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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  not bad for the price . - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By Chris Muldoon - April 25 - 1:30 am

  I got my van new in 09 , and its been driven coast to coast with little or no trouble , so far the only part I had to pay for was the coolent temp sender . Yes it has had some recalls and I to have had the brake wear issues but if fixed that by installing power stop extreme towing and hauling pads and rotors, no problems after that . I think alot of people are just bashing it , for the price you cant complain , I paid 26k for a fully loaded van with 2 dvd players and 3 screens , go look at a Honda of Toyota and they coast over 40k at the time, in todays money thats over 50k , all in all Im happy with my fake VW and she just keeps trucking .

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  Excellent Car - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Paul - April 24 - 5:33 pm

  This is my 2nd Passat. The new car is bigger, has more power, and gets 1.5 mpg gas mileage better than my 2002. The 6M is slick, but it should be available with more options...

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  2005 Phaeton - 2005 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By julie foster - April 24 - 4:43 pm

  I have never owned a more luxurious vehicle. It has every option you could possibbly ask for in an up scale auto. The ride is as quite as any Cadilac, Mercedes, or BMW we have owned over the years. This is truley the auto buy of the decade.

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  Bad Bug - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By pwlowe61 - April 24 - 3:46 pm

  I guess the review will not help individuals who have already bought the biggest piece of junk I have ever owned. The car was a snap orange and have a good overall appearence. This car sat in the shop 19 of the first 24 months of ownership. I couldnt keep the electronics,transmission, turbo and anything else working. The last 2 years and $2300.00 of maintenance cost finally sealed its fate. 1100 for Timing belt change,450 for door latch which shut the car down in the middle of a 4 lane highway. 600 for alternator and whatever else it needed. I would run away from this car and I will never own a VW again. They look good, but are expensive to maintain.

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  SUPER ALTERNATIVE TO SUV - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By mitchw - April 24 - 10:00 am

  LOADS LIKE AN SUV, HANDLES LIKE A SPORT CAR, STAY AWAY FROM LIGHT CLOTH COLORS

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  Its a TEN - 2001 Volkswagen Golf
  By Stephen Powers - April 24 - 10:00 am

  Great build quality and solid as a rock. Smooth and rapid acceleration, often outpacing other gasoline engines as I enter the freeway. Zero vibration and little noice. Cruising on the interstate, you cant even hear the engine! I generally cruise effortlessly at 85- 90 MPH. I commute in SoCal and do 100+ miles per day, so appreciate the the fuel economy. But my former car was an Audi, so I didnt want to feel like I was going down *too* far on the foodchain. This car is fun to drive, highly economical, but not an *economy* (cheap) car.

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  Awesome Car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Rick - April 23 - 6:40 pm

  Absolutely love this car. Tightest, quietest, most comfortable car Ive ever owned. Would buy another in a heart beat. Priced to compete w/comparable US models, this one beats them hands down!

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  I have to be honest! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Alex - April 23 - 6:43 am

  I am a big VW fan and Ive driven 3 different VWs, this 06 Passat is the latest one I owned and then reason I bought it is because of the performance and the design. I already know that they break a lot but i did not know that they REALLY BREAK A LOT! Ive had AC replaced, fuel pressure regulator replaced, rear brake replaced in 2 weeks of ownership- 1 week the car is in the shop. LUCKILY I am still under warranty until 04/2010, I dont know if I should keep this car or not, I still love the car, but I never thought it would be such a big pain, I have to be honest with you guys and it wasted tons of my time and money to drive the car to service and have someone pick me up!!!!!!!!

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  Great Fun Car - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By shawn - April 23 - 6:23 am

  This little vehicle is extremely trust worthy, and gets 45 mpg regularly, just driving around with mixed highway and city miles. It starts at -30 degree weather, great car for your future kids to get to college on.

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  Nice so far! - 2009 Volkswagen GTI
  By vegasjon - April 23 - 12:13 am

  Just bought right off the truck yesterday! Fast, responsive, limited torque steer, and corners well on the 18" summer tires. AC is a bit weak in the Las Vegas heat (117 degrees!) but thats not normal summer heat for most. My other car is a BMW 330i and the VW is as much fun to drive...I do miss some standard luxuries such as built-in Bluetooth, but for 24K Im not gonna be picky. This car is well built, solid, and performs as a German engineered vehicle should. Turbo lag is nonexistent for the most part, and the 6-speed tranny is descent, a little long on the throw distance. (I bought the standard not the DSG). Good by overall, I would recommend it to the budget sports buyer.