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 passat wagon - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By pug1 - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Great combo of a family car and sedan.

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  poor volkswagen jetta - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By allison - March 19 - 2:00 am

  good car until in accident - i was hurt badly , due to air bags failure to deploy. the car has been in three bad accidents air bags have never deployed

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  Fun and Classy - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By phxtalisman - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Love the 1.8 turbo motor tied to the 5 speed Tiptronic transmission. My Jetta is a fully loaded GLS with the sport and leather packages. Gas mileage was disappointing at first (20mpg), but now averages about 24-25 mpg since the car now has 12K miles on it.

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  proud beetle owner - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By pjrph - March 19 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely adore this little car. Not much rear room but perfect for one or two.

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  Solid Powertrain but Beware the ROAD Noise/build quality - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By mrtee52 - March 18 - 7:10 pm

  First diesel like others, can validate the fuel economy (init 2800 mi all tanks >40 MPG mixed highway-city). The experience is muted because the solid powertrain with insulation to quiet the cabin is drowned out by the unacceptable road noise coming from the inferior Hankook tires. I purchased an SEL premium as my 6th VW, just traded in a Passat Komfort and never had any road noise or issues with cabin comfort, delivered Michellin MXM The premium NAV/Fender/Bluetooth/Rear Camera is a joke. The bluetooth died on the third day of ownership during an extended road trip from NJ to GA. Rear Camera delay prevents viewing on backup. Seats lack effective lumbar pillow A bean counter delight.

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  Lemon - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By unhappy Jetta owner - March 18 - 6:10 pm

  I bought a new 2004 Volkswagen Jetta. Within the year I brought it back three times expressing my concern regarding the transmission. They told me thats the way it drives. Brought it back a few more times they told me nothing is wrong. Brought is t back again and they wouldnt even document it and said thats just the way the German cars drive. 11 months after the warranty is up they were able to find a the problem with the transmission but it now will coast me 1,500 or more to fix. Anyone experiencing this type of problem should contact the National Highway and traffic department if enough people are having a problem maybe they will do something about it.

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  Good basic car but - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Sam - March 18 - 3:43 pm

  Love the sound system Monsoon. Good ride and mileage. Paint job is suspect. I have many chips on front of car and have never experienced this with any cars dating back many years. Especially concerning since previous cars were subjected to gravel roads and this has never been on gravel or dirt roads. Transmission problems necessitated valve replacement which was covered under warranty.

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  I Love This Car! - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By TySawyer - March 18 - 2:40 pm

  I traded in my 04 Touareg for a loaded 07 Passat. Mostly because I drive so many miles a week it made more practical sense. I can honestly thank this car with my renewed love of driving! It is a drivers dream. Dont believe me? Go test drive one. As far as reliability, its too early to say. But, on every other aspect I am SOLD.

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  10 year review - 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By Plova - March 18 - 12:33 pm

  I have had this car for 10.5 years since new and still enjoy driving it. Just coming up to 70K so low mileage. I do almost all the work on my car so the maintenance is not bad. Repairs that have been needed to date are: coolant temp. sensor $30.00, MAF sensor ($190) and now just need to replace the O2 sensor ($76.00). New front end bushings need so installed new front control arms and tie rod assembly with alignment ($1,000). Replaced original brakes at 32k(front) and 34K (rear) and now have about 10K left on 2nd set so have drilled Zimmermann brakes and EBC pads to go on. Tune up easy to do. Most important service is to change transmission fluid per service manual

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  VW Passat GLX Wagon - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Lyman - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Around town and intstate use is very comfortable. Use it to tow a Kit car and handles it well. Power is more than adequate even with the A/C running all the time. Long interstate trips of more than 800 miles per day I did not get tired and had fun driving the car. Adequate room for all lugage and wifes wheel chair.