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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  2005 Volkswagen Passat GLS - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By skip - October 19 - 11:43 pm

  My 2005 Volkswagen Passat has a great ride. We have the 4Motion GLS model and we are pleased with the whole car, but wish the gas milage was better than 27 to 28 miles to gallon highway, but for an all wheel drive its fair on gas.

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  Love My Jetta - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ohstillsoinlove - October 19 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my 98 Jetta GLS in Dec. of 1997. It is truly a "peoples car" by the best automakers in the world (think Mercedes, BMW, Audi and others available in Europe). Today, I can honestly say this is one of the best cars out there today! After 6+ years and 73000+ miles (and counting), I have not experienced ANY major complications with it. I do the oil changes and tire rotations and that about covers it. Handles magnificently!!! Leaves other compacts in the DUST in its superiority!!! I feel my Jetta is just getting broken in. It is a superb car with outstanding appeal, both inside and out. My next new car will definitely be another Jetta!

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  The Audi of VWs - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By jessla - October 19 - 2:00 am

  The AWD R32 is the car VW had to build to give it its own Audi TT. Smooth, fast, no tire spin, great handleing. What more could you ask for? Maybe a lower price.

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  great family / sporty car - 2001 Volkswagen Golf
  By drtraw - October 19 - 2:00 am

  This golf is a sporty, fun car and also handles family needs. Although it is not huge, it holds up to four people w/good headroom and a large hatch area. We often choose it for family road trips over my wifes midsize SUV. The turbo engine is great, easily rivals honda for vibration free power and has much better torque for city driving. I thought the base suspension was comfortable but too soft so I switched out the springs and shocks for GTI-style handling. Also, the interior is very well done for a car in this price range and it is very quiet on the highway.

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  A Commuters Dream - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Leah Bryant - October 19 - 2:00 am

  I fell in love with the car during the test drive. I was very impressed by the quick response of the Turbo compared to the others cars that I had test driven. It has stable solid feeling while drving so I feel safe. But the best thing of all is that my car insurance rate dropped because of the ALL the safety features it has!

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  My Year with VW - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By louis novak - October 19 - 1:53 am

  I love the Touareg. Its great on the highway, easy to manouver, has outstanding visability, and good pick-up. I hate the radio and reception though. It isabsolutely unacceptable and unable to be improved by the service department.

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  Love the Car but... - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By 2much2do - October 19 - 12:10 am

  My 2003 Volkswagen Passat GLX has good pickup, but the transmission shifts into 5th gear way too soon. Also, I have had problems with the front and rear ashtrays not working. Overall I still love the car. Its ride is smooth, it has good acceleration, clean lines, and is a very sharp car! The interior is awesome! I love the heated leather seats. It is very roomy, even for five adults. It also has great trunk space. It is easy to speed in, as the car just seems to float the faster you go. I have put about 15,000 miles on it with few problems.

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  Very Disappointed - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By dbrockner - October 17 - 9:08 pm

  I can not believe that with all the scathing reviews of this car that it still has a four star overall rating. I bought an 2008 EOS lux 2.0 for my wife 2 years ago. I have lost track of how many times it has been in the shop. Multiple issues, many top leaks, and still leaking, I just have up. The top broke 2 times, it burns oil at more than a quart every 1000 miles, which VW says is acceptable. I bought the car with 32K miles it now has 44K miles two years later, we hate the car and are upside down on it so I can not trade out. The dealership, VW of South Charlotte, is horrid. The service writers will charge you to death if you do not watch carefully. The customer care is worse.

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  Car for the person who wants it all - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By austin_eos - October 17 - 5:00 pm

  This is a car for a person who wants a bit of everything in a car: sporty performance, practicality with 4-seat capacity, acceptable trunk space, comfort, interior and exterior style, and of course, a convertible. If you feel the urge to splurge on any particular feature, then you might want to get dedicated sports car or comfort sedan. But if you want a bit of everything, the Eos works well. Ive had my Eos for about 4 months in various weather, and it has held up great and has been fun to drive. So far no reliability problems.

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  Love this car - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By DSL - October 17 - 10:00 am

  I have been really happy with my 1997 Volkswagon Passat Wagon. The only feature that I dont like is the electronic locking system which freezes every winter. Otherwise, its a fun and good handling car.