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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  satisfied customer - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By lead foot - May 28 - 10:00 am

  What a pleasure to drive! Aside from a few minor interior design flaws as mentioned by other Edmunds reviewers (cup holders, power jack, lack of stereo controls on steering wheel, and lack of lighting on the stereo control panel), we have been very pleased with our recently purchased Passat. We have an appreciation for power and pick up, having sold an Accord LX manual. Love the triptronics!! Compared the V6 to a Volve S70, and there is no comparison. A great buy!

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  So Good Gonna Upgrade to a Passat - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lumberjack - May 28 - 10:00 am

  A V-6 with stick holds 220 km/h like it is on rails. Problem free. Fun to drive. Been thru 3 Chicago Winters with great traction and performance. So good are going to upgrade to either Jetta or Passat Wagon in Sep when new ones come out -- to get better price and trade in.

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  Matts 00 Jetta Review - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By MattB - May 28 - 10:00 am

  I love the car. No major complaints, just a few minor ones. The cupholder is terrible. Its flimsy and rattles all the time, whether its pushed in or extended. It does not expand to fit other sizes of cups. The transmission (auto.) is also a little screwy. Frequently, when slowing down for a stoplight, it will suddenly drop to 1st gear, propelling me forward. A minor annoyance, but sometimes I just dont like the way it shifts. However, the car rides very nicely, is quite comfortable; even though Im six feet tall, I still dont feel terribly cramped. There is not much room for average-sized humans in the back, though.

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  My Lemmon - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jm - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Transmission replaced at 800 miles, paint defect took three trips to the dealer. Sometimes it starts sometimes it doesnt. Customer service extreemly poor. I have owned the car for 2 1/2 months and it has been in the shop 30 days.

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  best vw ive owned - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By allan p - May 28 - 10:00 am

  its fast, very comfortable and relatively economical to run. the new 4 yr. warranty is a plus. this is the 3rd jetta weve had in our family and its the best yet!

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  My Lemmon - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JM - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Transmission replaced at 800 miles, paint defect took three trips to the dealer. Sometimes it starts sometimes it doesnt. Customer service extreemly poor. I have owned the car for 2 1/2 months and it has been in the shop 30 days.

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  I beat you with a bug! ha - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Chase - May 28 - 10:00 am

  this car rocks, smoked a rsx type s and most other honda appliances, engine has mad potential. fun to drive.period. excelent quality

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  R32 Racing - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By masheen79 - May 28 - 9:46 am

  I owned a 2003 Mazdaspeed Protégé with 20k prior to the R32. The Mazda was a total "piece" which forced me to sell it after less than a year of ownership. I purchased the R32 in March 03 and have loved every minute since. Its my first 6cyl AWD vehicle and I will never go back to anything less. This car performs, looks, sounds and handles amazing. The Pipes with the baffle mode turned off sound sweet!!! German engineering kicks ass.

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  DISAPPOINTMENT. - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By Gil Tigno - May 28 - 7:36 am

  Big disappointment about reliability of the mini van that was relied heavily as family vehicle especially in transporting our grandkids to and from school. The van was purchased in 2010 (new) and the first safety concerned was a vibration of the body when the brake was applied. Problem was fixed as a factory defect and later we have to take it back to dealership for a number of alarms in the instrumentation panel. Lately, we noticed a white smoke coming from the engine, and had it towed back to the dealership to replaced a part of the cooling system that caused the coolant to leak. Unfortunately, this repair is not covered by the extended warranty and we have to pay over $600. Question is....do we have a lemon on our investment? I would not recommend buying this model to anyone.

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  Not as promised - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By Ben - May 26 - 11:16 am

  So here is the skinny on this - If you promise something, stand behind it and deliver - does not matter who the company is. The reason we switched from a SUV to a Minivan was because the gas mileage was supposed to be so much better 17/25. Instead I am getting similar mileage to the 7 passenger SUV that we had before this. 13/19 My wife loved her SUV and I convinced her that this would save us money on the gas, instead I feel like a fool but that is because, I / we were lied to and deceived.