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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  problem after problem - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By j - July 16 - 1:56 pm

  I bought this car brand new and each yer I have had to pay out at least 2,000 or more a year for repairs, now my car needs a new engine. My car stayed in the shop for 4 mths at a time I have had to put my car in the shop at least 3 time a year

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  They forgot to sweat these details - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By nhsto - July 15 - 10:00 am

  Poor reliability. $4000 in repairs in year 4 of ownership. Oil cooler gasket, valve cover gasket & cam seals, windshield wiper fluid reservoir pump and tank replaced, (Mass airflow sensor replaced after numerous problems catalytic convertor replaced, warranty), rear passenger window regulator replaced, driver side will need replacement soon, new battery at 60k kms, throttle body service 2x, rear brake light bulbs replaced withing first year, headlights replaced in 2nd year. new tires, uneven wear, rear brakes replaced 60k kms. Current milage: 96k, kms Cup holders are useless and are all broken. 1.6 km per mi

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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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  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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  "German Engineering" If thats the case, i want American Engineering back - 2012 Volkswagen Beetle
  By texasbulldog - July 10 - 1:54 pm

  Had it 3 weeks now. 4 miles after we "owned it" the windows failed and they dont go back up. They want over $400 for an Armrest. It only comes with the Moon-roof/"Leatherette" (vinyl) option. It Rattles and has HORRIBLE turbo lag and to top it off, real life mileage isnt that good. I wish we didnt buy it but my wife fell in love with the style. VWs solution right now for the window is to either not roll it down to tape it up because they dont have a fix for it. The Boost Gauge doesnt read like a traditional gauge and basically lying to the driver. The Electronic Steering really fights you if you turn sharp and the brakes are really mushy. German Engineering made in Mexico.

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  Poor Craftsmanship - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Bobert - July 6 - 7:36 pm

  My car was made in Mexico (NOT Germany), and the quality shows. Within the first couple months a wire disconnected which made the car unable to get out of the P (automatic model). It took a week to order the dash which they had to smash to get to the wire (all costs covered under warranty). The check engine light came on right after the warranty expired and it cost $100 to turn off. The cupholders have broken and tail lights and headlights have gone out ($120ish). Also, the oil pan needed replacement at a cost of $500 and now the airbag light has come on.

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  Love the body, HATE its guts! - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By kmad - July 6 - 2:00 am

  It is constantly running out of oil. Just had to put in 2 quarts yesterday. The door locks work only when they want to and the AC doesnt seem to be a cold as it should. Trying to work with the service departments can make a person go bald. (from pulling your hair out). They actually told me that my car was using up oil because oil in the US is different from oil in Germany so I need to check it often and add oil as needed. They estimated 1 quart every 800 miles. If this were true Im sure VW would be importing SPECIAL German oil for VW owners, put an outragous price on it per quart and make a huge profit on it. My car only has 40k miles on it!!!

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  AC garbage - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By alicat2441 - July 5 - 4:42 pm

  Do not buy this car or any VW-they refuse to stand by their product! In 7/13 my AC completely quit. VW said I needed a new AC compressor for $1700. VW of America helped-cost brought down to $700. AC worked until 5/14 where delayed/intermittent cooling started. 6/13 VW said AC had a leak. Problem continued. Had diagnostic done today and told I need a new AC unit. The AC compressor- new 7/13- is breaking down and sending debris thru system-cost to replace $2+K. VW of A will not help to replace AC system because 93K miles on car even though new AC comp was put in 7/13.. Warranty on 7/13 work was 12 month/12K miles-17K put on car in 10 months no warranty. Go read VW forums.

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  A Good Midsize Buy - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Bobert - June 27 - 11:40 pm

  I bought my Passat as a VW Certified Pre-Owned Car. Its been a good purchase so far. If I had driven 12,000 rather than 15,000 miles each year the car would have held its value better, but I can still sell it for more than I owe. The fuel economy of this carsV6 engine has been fairly good. I got 29 to 30 mpg on my last road trip from Seattle to Los Angeles. The best part is you can use 87 grade (regular gas) and it wont ping. I dont even notice the performance difference. The CD changer has been replaced once and is going through errors again. I would recommend an aftermarket CD player, except VW does diagnostics through the factory tape player so if you ever need maintance, youd have to put the stock radio back in.

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  Looks great - rarely runs! - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By el - June 25 - 10:00 am

  My VW Passat wagon has about 17,ooo miles and is 15 months old. It has spent 15 days in the shop and will go in again Monday, as the turbo is now making airplane noises. I have had all 4 ignition coils replaced. My car is on its 3rd defective stereo. The key was stuck in the ignition for 9 days. The faulty electrical system caused the locks and windows to go up and down while driving (in MN)! After several complaints to my "advocate" at VW, I was offered a free 20000 mile tune up for my troubles. I am constantly worried that I will need to be towed again. I have the roadside assistance number programmed into my cell phone speed dial.