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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  2003 GLS 1.8T Triptronic - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Cards28 - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Lucky me, I bought a 2003 Jetta in Jan 2003 after all the problems in previous years were ironed out. Just over 6,000 miles and havent had one problem yet. Sometimes I feel like the other shoe is going to drop, though. I just dont like the turbo lag with the Triptronic. I understand that you can go back and forth with it but sometimes I dont have the feel of what gear Im in. At the time of purchase my wife didnt want another manual trans in the garage. I think the manual would be easier to drive because I would always know what gear Im in. Other than that, Im happy soooo far.

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  Great Car for a Long Commute - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By S. Taylor - December 30 - 10:00 am

  I was not expecting to buy the diesel when I arrived at the VW dealership. I wanted the 1.8 T. The fule economy of the diesel made me curious so I took it for a test drive. I was amazed! It had a lot more power than had expected, and did not seem any louder than the gas engine. I bought the diesel and have had absolutly no regrets. I would recomend this vehicle to any commuter.

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  My First Car - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By 1.8T Jettar - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Honestly, I like it much. But i dont feel the power of my 1.8T Engine yet :( need some mileage for brake-in. Overall, it is a nice car but I would like to have it to lower its price a bit. One more think I wanna tell, my front windshield get foggy easily.. :(

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  Very Good Car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By John - December 29 - 7:43 pm

  Ive had my Passat for three years, and for the most part, the car has held up wonderfully. Ive had a few electrical problems however. Ill focus on those. The headlights have burned out probably four different times, the relay switch for the turn signal broke once, ignition coils were replaced, the radio was replaced (for free, kept needing to be reactivated), and there was a check engine light problem, which has been fixed for some time now but caused a lot of frustration. One dealership couldnt solve the problem after 6 (yes, six) trips back and fourth for the same issue. Another dealership fixed it on their first attempt, so I dont blame the problem on VW.

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  Real Trooper - 2000 Volkswagen GTI
  By jon - December 29 - 3:46 pm

  Wonderful little car. Quick, agile, and the sound of the VR6 engine is just beautiful. Pretty solid; I ran it into a ditch pretty hard, tow truck pulled it out and I kept on driving it, ran brilliantly. Even after 150,000 miles it still feels far more solid than my grandmothers Ford Focus. Feels just as good doing 130 as it does 25. Not a head turner, but hey, its whats on the inside that counts.

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  GTi Heaven - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By Ted - December 29 - 3:13 am

  What a superb car! I have owned seven VWs and this one is the best ever! It delivers tremendous performance and handling. There is nothing out there that compares, especially at this price. Plus, VW only plans to sell 15,000 GTIs a year, so, it is a somewhat exclusive car as well. I smile every time I drive it and the deal with my dealer. Mine is a Black Package two car with leather and the 18" wheels - what a car!

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  As Expected - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Babbo - December 28 - 6:26 pm

  This is not a sexy car, but it offers good service and comfort at a very favorable value. "The Peoples Car"

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  Fun Car For the Price - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Bruce Arnold - December 28 - 10:00 am

  I waited for the new 2011 Jettas to come out because I Love the stylihng, mileage and comfort. The interior is simple and easy access to controls and the outside has very fine lines with good looks. It performes well for a 2.5, 150 hp. sedan of its weight. The power band is fairly smooth through out except the start of 3rd gear which has a slight pause under light load but works well on heavier acceleration. Miss the analog gas guage though I am getting use to the digital one. Even with drums on the rear it breaks just as smooth and even as my VW Rabbit did. The ride is very smooth and the handeling is exelant for a car its size. Also get a lot of looks from other VW Drivers, YEA!!!

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  Not as good as I expected - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By tacalin - December 28 - 5:13 am

  Bad points that I found up until now: Seats too rigid. In a trip Montreal – Toronto (about 500 Km) it is really difficult to be comfortable. Auto-volume control makes the lower frequency go very high if I brake. Making this option OFF solve the problem. Too much gas consumption in town, about 18.1 miles for a gallon, or 13 liters for 100 Km. On the highway, it was about 23.52 miles for a gallon, or 10 liters for 100 Km. - A constant difference of 5 Km/h between the speedometer and a GPS (at 55 real, it shows 50, at 125 it shows 120). The same GPS gadget was used on several Americans and Japanese cars and the error was about 1 Km/h, more or less.

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  Disappointed with 2003 VW Passat V6 AWD Wagon - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By pillar1 - December 28 - 1:43 am

  This review comes from a loyal VW owner, however, Ive been very disappointed with my 2003 VW Passat V6 AWD Wagon. It is a beautiful, comfortable car but its been in the shop way too much! My car has had the rotors replaced twice, a bad auto air conditioning fixed twice, and now a bad fuel pump. All of these problems are with a car with less than 35,000 miles. I was very pleased with my former cars a 95 VW Cabrio and 98 VW Passat, but I will look elsewhere for my next car.