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:

• 

  Best Value in the market! - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jfortino - December 11 - 8:43 am

  I am astounded by the value of this vehicle! The size of the vehicle, the performance and the features and options for the price can not be beat. Although it is not the most sexy car on the road, you will be hard pressed to find anything better! The drive of the vehicle is great, bluetooth, stereo included are outstanding!

• 

  Great car so far! - 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
  By Greg - December 11 - 12:53 am

  My wife and I had been looking for a new SUV for the last few months. Im a pretty big guy at 62" and about 245lbs so spaciousness is a big concern for me. After driving the pathfinder, highlander, 4 runner and pilot nothing compared to the space I have in the Atlas. Its a very comfortable ride and has great features that Ive never had in a car before. The lane assist, park assist and ACC work awesome but take a bit of getting used to. The sound system sounds great even without the top of the line Fender system. In addition the apple car play interface works great! My only concern with it is that it doesnt seem to let you search for specific sounds in iTunes unless you have it in a playlist. I may be wrong on this as Ive just began to play with it. All in all we have been very happy with the car so far. Time will see how well its reliability holds up but with VWs 72000 mile warranty on this car we figured it was well worth a try.

• 

  Too pretty for the problems - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mmarys - December 10 - 8:35 pm

  This is my "first purchased" car (previously owning a 2008 kia sportage) I recently bought this car with 128k miles on it because of its looks, gas mileage, and comfort. I test drove it and fell in love with it, however it was a mistake. The transmission is going out. It only happens whenever I go over 60mph in stop and go traffic, the car gets stuck in 6th gear and the rmps are really high for how little I press on the gas. I really regret purchasing this car, I paid cash for it so unfortunately I cant do anything about it. I refuse to replace the transmission because itll cost as much as I paid for it. Im already saving for a new car and it wont be a vw. I miss my Kia.

• 

  Poor reliability - 2001 Volkswagen GTI
  By Spngbobfan - December 10 - 6:56 am

  Purchased car new at dealer outside my home state. I knew I wanted the GTI because I felt like it was a lot of car for the money with some great standard features. It was very hard to locate a VR6 at the time. Experience with the selling dealership was wonderful. However, future service issue experience with Maryland dealers was terrible. When the car runs well, it can be a lot of fun to drive. Problem areas include replacing 2 window regulators, replacing cat converter at 50K, rain sensors not working and poor quality door materials. As of now, Id never purchase another VW again

• 

  I Love My Rabbit! - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By clk - December 10 - 12:00 am

  I love my new VW Rabbit! There was only one two door left in the state so there was no choice in color, but they found the car quickly and got it shipped in a day and a half. The black stripe on the side of my car wasnt aligned correctly (off by less than an inch) and they fixed it quickly. The customer service was really great. Its fun to drive and I like the radio. Overall the Rabbit is a great car and really is affordable!

• 

  What a Car! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Peter van Huffel - December 9 - 2:56 pm

  I have just acquired my third Passat in a period of seven years. The latest, a 2.0L FSI Turbo, is an absolute dream. It is greatly improved in all aspects compared to its predecessors. I am in a position to afford most luxury sedans, but after test driving the competitors like BMW and Merceded, there is absolutely nothing that VW does not offer in comparison. The 2006 model has everything one could expect for the price. I have owned eight VWs in my lifetime and will remain loyal provided they keep there built quality and allure. Well done Wolfsburg

• 

  Love/ Hate Relationship - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Laura - December 9 - 2:56 am

  My Jetta and I have a love/hate relationship. It is super fast with great pick up and acceleration. I also have a BMW 330ci and the Jetta performs just as well. I have had a lot of transmission and electrical problems associated with my Jetta. There is always something that has to be fixed and at 50,000 miles the catalytic converter was replaced (it was under warrenty). It is not very reliable but has excellent handling. It does great in the rain and snow. I have to use premium gas which it eats up. Bad gas mileage for a small car.

• 

  52 MPG - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By macmandrew - December 9 - 2:00 am

  Driven over 130,000 miles, This has been a great car. Comfortable seats, Good heater, excellent A/C, 5 Speed Manual Trans (no problems). On the Dark Side: The interior trim is removing itself. Gas station attendant Conand off the fuel filler flap (cheap plastic?) Threw the 3 rear head rests in the trunk so I could see out the back window.

• 

  FUN TO DRIVE BUT? - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By LAY LOW BAT - December 9 - 2:00 am

  GREAT CAR KIND OF EXPENSIVE WHEN YOU ADD OPTIONS. WAS NOT AWARE ABOUT IGNITION COIL PROBLEM. AFTER 19 MONTHS 1 COIL WENT OUT THEN 3 MONTHS LATER 1 MORE WENT OUT. TWO LEFT TO REPLACE WONT REPLACE UNTIL IT GOES OUT. THEY WILL REPLACE IT. ANY VW OWNERS WITH SAME PROBLEM?

• 

  No competition! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By econorocketZX3 - December 9 - 2:00 am

  There is no other mid-size compact car that combines this much performance, style, diversity, and economy.