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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  I love my Jetta! - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vasileesa - August 16 - 6:20 am

  I have had my Jetta for 2 days now and I just love it. It is super sleek and fun to drive! It has nice pick up to it and I cant wait to try out the manual option. Supposed to be my car but hubby hasnt let me drive it ever since I brought it home! I am hoping to not have any issues with the Leatherette but read only good reviews from others who have experience with it.

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  My first VW - 2001 Volkswagen Golf
  By Gtoast - August 16 - 6:10 am

  Pretty nifty car compared to the Corolla I came out of. Bought used certified. I think the dealership didnt actually do the inspections they were supposed to: I found most of the problems myself but they were all fixed under the warranty. Anyways, great little car with lots of umph in 5th at hwy speeds, fantastic maneuverability, great traction in the snow. A few squeaks and rattles that are irritating, but oh well. I wish the electronics were easier to set for individuals though.

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  My Wifes Supercool Dunebuggy - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By semaj422000 - August 15 - 6:46 pm

  Bought the Tig about a month ago for my wife. The only thing she knew she wanted was a SUV or a lux feeling car. I wanted good quality and a sub 30k price. The Tiguan met all of our criteria and then some. Its quite small, but we dont have kids so that wasnt a big deal. The interior aesthetic and material quality feel quite good and it comes standard w/ bluetooth and an easy to use touchscreen radio. Although more pricey than most of the comp, this feels and looks far superior inside and out. We get around 20 miles per gallon w/ mixed highway and city driving. Should be a little better IMO. Also, the partial power seat is really weird to me. It should either be full power or manual.

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  Wolfsburg Edition - Best Value - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By SleepyDoc - August 15 - 11:40 am

  The Jetta Wolfsburg is similar to the 2.5 trim, but adds a sunroof, convincing faux leather seats, rear center armrest, alloy wheels, and floor mats in addition to the cold weather package. It is available in black, white, silver, and gray. Its understated exterior styling belies the quality of the interior. Its even more impressive at night. Soft touch materials are used extensively, and even if you find hard plastic, it has a solid, quality feel. The exception being the paper-like shift boot. The ride is firm yet very compliant, excellent road manners. Its acceleration is acceptable from stop, but highway passing is effortless to a flaw - watching for flashing lights is compromised by rear visibility.

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  Jetta GLI, Performance Compromise - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mike - August 15 - 9:40 am

  My Jetta GLI is the most enjoyable car Ive ever driven and on my last road trip I averaged 34 MPG too.

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  The Cutest Car on the Road but... - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By colorado1974 - August 15 - 5:06 am

  We, like 1,000 other VW owners are filing for lemon law this year. Of the few months we have had it, most of the time has been spent in the dealerships service driveway instead of ours. The windows randomly go down, the front logo peeled off, the starter doesnt work all the time, the radio quit, the top broke twice, there is a metallic sound from the front and the kicker is that I am only getting 20 mpg at best. The window sticker said Id do much better. Everytime I get the car back it is fixed but after a couple weeks, more problems seem to set it back. Ugh.

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  170,000 Miles and Still Going Strong - 2001 Volkswagen GTI
  By Cat - August 14 - 9:50 pm

  This is my first VW and I wouldnt hesitate to buy another one. I havent had any problems with this car other than having to pop the CD changer in and out a couple times before it will work, and the wipers sometimes are fickle if the temp drops below 40F. I also had to get used to the controls. Its speedy and fun to drive, and my 63" roommate fits in it comfortably as well as two sets of hockey gear. With other cars Ive noticed lag in power if the car is loaded up, but not this one. It costs a little more to maintain that the average American car, but if it goes another 100,000 miles I wont complain. It does have some quirky design flaws that I dont like, but have been fixed in more recent models.

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  Nice car - 2005 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By corral - August 14 - 4:30 pm

  This car is far better than any lux car that is not a "exotic" Some small improvemonts are still needed. a touch screen dvd nav system, xm radio, better gas milage, blue tooth phone system and make standar the technology package. It needs parktronic it is so large. The power trunk seems like a toy but there is no way to close the trunk with out leaving hand prints on the beautiful finish. Also an improved keyless acess system like the one in an audi with touch stare and mabey head up disply and sonar cruise control. Vw has done a great job just some fine tuning is needed.

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  A very disappointed customer! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By jts - August 14 - 12:53 pm

  Ever since I bought this car, Ive had continual problems. I have owned it for 6 months and it has been in for service 8 times (6 times within the first 2 months) for intermittent problems with the electrical system, transmission, tire pressure malfunction and various other issues. In addition to all these technical problems, VW has not shown any concern nor did their corporate offices respond to a letter detailing all the issues I have had and continue to experience. This was my first VW and it will be my last. Be cautious!

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  My first Volkswagen - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Sharon - August 14 - 6:13 am

  I have never owned a VW before, but wanted better gas mileage. Upon a lot of research, I purchased the TDI. I drive 11 miles to work and mileage keeps increasing. I have 1100 miles on car now and it gets an average of 40 mpg. I havent been on any long trips yet, but look forward to increasing mileage. It states 600 miles per tank. My previous car got 22 mpg and 240 a tank for the same trip! It has a lot of pep, room and lots of extras. I look forward to having it for a long time and driving it on long trips.