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:

• 

  Incredible amount of car for the money - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By The Todd - January 17 - 8:13 pm

  It was time for a new car as the lease on my Accord was up. I cross shopped the Camry, Altima and another Accord but was simply blown away at the performance and value of the Passat. Even in the VE you get an incredibly responsive turbo engine, Tiptronic 6-speed auto transmission, 6 airbags, and a host of very cool features. The car is FAST, agile, and extremely fun to drive. This was by far the best bang for the buck and easily the most rewarding driving experience of the cars I considered.

• 

  Small Car Big Performance - 2009 Volkswagen GTI
  By Dave - January 17 - 4:33 pm

  OK I have owned my 09 GTI for one week and find it not only a sharp and comfortable but great performer or run it smartly to get great gas mileage. Mine has the six speed auto and I find the shift petals on the steering wheel not only a great location but fast response from the gear box. My GTI came loaded with leather seats Satellite radio and many more features which makes for a very comfortable ride

• 

  So Glad I Bought It - 2016 Volkswagen Golf
  By Jay - January 16 - 11:09 pm

  This little car is awesome. Its zippy and handles the road like a champ. Plenty of flexible cargo space. Great visibility, plenty of "get-up," fantastic turn radius, great for city driving also good on the highway. Very fun to drive, definitely the best small car Ive driven. I was hesitant to buy a brand new car, but this turned out to be well worth it. I often get over 40 mpg on the highway cruising at ~72/mph. In the city I get around 25 mpg so it is a little worse than my cheap old hyundai in the city, but vastly better. The cargo space is not as big as the Jetta but its more flexible and the car looks a lot cooler. If you are bored by the Civic or Elantra and have an extra ~ $3,000 go for this.

• 

  36 miles per gallon in the city - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Sam - January 16 - 9:36 am

  Ive never driven a diesel powered automobile before, but after a few months of driving my Passat TDI I have to say "I love it." Most if not all of the reviews I read before I purchased the car have been very accurate. Although Im paying a premium for diesel fuel ($2.20 per gal.) its nice to know Im averaging a little over 36 miles to the gallon (36.4 in the city). I cant think of anything bad to say about the car...the engine is a little bit louder in idle and not every gas station carries diesel fuel. Other than that...the car is wonderful!

• 

  Great Car Minor Problems - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By fralopez4636 - January 16 - 7:06 am

  I have owned this car since July of 2006. I am truly impressed with the DSG transmission and the 2.0T engine. This is the best engine transmission combination I have ever driven. I get 28 mpg combined. The acceleration is very good especially for passing in DSG Sport Mode. The ride and handling are also very Germanic which to me is good. I have had several problems with the car all of which have been fixed under warranty. The most severe problem was an engine misfire caused by bad ignition coils. The A/C compressor also gave out after 15K miles. I bought this car used with 9,000 miles on it for $19.8K and for that price this car is hands down the best car purchase I have ever made.

• 

  NEVER AGAIN!!! - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By JBoston - January 16 - 2:00 am

  I will never again owned a VW car, I had to replace all four tires before 25,000 miles and Breaks when I mostly drive on the car on the highway. Now i need to replace the Secondary air pump and the combi valves. This car is more of a headach than anything else. I am currently looking to get another car.

• 

  NEVER BUY ANOTHER VW - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By CMURDA - January 16 - 2:00 am

  I was so excited to buy a new vw, but that excitment faded quickly. The coils in the engine are defective. Volkswagen will only replace them as they crack so you are forced to send your car to the dealership everytime it breaks down. They do give you a rental but I had a rental for over 2 months because they had so many problems with other cars that the coils where on back order. This was not the service I was expecting from vw. I also had been complaining about my drivers side window having problems and they said there is another manufacture problem but they will not fix the problem untill the window actually breaks and slides down into the door.

• 

  Great Car for the Money - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By gibco - January 16 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car almost three years and have had very few problems with it. Most have been of the normal maintenance/wear and tear variety. It is well design and well built, though after nearly three years, it has developed so squeeks and rattles that are annoying. Still, its the best car you can buy for the money. Previously I had a 96 GL that was likewise trouble free and fun to drive.

• 

  survivor - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By whodafunk - January 16 - 2:00 am

  vw survived a pretty good broadside from a big old econoline. car needs lots of work, but, driver, me is still walking and wasnt squished like a bug in my beetle. i was a messenger/currier in this vehicle and drove it 12 hours a day, stop and go, harsh city driving, these cars are reliable and safe and fun.

• 

  Great for my little family - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By RobH - January 16 - 2:00 am

  It fits our needs. We defined them before we purchased a vehicle. We test drove the Japanese cars that are in the same price range & this car felt better on the road, we enjoyed the interior layout more. The only way to describe it is it felt more solid on the road than the other cars. The back seat in the vehicle is not really built for LARGE adults, but again it is just my wife our 2 year old and me. When we add a child in the future we still wont use all the space. We have not had mechanical problems with our Wagon. We have 10,000 miles on it. Best sporty wagon on the road for the price, plus we feel safe in it (great safety ratings.