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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  100% love it - 2013 Volkswagen Touareg
  By drivinitsoftly - November 21 - 12:36 pm

  this car is a wonder to drive. it has tons of pickup for its size, and a luxurious feel. the brown leather is top notch. the sound system requires some updating, but the 25+mpg driving for me has been a savings vs my cross tour. I am happy every time I drive it.

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  Great car! - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Joe - November 21 - 1:03 am

  The most bang for your buck of any car on the market. I have the 2008 Wolfsburg, 2.0T and Im getting an AVERAGE of 29.5 MPG over the least 10 - 15 tanks. Ive never had one under 27 and my last tank was 31. I also think it has a perfectly tuned transmission - I never feel like I need to be in manual mode. Bottom line: great car.

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  VWs best one - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By leo0516 - November 20 - 10:00 am

  Best to drive, stylish, good acceleration. Somewhat excessive ABS. Pricy. But I love this car!

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  awsome, fun, ecomonical - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Leard Huggins - November 19 - 7:30 pm

  We bought it to replace my wifes 1999 Olds Cutlass with 51,000 miles bought new from the same dealer 10 years go. We compared it to the Prius and the VW SportWagonTDI won. We just finished our 1st long trip (800 miles) in it and are totally satisfied. Keep in mind my car is a 2004 GMC Denali all wheel drive and loaded. I am 67" tall and 280 lbs the VW has plenty of room. It has as much head room as my Denali. We averaged 33.6 MPG calculated from gas tickets after driving 80-90 mph on Interstate and 4o-60 MPH on two lane roads from Savannah to Apacatchacola. It is not even broken in yet and the mpg is impressive.

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  Cruising - 2011 Volkswagen CC
  By Anonymous - November 19 - 2:00 am

  I have had my 2011 VW CC for one week and LOVE it! Im a first time VW owner and I have no regrets. Im leasing the car and already considering buying it when the lease is up. This car is for cruising. It offers a smooth ride, a sporty look and is fun to drive.

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  Love It - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By Anonymous - November 19 - 2:00 am

  I love my TDI. I average about 38-41 MPG on a tank of diesel. In highway- only situations I yield about 45 MPG. My all-time record is 49 MPG on a 250 mile round trip. Expect about 560-600 miles out of a tank. But MPG is only half the story with the TDI. It feels a lot quicker than it actually is because of the torque. But that being said, it is no slow poke. Ingear acceleration is great if you shift quickly through the gears, but the engine runs out of steam in the high RPM range. The suspension setup is great, so the TDI is great in the twisty stuff. The only competitor that I can think of is the Audi A3 or Prius. The audis is smaller and more expensive. The Prius is slow and hates corners.

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  Super VW - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Les - November 18 - 11:43 pm

  The Passat 3.6 4Motion is an excellent car to drive. It has stylish looks. Its a great jump forward over the previous model. A job well done.

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  CC=Completely Cool! - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Debbie - November 18 - 6:13 pm

  Ive been a VW driver for many years and when the CC came along it was love at first sight. I bought the Sport/MT which is the base trim level. I cant believe all the standard features that it comes with, all for under $28,000. All my friends are green with envy.

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  Longest Car I Ever Owned - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By smokeymaxwell - November 18 - 10:23 am

  I bought my 2007 VW Rabbit from the dealer brand new in 2007. It was the base model with a manual 5 speed. What an awesome car for the money. It was quick, very responsive, had no bothersome stability control and was fun to drive. At most, I would keep a car around 1 to 2 years. I kept this Rabbit for 5 years because I loved it. The 2.5L engine was strong (I say this because the same engine in later years was de-tuned for gas mileage savings). The car never let me down, never made any weird noises, and was totally reliable. The hatch was convenient to use and fit a ton of stuff. The only thing I didnt like and changed right away was the factory radio. I put an aftermarket Alpine.

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  Routan Rocks - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By Kevin - November 17 - 3:03 am

  *Exterior is beautiful (best looking minivan in my opinion) *Love the features (i.e. stow & go, power windows in rear dual sliders, sunroof, traction control, stability control, and much more) *Interior is improved over the Grand Caravan *Suspension is much better than Grand Caravan (thanks VW)