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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  Love it - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By dy - December 19 - 10:00 am

  Bought as used after 3rd child. Went from pick-up to a very fun to drive car. Power is adequate and handles well. Hopefully, this car will hold up. So far so good after 10 months and 10k miles.

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  A happy bee outside but mad bug inside - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Billy Tam - December 19 - 10:00 am

  I own it for 2.5 years now. I wanna say so far most of the things are ran fine. I mean new car doesnt means no problems, but old car should be have some problems. So for my bug, while under warranty, it replaced fog beam light bulg, replaced rear brake pads at the 20k factory service, fixed the error on driver side window, and this is it. For the commute of 15 miles one way, it gets 24 miles a gallon city and freeway.

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  Rock solid! - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Thokas - December 19 - 10:00 am

  In the year and a month I have owned this car, its brought me nothing but smiles and enjoyment. The turbodiesel engine is smooth, quick, and rather quiet. The power comes on strong and keeps coming until redline. Its a great highway cruiser and long-distance traveller. Why go hybrid? Get a TDI! Its more fun!

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  Never buy a VW Beetle - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By naty4419 - December 19 - 4:26 am

  I purchased the Beetle as my very first new car! I loved the design, the color...but I had numerous problems with the car but I was not able to lemon law it. Do not waste your money on one. I ask Beetle owners what do they think about the car and the reply is always the same. They stink!

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  great car except for the window problems - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jomama68 - December 19 - 2:00 am

  car is nice and fast, im a big guy (64", 235) and i am pretty comfortable in it. the only problem was the multiple window clip failures but i havent had that happen for at least a year now. the only reason im considering getting rid of is for something bigger-family man now. now im spoiled the next car has to be able to go at least 125 also.

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  Keep a case of oil in the trunk - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jetta Oil Burner - December 19 - 2:00 am

  I love my Jetta, despite all the problems. It rides and drives like a much more expensive German car. My friend has an Audi and I fell I got the same car for thousands less.

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  Bursting the bubble - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By kestrel - December 19 - 2:00 am

  The Beetle is fun to drive and for the money delivers enjoyable performance. My complaints with the car lie in the maintenance problems that I seem to always have with it. Under warranty I had to replace a headlight, the emergency break lever, and the center console dash light. The last was not covered by warranty. After 30000 miles I have had to replace the cables that pop open the gas cover, the emergency break cables and one new tire, all of this in addition to routine maintenance. The aluminum spokes of the steering wheel show wear. Some of the rubberized plastic is pealing. The exterior paint started to chip and spider around the door pulls.

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  Electrical nightmare - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By bugdom - December 19 - 2:00 am

  Our Bug has driven well but constantly has warning indicators that go bad - first the airbag light and now the check engine light. The worst part is that every time the dealer fixed them, the problem recurred within 24 hours. Now we cannot pass the emissions testing simply because of this issue!

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  Its a Love Hate thing - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By LJ - December 18 - 4:50 pm

  This car was so much fun to drive, I looked forward to winding roads and long trips into the country. The later life expenses car become very costly which is why I finally traded it in. If I could have done the repairs myself I would still have the car. The timing belt every 60000 miles $600-800, brakes $1600, tires every 25000-30000 miles $500 clutch at VW $1500 and the final straw was the triple whammy of catalytic converter $1000, timing belt $800 and shocks $800. The parts that were defective VW repaired under Warranty, thank goodness. Window mechanism, rear window, first set of tires, the dealer refused to believe I went through the tires in 25000 miles..

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  Simply outstanding! - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Nateg - December 18 - 6:53 am

  I bought my rabbit on 28 Feb 08 and I now have 5,000 miles and its ready for its first oil change. In my opinion, VW didnt just change the badge name, but the entire car altogether. Ride is very comfortable. I could ride cross country and not feel stiff. The performance is just right and I feel like Im in a tank with its safety features. I plan on starting a family soon and I think the rabbit is our new baby carrier. :-) Fuel Economy isnt so wonderful(a 150 hp car should get at least 30-32 mpg not just 25 mpg). Im also getting some rattle right at the air vent above the radio on the dash and by the drivers side rear speaker.