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 car - 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf
  By Andrew Meister - May 2 - 4:35 pm

  Great car, which is only beat by Tesla’s Model 3.

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  Bye Bye Japanese - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By NO MO TOYO - May 2 - 3:20 pm

  Bought this New Passat three weeks ago and we are loving every mile, the power that comes from this 2.0T engine is just awesome, the ride is awesome the handeling is superb It stops on a dime and its acceleration is incredible. The interior is very well thought out, the back seat has more than enough room for even tall adults. Ive driven them all, Mercedes-Benz & BMW, and this new Passat has that German build quality without the price, Im sure the Japanese will copy it just like they copied the Jetta.

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  Former rag top driver - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By Robin - May 2 - 12:56 pm

  Ive always had a rag top. I love this car, best of both worlds. Looks like a transformer when the top goes down. Careful, this little car is very fast. Quiet inside. Hope this red convertible doesnt get me a speeding ticket.

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  great car - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By Gregg - May 2 - 8:56 am

  Just bought a Passat and loving it! Great handling, very responsive, totally impressed.

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  Good, Affordable Pocket Rocket - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By Mauricio Gomez Weiss - May 2 - 2:23 am

  I purchase my 1.8 turbo in June, until now I had to change the gasket (vw dealers in Canada kind of expensive),excellent power, handles incredibly, good acceleration. Downside part as all the comments,plastic glove box and central arm rest cover breaks easily and are expensive to replace unless you get used ones, rubbery cover on the armrest front door drivers side peels like when you are sunburned. Fuel consumption around 9.1 lt/100km could be better. Cargo space amazing (fit a 40" Sony LCD and 2 passengers plus the driver all comfortable). Its an affordable car with good power and decent fuel consumption (could be better though)

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  If only Id known - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Siera - May 1 - 5:46 am

  I bought the car from a not so reliable dealer unfortunately. The car worked well for about a month. The transmission has been on its way out since I bought it. Ive had to replace the fuel pump and other assorted things because it wouldnt start. Now its not starting again, two months after the last fiasco. This time its believed to be the ignition switch. The only way it stays on is to hold the key all the way over. I have been told by a VW specialist to get rid of it while I still can. Its been nothing but problems and now I have to look for a new car before a start college in a month. My boyfriends sister had one too and they told her it wasnt safe to drive anymore and to get rid of it.

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  We just love it. Traded in the old S500. - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By 10thgroup - April 30 - 5:40 pm

  We get 49.5 mpg in our Volkswagen Jetta TDI Sedan. We can go from CT ro FL on 2 tanks og gas! Going from a Mercedes-Benz S500 to the Jetta TDI is an extreme jump, but that is what my wife wanted and she is completely satisfyed.

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  A cut above the rest - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Wolfsburg Fan - April 30 - 1:13 pm

  Put simply, I am in heaven with this car. I have always wanted a fine German automobile but didnt want to pay the $30,000 plus price tag for a BMW so I settled for fine Japanese automobiles instead. First, this car is not in the same class as the Altima, Camry or Accord...it really is more in line with the Maxima and Avalon and should only be compared with those. If someone had taped over the VW emblem on the wheel and asked me to drive it without knowing what is was, I would have said Mercedes or Audi without a thought. This car is a class act, looks every inch a German sport sedan and handles like a truly fine European sedan. A loaded out 3.6 could go toe to toe with a BMW 5-Series. this car is awesome!

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  The Conundrum... - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Pete - April 29 - 8:13 pm

  about our 04 Touareg is that we love using it. The brakes are fantastic, it handles well for a 5,200 pounder, and it really moves. The transmission is amazing. The tire pressure sensor system irritates my wife, but we have a compressor in the garage and its very easy to keep the tires correctly inflated. An electrical glitch has left my wife stranded twice - a "fuse breaker" under the drivers seat near the battery. The dealer has tried, but we have the feeling that the technicians assigned to the Touareg are not properly trained. It took eight days to get the car back the first time the breaker failed; the car is at the dealer now, for five days so far, for the same problem a year+ later.

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  CC burns oil - 2013 Volkswagen CC
  By oldlawyer - April 29 - 7:18 pm

  I drive this car in rural and interstate highway conditions. Unlike some, I find it to be very powerful, and I think it handles very well though it is not a racing car. And it also provides excellent fuel economy. I would say that, after 21,000 miles, it has met all of my expectations while leaving me with one major disappointment: The CC burns oil. This is a quote from the owners manual: "Depending on the way the vehicle is driven and the operating conditions, oil consumption can be up to 1 quart per 1,200 miles (0.5•fiter per 1,000 km). Consumption may be higher for new vehicles during the first 3,000 mile.s (5,000 km)." I think this is absolutely no standard at all.