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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  One of the best vehicles I have ever owned - 2012 Volkswagen Touareg
  By jurgenk - July 12 - 6:26 pm

  I wanted a mid size SUV to accomodate our growing family, but also wanted to preserve some of the fun-factor of driving. I test drove the gas and diesel ML series, and found that while its a beautiful and luxurious truck (Merc has done a great job with the evolution of the exterior and interior) it was a little slow and a little sloppy in handling compared to the others. The X5 looked awesome and is the standard bearer in terms of ride, but was too common and too expensive. The Cayenne S is equally fun but fuel thirsty and expensive. The Touareg was luxurious and crisp handling, the hybrid was extremely well-powered, and the slight improvement in efficiency a welcome bonus.

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  Basic trans to and from work. - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Nick Mancini - July 12 - 12:37 pm

  Only had the car a week, diesel , 5 speed manual trans. About 40 mpg, too soon to give honest review.

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  You get what you paid for!!!! - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By 1.8T driver - July 12 - 2:00 am

  I felt good until the coilpack failed and interior trims started to rattle. VW dropped the price and they did not forget to lower the quality!!!!!!! It is unacceptable for A BRAND NEW CAR!!

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  20001 Jetta Wagon - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tim Hastings - July 12 - 2:00 am

  I am very pleased with to car overall. The car has a smooth comfortable ride and is very dependable. The only thing I don,t like about the car is the fact that when we put our babys car seat in the back, you have to put the front seat up close to the steering wheel to fit it in.

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  So far, so good - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Scmil315 - July 12 - 2:00 am

  Overall, this has been a good vehicle. Strengths would be interior room for drivers and front seat passengers (I am 62" tall), adjustable steering wheel, shift smooth and quick, vehicle provides a good feel of the road. Stereo is powerful, CD changer was a nice little plus. Added the bra to the front to protect the white paint from stone chips, a must on this blunt-nosed little buggy. Colors of the dash are driver friendly at night, with purple and red gauges that are easy on the eyes. Remote controls for entry are a nice plus too. Sunroof feels almost like a convertible! Wide tires give good road feel, but a little road noise sneaks through.

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  All the problems you can get in a car! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By m3blue - July 12 - 2:00 am

  I have had my jetta for a year and can no longer count the problems on one hand! In the past year I have replaced 2 radios. Dash lights went out, bright lights stuck on, doors and dash have uncontrolable noises, one of the spark plugs system went out so I had to drive for a few days on 3 pistons! Shifting is jerky. Like the dash lights and pep, handles the snow well.

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  love this car - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By lyn - July 11 - 10:13 pm

  awesome performance, has never let me down, minimal maintenance, tight turning, holds at least 5 teen sized soccer players!

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  Sporty Diesel - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Love my TDI Cup car - July 11 - 4:36 pm

  Really happy, that sums things up nicely. If you are looking for a sporty sedan that gets better gas mileage than most hybrids, you found it. The first reasonably priced sporty diesel in the U.S., I can carve corners and still be good to the environment (and my wallet).

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  got 2 bunnies - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Dave A - July 11 - 9:40 am

  I am on my 3 VW, I now have 2 07 Rabbits , 6 speed autos with 16 inch alloys. Both cars have performed flawlessly and have served me well. Gas mileage between 25 and 30 if you keep it on the highway. Little cars will get you in trouble with ability to exceed 125 mph 32,000 on one 24,000 on the other. Very safe cars, Germans are the best at this, why I got one for my wife and daughters.

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  Fun in Sun and Snow - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By abbieshuler - July 11 - 7:53 am

  Great gas mileage - average combined 29.5 city/hwy. Handles EXCELLENT in snow - I live in Michigan so I have had lots of it. No problems and so fun to drive. I get stopped all the time for people to admire.