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:

• 

  Trading in for another Jetta - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jessie - August 29 - 9:23 pm

  This is a great economical car that is comfortable for all passengers. Mine survived some 550 mile work weeks and 12 miles of gravel roads a day. The suspension took a hit here and there but I treated it like a farm truck from time to time. Mine still runs and drives great at almost 172k. Im in the market for a new 5spd Jetta.

• 

  We vowed never to get a minivan... - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By peninroutan - August 29 - 10:50 am

  ...but we gave in after we had our third child. We looked at the Odyssey and Sienna, but these were ubiquitous and not very interesting to us. The Routan? Looks good, drives well with its stiffer VW suspension, and has huge amounts of space. We know its essentially a Chrysler, but the interior has enough VW feel to be fun. The dual-electric doors are great (Toyota Siennas seemed to offer only one electric door on some models). The exterior has strong lines. Will have to follow up later with a detailed review of reliability. Basically, its a minivan for those who promised they would never get one. As a guy, Im OK being seen driving it, which is worth a lot.

• 

  Nicest car I have ever owned - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By mark_j - August 28 - 10:00 am

  I have always wanted a European styled sedan but could never afford one. That changed when I purchased my Certified PreOwned 99 Passat GLS V6. What a wonderful car! Compared to other family sedans, it has wonderful handling, adequate power, luxurious well appointed interior, and excellent safety features. However, the car has been in the shop several times for: New exhaust cam, cam chain and tensioner; new control arm(s); new tie rod end; and now is making a mysterious front end noise that no one can identify. Someone speculated the new noise was coming from the differential (!!!)

• 

  Love my Passat!!!!! - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By tiffanyrenee - August 26 - 4:04 pm

  I bought my White, Passat 2.0T Komfort in 2011 used with 49, 000 miles. I had an oil consumption problem at first. I had to add oil every 500 to 600 miles but the VW dealership ran three oil consumption test found that there was a problem and fixed it. Other than some other recalls I am now at 83,000 miles and love the ride. I keep up the maintenance, bought new tires, new brake and rotors, and I am good to go. Did I say I love this car? I do.

• 

  Transmission problems fixed - 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By tom365 - August 26 - 12:31 pm

  Earlier I wrote a review for the 2012 Tuguan and severely criticized the transmission shift pattern. At the time it deserved the criticism but I am happy to report that VW has issued a software update to the Transmission Control Module. The update has fixed the problem. Hats off to VW for listening to its customers, acknowledging a problem and actually fixing it.

• 

  THIS is a Volkswagen? - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By FarFromSatisfied - August 24 - 3:20 pm

  This car was a gift from my parents, as a first car. At first I was thrilled; the car was fun to drive, it had great features and it looked great. So far, Ive had the car about a year and a half, and the car has been in the repair shop about 5 or 6 times for major repairs, including: the transmission, alternator, head gasket, a/c compressor, power steering, water pump, and a few others. I dont have a lead foot, so its not my driving thats causing these problems. Not to mention I average 16 mpg, if that. Nevertheless, the car has great features. I just expected more from Volkswagen, especially with the car being one of their "Certified Pre Loved Cars".

• 

  Stay away - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By cuse311 - August 23 - 10:06 pm

  Ive had this car for almost 6 years now and while it was fun during the warranty period, lately it has been a real drain on my finances to keep it running. Problem after problem keeps showing up from sensors, coils, thermostat. If you like to be punished then go out and buy one, otherwise stay away. This car is very unreliable and very, very expensive to fix.

• 

  Its a good car, but I dont plan on keeping it. - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ne10 - August 19 - 10:46 pm

  My feelings about the Jetta TDI/Premium are mixed. I love the styling, the fuel economy is unbeatable for an ICE, and the low end torque makes it zippy and fun. But VW had to go and kill a lot of the love by leaving the DSG unrefined, not polishing out creaks and rattles, and cheaping out in areas like the MFD and the touch screen software. The car feels like it was well designed in Germany, then dressed down by a bureaucrat on computer and exported to America. That being said, the styling, fuel economy, and options are still far better than the Civic and the Elantra. Is it worth the extra $3000 on the sticker? Maybe. Id say its more of a solid buy as a used or preowned car.

• 

  Best Car I have had! - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Zablan - August 19 - 2:56 pm

  This is easily the best car I have had and continue to have. It is extremely reliable considering I do push the car hard and never service it more than once a year/ It now has over 285000 miles on the clock and still runs perfect. I also have a Audi A4 (2007) and daughter has a BMW 530 (2006), its definitely a better car than these and a bargain on fuel consumption, maintenance and insurance. The only problem I have is the velvour interior attracts dust and looks out of date now and the build design is boring. But if your not worried about its looks then this is probably the best car in the world. Note its popular with cabbies hence must be reliable and cheap to run.

• 

  2010 Passat - 2010 Volkswagen Passat
  By TB - August 19 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my Passat as a commuter car between Sacramento and San Francisco Bay area. After 7000 miles in eight weeks, Im averaging 32 MPG while driving 75-80 MPH. The car is a wonderful cruiser with excellent performance and handling. At 63" and nearly 300 pounds, I have adjusted the seat and steering wheel so that I am very comfortable during my daily three hour and 190 mile commute. The armrests are perfectly positioned to further create the ideal driving position. The DSG transmission and the turbo engine really make this a fun car to drive. The optional 18" wheels really turn an average looking car into one of the best looking sedans in this price segment.