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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  Avoid like the Plague - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By harold - June 23 - 10:00 am

  You may think its cute, but dont let that exterior fool you, this thing is an engineering nightmare. 2 headlights burn out quickly in under 2 years, rear brake light in 1 year, ALL four windows get stuck or regulartor breaks, 5 visits to fix the convertible stop getting stuck, lots of issues with convertible cords breaking and snapping.

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  not very reliable - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By cc-man - June 23 - 10:00 am

  Had to be towed to dealership after 6000miles, it wouldnt move when engine was running. Mechatronics attached to DSG transmission had malfunction and was replaced. Everything else is ok so far. The car performs very good and is fun to drive, gas mileage is good too. Wind noise is too much when speed over 60mph.

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  Looks Good, but Always in the Shop - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Debbie - June 23 - 3:50 am

  We bought the Volkswagen Touareg because it was a nice looking, comfortable, and easy driving SUV - without being HUGE in size. From DAY 1, this car has been nothing but trouble! Nothing that has caused it to stop running, but stupid annoyances that cause it to always be in the shop. In 2 years the car still isnt 100% corrected. If they find the problem, they cant get the parts. There is one item Ive been waiting 2 years for (yes, since I picked up the car). My advice: Look at something else until they get all the bugs out. Even now, in 2006, VW can not tell me they have all the bugs worked out of the new Touaregs.

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  Best used car Ive ever had - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By rooyax - June 23 - 12:42 am

  Bought this in 09 with 91k, now have 105k. The quality of the interior is top notch, love the feel of the switch gear. Shifting and clutch action on the 5 speed is very smooth. Get around 24mpg mostly city driving, 30mpg hiway. I have the 17" rims which really look sharp. Great stereo too. Only repair besides tires in 2.5 yrs was coil modules that caused it to run like it was on 2 cylinders, was able to limp to shop in that shape. Check engine light is persistent for coolant temp, but confirmed that actual temp matches gauge, not hot. Just enough fun to drive with a couple blasts through 1st & 2nd with great cornering, but not too much power to get in trouble. Broke console hinge

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  Market leader in this class - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By gpwykham - June 22 - 7:06 pm

  After much research on moving up from a zippy and efficient Mazda 3, and having test drove several competitors, the new Tiguan, stood out from the crowd. Am impressive array of features on the SE 4MOTION, sports-type handling, great vroom on the pedal, comfortable surrounds AND VW of Americas 0% financing make this perhaps the best deal in America.

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  First 2500 Miles - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bronco$fan - June 22 - 12:06 pm

  Ive driven the car for 2,500 miles now and am very happy with it. 85% of the miles are short in town trips ath are 5 miles or less (hardly enough to get let the engine warm up) and I am averaging 35.2 MPG. I am sure if we drove slower and took longer trips the mileage would be substantially higher. We purchased this because we wanted an efficient car and could not stand the tiny box feel of all the other high mileage cars on the market (IE civic, fit, carolla, yari, etc).

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  Great Beetle at Mcdonalds - 2009 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Anthony Herring - June 22 - 11:00 am

  Beetle review This is not just the same beetle of the nineties it has all the retro style of other models, round and economic but the factory options have changed to meet the luster of a modern day Cadillac. I used my brother car to travel to Boston last year and I thought it exceeded the power and comfort of any beetle before its time. My brother has own beetles since the very beginning and I have shared the excitement with permission. AJH

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  Good Car Poor Realiability - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Dele - June 22 - 3:00 am

  I think VW ought to spend as much time on quality and reliability as they do on style! I bought the 2001 new passat, I pretty much know all the service guys in southeastern wisconsin by name by the second year, even though I do all the required service and do less that 12,000 miles a year! I have had problem from system failure to engine light on to tie rod problems in the first three years. This year alone I have spend over $2000 on the car! Even my friends 2000 Ford Taurus is more reliable! I have called VW to complain, the lady politely told me I am out of warranty and there nothing they can do! I happen to have the 24 months full service warranty they had back in 2001

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  Unreliable and cheaply made make for an expensive piece of junk - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By nmanspach - June 21 - 9:26 pm

  I bought this car new in 2007, have never missed a scheduled service, and take pride in keeping a neat and clean car. My car should be in tip top shape, but it is a broken piece of junk. The transmission, turbo, and starter have all been replaced. The engine light is always coming on. The electrical system has had work done several times. I often either cant open or cant close the windows or sunroof and the back lift-gate gets stuck partially open. Sometimes the computer language switches to German, but restarting the car fixes that. The interior finishes started deteriorating and coming apart at 30,000 miles. Today, two days after its 75,000 mile scheduled service, it wont start.

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  Best VW yet - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By MichiganVW - June 21 - 5:16 pm

  We have owned a bug (1972), Jetta (1987) and Golf (1995), and this Passat (2005). This car was picked by my wife with automatic, but the TDI was my idea. I was slow to warm to this car. Too fancy for my taste. But as time goes on, this car is becoming my favorite sedan. Solid build, no mechanical problems at all, and an ultimate highway ride (with 38-40 mpg!). The planets lined up right for the 2005 Passat TDI. Cant wait for my next VW TDI. Im hooked.