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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  VW Problems - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vwjasonr - May 29 - 3:53 pm

  When I purchased my 2001 Volkswagen Jetta GLX VR6 it was fun to drive. Then I noticed I was not getting the fuel milage as advertised. I always had schedualed matenance done on this vehicle, but once one thing happend it was a domino effect. From O2 sensors to the transmission sliping, needing a new fuel pump and injector, this car has been a nightmare. The check engine light remains on, even after the work I did to it. The traction control and EPC lights wont disapear either. I only get 16 mpg. I might as well drive an SUV. I talk to people all of the time with this vehicle and they have similar problems.

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  Mixed Feelings - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By JPel - May 25 - 2:00 am

  This is the first car I ever purchased. I am a first year college student, so the 19 grand I dropped on my new GTI was a lot. I loved it until everything started to go wrong. I have had water in my brake lines (which froze so I could not stop or shift), a broken fuel pump, broken ABS module, broken window mechanism, broken clutch cable, broken dome light switch, and a problem with the door locks. I will never buy another VW unless the company restores my faith in a serious way.

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  I wanted to love it! - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By patriciagilson - May 21 - 2:37 pm

  I bought this car and it was my dream car. I was really sad when teh leather seats started to rip, when I am a gentle driver and dont weigh a lot or do anything to wear them down. The headlights die, no joke, every six months and are expensive and a pain in the booty to fix yourself. The airbag light is on, the gas cap light goes on and off for no reason while I drive. I am at 100k miles and my check engine light came on. I took it to an auto part store to diagnose it and it ran FIFTEEN codes. my o2 senor and lots of misfires and leaks and when I chenged my oil it came out lumpy, even though i change it on time EVERY time. To be fair it has never broke down on me, but parts are expensive.

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  Great Design, Bad Quality - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By SkipG - May 20 - 10:00 am

  The car looks great - inside and out, but it feels cheap. After 7k the window broke (supposedly fixed in this model year). After 10k the dash board started rattling. In General, the car does not handle or perform well. I long for my old celica.

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  Money!!!!!!!!!!!! - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By age - May 15 - 2:46 am

  I bought this car brand new and I havent even paid for the whole thing and already without maint. I have spent $7,000 on repairs. I drive 3 miles each way. My back window has stop working after 2 years and they told me $1,000. It wasnt covered under warranty. All I want to say is think about it first.

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  Too Many Things Go Wrong - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By S.Mac - May 7 - 2:00 am

  First of all - Dont ever lose your keys. They cost $160 to replace. Secondly, be ready to have the "Check Engine" light come on from time to time. The problem may be nothing, but it could also be serious. Even the dealer making my "diagnostic" appointment said, "Oh yea, that light comes on all the time!" VW has a low reliability, but is fun to drive - a paradox! Is a gas hog.

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  Wouldnt buy it again - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ssettl2 - May 6 - 8:43 pm

  After owning the car for 3 years, I can safely say I wont buy another VW. Ever since it was new, it sounds like a diesel for about 30 seconds when it starts. Very loud, dealer said its normal. Now with only 30k on it, I am replacing the rear PADS AND ROTORS ($400+) for the second time! My Toyota has over 65K and havent touched the brakes on it!! The Jetta also has a lot of road noise. While it does drive and handle well and is comfortable, overall I would say I am disappointed in the quality and dont expect it to hold up as long as it should for what I paid.

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  Careful - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By ks2227 - May 4 - 2:00 am

  I purchased a 2001 GLX 5 speed and it gave me nothing but troubles, if you want a car that will be in the dealership more that you will be driving then purchase this car. I had it for only 5 months and got fed up with all of the electrical problems and the fact the VW does nothing to help correct the issue that I got rid of it. The car was great when it worked but I have heard too many stories about the Cabrio not running the way it should.

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  Fooled Three Times - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Boogalosi - May 4 - 2:00 am

  I owned a VW Scirocco back in the early 90s and it was an unbelievable piece of $#%@. Literally, every three months it had to go in the shop. Several years later I thought I would give VW another chance and bought a Jetta. I thought the Scirocco was a piece of $#$%. This car made the Scirocco look reliable. I told myself I would never buy VW again. Well my daughter last year kept bugging and bugging me to buy her a Passat. Jeeze, I didnt think it was possible but this car was worse than my first two VWs. Ive only owned three VWs in my life and they were ALL terrible. Please take my advice...DO NOT BUY ONE!

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  Fun, but huge waste of money! Listed Repairs. - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By karmann11 - April 30 - 6:18 pm

  The car is fun to drive, AWD 4motion is amazing, and it does deliver fantastic MPG vs other models released the same year. Heres the issue. Read all other reviews, Its a maintenance lemon! Below Ive listed the problems occurred after owning my car for 3 years (2009 - 2012, 54k - 96k miles) 1) Timing belt replaced - $320 2) 2 Coil packs - $240 3) Oil sludge recall - covered fortunately 4) 3 CV boots - $750 5) Oil Cooler failure - $1,600 6) 2 front axles - $360 7) 2 Cylinder Oxygen Sensors - $400 8) Clutch - $800 9) Fuel pump - $800 10) 4 tires - $450 11) 4 brake pads, calipers, rotors - $600 Total repair costs = $6,320 not including routine oil change, tire balancing, etc: $400/year