:46 pm

  Bought 3.6 Luxury model with less than 7K miles. Absolute pleasure to drive, when its not in the shop. I love this car but it has been at the dealer at least once every month for a repair - usually electrical stuff in the past. Now with 31K miles they are installing a new engine! Oil pump bolt came loose. My wife wants to sell it and get another Subaru. I cant argue too much - weve had 4 Subs, all went over 200K without a problem. Last VW, 01 Jetta TDI, replaced Turbo at 118K miles, glow plug problems often, check engine light on often - it too was fun to drive but I want to give the Passat one more chance to stay out of the shop, but I think Ill have to face reality & sell it.

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  2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jamesp - November 14 - 12:23 am

  I was told by the dealer not to expect great mileage until I had reached 5,000 miles, to my delight I have been getting anywhere from 40 to 52 mpg. Not bad for a car this size.....

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  1 year old and literally falling apart - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By trevsta18 - November 13 - 2:43 pm

  Oh jeez where do I start?! First of all, I have owned this car for a year now. 30k. Falling apart. The front bumper paint is coming off, the tires that came on the car are crap. I am constantly resetting the tire pressure light, its faulty or something. Headlights gone bad, center armrest is ripping and now, I have to get the engine mounts replaced after they charged me for the alignment and tire balance which they said would fix the shaking on the freeway. Are you kidding me?! Its a brand new car and the engine mounts are bad?? This is ridiculous and the first/last VW I buy.

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  Amazing truck - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By tocoron - November 13 - 9:03 am

  This is truly an amazing vehicle. Rides like a car, pulls more than all full size SUVs and the design is nice.

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  Bug lover review - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By bug lover - November 13 - 5:40 am

  My 2005 was so good, I had to have the Triple white special edition. I wanted white in 2004 when I bought the first one, now I am complete. Great performance and always a compliment from passers-by.

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  In Love With Driving Again - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By Love it too death - November 11 - 5:43 pm

  Ive had my EOS for a month. I got rid of an 06 Civic because it stunk. My EOS actually gets BETTER mileage than the Civic. Its tons of fun to drive. It feels like youre stuck to the road. I have owned VWs before and forgot how much fun it is to drive since I got rid of the last one (500,000 miles). This car is without a doubt the best car in its class. It is very comfortable and just a pleasure to drive. I recently got 35 MPG on a 200 mile trip where my average speed was 70 MPH. My suggestion, buy one if you can!

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  Fun, great milage, but unreliable - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By iceman - November 11 - 10:00 am

  The Golf TDI is great on gas. I average 48 mpg (mostly highway). It is comfortable for the driver and passenger, but tight in the back seat. For a diesel, its amazingly quick. The downside has been reliability. Right after the warranty expired I had an electronic ignition failure. The car would just shut off. It happened once in an intersection and I almost got creamed. $250 and two trips to the shop later and it was fine. Last month I noticed a loss in power. The dealer blamed an air sensor. Fixing it was $500.

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  alot more for the price - 2001 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By RANGER - November 11 - 10:00 am

  I was shopping for a mini van and end up with a big van I compare prices and could not belived that I was getting more of a van for less money. I compare honda,mazda and toyota and with the option the EuroVan give you more for the price, the kids love it specialy when we go on a long trip.