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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  You Wil love It - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By outdoors_394 - July 27 - 2:00 am

  We love Our 02 Passatt. It is comfortable on long trips, good accelaration, love the Monsoon sound system. Have received lots of compliments on the looks. Black on black. A few small problems occurred but were taken care of by VWs warrenty.

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  Reliability - Long Term in Question. - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Chicago M - July 27 - 2:00 am

  Two topis of concern are the paint finish and the transmission. To start off,the paint has oxidized in some places and scratches too easily. The other more troubling area is the transmission which has just been replaced by VW. The question I have is this car a lemon or what else is going to go wrong. This car is too new for this kind of trouble to happen.

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  Such A Shame... - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By bobignacio - July 27 - 2:00 am

  Ride, comfort and interior is exceptional. Over the past year, however, weve had it in the shop several times...engine coils. An engine coil seems to go bad and the "Emissions" light will go on. We also had to have the drivers side seat belt replaced (it wouldnt release after button pressed). Now, there is a burnt rubber smell coming from under the hood and it is very noticeable when the heater is on...it is going back to the shop. We love this car soo much, however, the constant problems have persuaded us to replace it...Such a shame. Oh yeah...the Emissions light came on again today (1/28/03).

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  A Great Used Car - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By jason - July 25 - 5:06 am

  Bought my 2002 used. Since then have only had to replace the armrest console latch and a front bearing (both covered under warranty). Other than that its been a very reliable, fun car to drive.

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  Thanks God i am leasing it - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Nothappy - July 22 - 8:33 am

  Maybe I am the only unlucky one of the group, but my car has developed rattling noises everywhere, brakes are not like they were when car was new and I do have only 3k miles, unfortunately. I come from a corolla with 130k miles. No other word to describe it but solid from a to z. I really wants to see the Jetta with that quantity of miles on it to see what is left.

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  Fun but Poor Car - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Sean - July 18 - 9:40 pm

  Bought the Beetle in August of 2002 with 6 miles on it. 4 days later, the climate control went out and it was 6 months before they could fix, so we were with a broken moon roof. The oil pan has busted twice and the transmission wont go directly from park to reverse, without first droppin it into 1st then going slowly back to reverse. The dealer says nothing is wrong. The driver side seat had to be replaced and cost $500. The windows go up when you want them down, and the drivers door only opens from the outside when you ask it nicely. Other than that, I love the car. But Im not sure the good cancels out all the bad.

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  A TON of Fun! - 2008 Volkswagen R32
  By travelingman - July 16 - 2:10 pm

  I bought my blue R32 (with nav) in April and drive 85 miles a day to work. This car is a great commuting car; fun to drive, comfortable ride but a ton of torque at any speed. I have had an Audi S4 and S6 and neither is as fun as this car. The only two things that I have added to the car is a clear bra and a Parrot blue tooth system that integrates directly to to the phone button on the steering wheel. It works wonderfully with my iphone 3G.

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  Great German Car - 2009 Volkswagen Passat
  By mbehn - July 16 - 1:19 pm

  Have had this 09 since 8/09. It runs flawlessly and is a very enjoyable family sedan. Storage is HUGE, performance is tight and torque is excellent. High end smooth comfortable ride with great control. Most of the benefits of Audi w/o price tag. Great bargains to be had (this one was $5K off sticker). No, not as cheap as a Camry or Honda, but much more style, class and fun to drive. This car is a sleeper and soon to be changed and produced in Mexico - its a buy.

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  reliability an issue - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By willis - July 16 - 10:00 am

  Has anyone else had problems with the radio, ignition coils and then the recall for the right tire well/gas tank "explosion risk"? It looks great - when it is not in the shop.

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  2004 Passat GLX 5-Speed - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Mladen - July 13 - 1:33 pm

  Ive owned this VW for almost 3 months and about 5,000 miles. It is a very pleasant automobile with balanced and predictable handling and a neat, well designed cabin. I dont care much for the exterior design. I worried a bit about reliability after reading too many horror stories, but so far it has been a flawless performer. I bought it because it just was a deal I could not pass on: a loaded car with 20,000 miles and almost perfect cosmetically. It seemed that nobody wanted it because manual shifter. I paid $17,000 for it and feel that I got a great car that has years of use left in it. The 5-speed is just fine, and it doesnt bother me even in heavy city trafic. I like this car and intend to keep it forever...