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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  Great Reliable Car - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By herbz - April 2 - 6:35 pm

  164,000 miles and running great. Reliable as can be. Good on gas, MPG has dropped slightly as the car aged but still gets 30mpg city easily. Massive trunk for a small car. Other than ground clearance it is a very good winter car. Only issue is an intermittent CEL related to an emissions issue that comes and goes. Dealer says its not worth chasing as the car runs perfect. Definitely will consider another Jetta or VW product.

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  New love - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Low Lou - April 2 - 1:30 pm

  Purchased two weeks ago and have been very happy with the quality and features of the SEL package. It stands out from the competitors with its exterior and interior design. Get many comments about it whenever we are out in it. Drives and rides very good plus the 2.0 gives good acceleration when merging on the highway. The roof was not on the wish list but is a nice feature. Spent hours researching all the other competitors models and felt this Tiguan stood out. So far only one gas fill up and was mainly city driving, gas mileage to be determined. The build quality seems to be very tight, the heated seats are very comfortable, it drives great and has excellent power. So far a great buy.

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  I hate this car! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By wacqui - April 2 - 5:20 am

  Ive had 3 cars in the last 22 years, this Jetta is the only one in which extended time for repairs have caused me to lose out on jobs. I always wanted a VW but I HATE this car. The parts are too expensive, not always available, and it is hard to work on the car yourself. Pep Boys would not replace a water pump for me because the car was too complicated for their mechanics and the dealership mechanics are far from good. Everything about the car is hard. You must slam the trunk to close it, you must punch the horn to get it to honk. The doors are heavy. The seats are hard. If you drop something under a seat, forget it. The manual is complicated. And I could on and on..

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  Good choice for luxury on non-lux brand - 2016 Volkswagen CC
  By Pana Fan - April 2 - 5:00 am

  Ive owned Jetta, Passat, Phaeton and this CC, so I would say Im a loyal customer for VW. Given the Dieselgate dealership are putting quite good discounts on the CC and Tiguan, both scheduled to redesign in 2017.
  This CC shares the same EA888 2.0T engine you would found in the my 2008 Passat and last generation of EOS, though a little older and less efficient than the current 1.8T, I found my light city traffic 25MPG is still acceptable, given that my Passat used to have 22 in same condition. As still in brake in after 2 weeks of purchasing, I didnt rev it up but occasional overpass still feels adequate. The DSG is somehow strange when handling low speed, especially around 20 mph which seems it struggles to think if it should shift up to gear 3, creating rather jagged motions, definitely check it out during test drive.
  I almost never see rear seat passengers so the notorious rear headroom isnt a problem, but a smaller adult and children sure feel comfortable. Noise reduction is surprising good comparing to my aging 2004 Phaeton and the firmness of ride is also a plus.
  The new MIB II infortainment system has some problems connecting to my Sony Z2 but eventually find a way to do it. Google Maps still performs better than standard onboard navigation in terms of easiness to operate and finding locations you already looked up on your computer. I like the new instrumental cluster on European spec 2017 Tiguan but this old one still do its job fine. Build quality and material is good considering this is the only VW sedan still built in Germany.
  Headlight with curving is a plus if you drive on continuous curving road like me to get home, and the side light when turning is also good. Due to the styling rear and side visibility is somehow limited, but turning your head will do the trick. It is a shame that active safety features such as BLIS and active cruise controls are only available on 4Montion Executive and not available even as option like latest Golf Sportswagen. Other sedans like Accord, Mazda 6 all offers these safety features at least as options if not on top trim. Do look for others if this is important for you.
  Overall if you are looking for a non-BBA and near luxury European sedan, 2016 CC is a good choice if you can nail down some discounts to bring the price below $30K mark, or wait for the 2017 redesign, as Im sure MQB and 1.8T should do better job.

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  Great Car...but its like an iPhone - 2012 Volkswagen Golf
  By volvogirl5 - April 1 - 12:41 pm

  I was torn between a Golf and the Ford Focus. Ultimately, the interior detail and materials sold me on the Golf. It looks like an Audi on the inside (especially at night!). My cloth seats are comfortable and ergonomically correct. I can fit 4 adults in the car without it feeling cramped. Currently getting approx 315 miles per tank. Its really a quality vehicle. The only downside is that my service light has come twice in the past year that Ive owned it. The computer on the vehicle needed an update. Although the updates are free at VW, its time consuming and annoying. Service guy told me its like owning an iphone and theres no warning when you might get the light.

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  2000 Jetta: Great car albeit problems - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mbez - April 1 - 11:50 am

  I bought the car in August 1999 (early). I had an initial problem at 5K: relay burnt, check engine light came on. No problems until 30,000 miles. Check engine light came on 3 more times within 2 months. It was very frustrating to go to the dealer, wait 3-4 hrs, drive the car out, and the next day, the damn "check engine light" comes back on again. VW basically replaced the O2 sensor, a fuel pump relay, and the mass airflow sensor. Parts failures, parts failures, parts failures...

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  Make Road Trippen Enjoyable - 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By CTMinSEA - April 1 - 10:00 am

  Picked up our 03 MV a few months ago and love the car. I had owned a Vanagon for several years so I was already biased to the EV. Came from a Subaru Outback and needed a hauler to replace it and balance out the sport factor in our household auto collection (00 Boxster). Honestly, some day I prefer rolling out of the house in the EV over the Boxster. Its a fantastic car even though, arguable over priced with what one would buy alternative manufacturers. Then again, I didnt want a mini van, baby hauler, etc!

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  The Best - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jvfan - April 1 - 10:00 am

  This wagon is simple the best when it come to german engineering and is the perfect sub for those who are not wanting to buy a mini van.

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  monster fun - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By amnesia - April 1 - 10:00 am

  Handles like a sedan, precise steering, and great power. Drives better than an X5 - love the 4-wheel drive and diff locks; most luxurious interior for the buck. Too much steering wheel real estate taken up by 4 cruise control buttons that are rarely used. Owners manual is poor: some things are at odds with reality and the index is about as useful as LA freeway signs. Few accessories available yet.

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  first year in jetta gls tdi - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By v-men - April 1 - 10:00 am

  no problems with jetta since purchase!