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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  nothing but trouble - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By np - February 3 - 10:00 am

  In 2 yrs, Ive had it in the shop to repair a cup holder, center arm rest, remote entry, broken passenger window regulator, broken driver side window regulator, leaky door sealant, and emissions (5 times). Quality feel has been a mirage. Absolute disaster and will never buy a VW again. Large number of 2 yr jettas in the used lot should have been a clear signal.

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  Looks arent everything. - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By CCgirl - January 26 - 4:16 pm

  I bought this car simply cuz I loved the sleek shape. I also wanted a German car, but couldnt afford the luxury makes. Im still very happy with the car, two months after the purchase, but dont like a few things about it. The ride is bumpy (suspension too firm for my taste), wind noise is strong on windy days, maybe because the frameless windows dont seal very tightly. Seating is low like a sports car. I hear a few rattling sounds when driven over potholes. Brake pedal is soft. Transmission upshifts are seamless, but downshifts not as quick. Rear visibility while backing up is poor because of the high trunk and the angle of the back window, so camera option is a must.

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  Stay away - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By tim208 - January 26 - 10:10 am

  I work for a company with 24 vehicles of this Jetta model. We drive about 100 miles a day and most of the cars are now close to 100k miles. Two cars so far has been taken out of service due to costly repairs. I drove most of the cars and they all had the diesel injector problem before 35k miles which was covered by warranty ($9k estimate repair and a week at the shop) BUT a lot more problems will occur afterward including turbo replacement. I had to change the whole A/C kit twice (at 50k and 90k) the cost to repair is over $2k. The dealership was a great help but I would suggest to stay away. Oh, and you will change the front tires many times due to the vain spinning at take off

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  shoulda got the pt cruiser - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By sam spade - January 24 - 10:00 am

  when the roof is open it sits too high. it obstructs view of rear view mirror. when roof is closed there seems to be several clunks and rattles every time i go over a bump. the ignition key seems to be in a hard to reach position, makes it hard sometimes to get the key out. rear seat folds out which makes little sense. it should fold the other way to make more room for hauling. the little side doors that open for the roof to close and open seem to be awful flimsly to me.

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  Avoid like the plague - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Trevor - January 22 - 2:56 pm

  Bought this car brand new. Hands down the absolute worst car I have ever had. Had constant electrical problems (call would just cut out whenever) and of course brake problems. VW doesnt recommend the timing belt change until 105,000 miles. The engine went at 84,000 miles because the timing belt snapped. Needless to say, I was glad to sell this to a scrap yard and walk away with $1000 cash. I practically kissed the ground the day I parted ways with this junker. Never will I consider any VW product again.

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  Honeymoon over - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By oversold - January 22 - 2:00 am

  Former lease car, immaculate and spotless, purchased at 30k miles from very reputable dealer. Really placed my faith on Consumer Reports rave reviews. Loved it at first, fun to drive, solid. At 50k things start to come undone, brakes, front end rattles, transmission issues, I blow headlamps every 3 months (service guy said "yeah that is an issue with these cars") radio reception is horrible, I agree with other review, seems to be a screw- up....maybe it was built on a monday

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  taureg reliability very poor - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By andy hyman - January 20 - 10:00 am

  We purchased this vehicle because we wanted an excellent SUV for the hilly terrain of Southern Vermont. While it handles well in the flats, it is underpowered for steep hills and has had many many electrical problems. It is very complex and VW has not handled these issues well and the dealers do not have trained technicians to support the complex systems onboard. The tires were shot at 20,000 miles, the car spent many many days in the shop working out electrical problems. I reccomend that if you must have the Taureg, then buy the V8 as it has sufficient power and seems to have had less issues thn the six. I would not buy it again. The GPS does not perform well in back roads or off road.

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  Dont be fooled by imatations - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Joel - January 14 - 9:56 pm

  I bought this thinking it would be a good compromise to the $76,000 CLS price. Was I sadly mistaken. Dont get me wrong - it is a very fun car to drive around town but not very stable on the interstate. If you are in the market for a standard sedan , this is a great car to consider. However, if you are used to the BMW and Mercedes quality, dont be fooled by the flashy appearance. It still does not match their quality in detail. For the price of the fully loaded VR6, you could easily get into a nicely equipped BMW or Mercedes and be much more satisfied. I have traded my CC for a 2007 CLS and have no regrets on the decision. Only consider this if the 2.0 option is your choice.

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  Ill miss my VW - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Disappointed VW fan - January 13 - 8:46 pm

  I bought my VW used and I was okay with having to replace the clutch almost immediately as well as having a rod in the trunk snap which made the trunk impossible to use until I found a mechanic willing to weld the rod back together. But after 9 months of VW ownership, Im calling it quits. I love VWs and will look for them in the future, but definitely with more skeptical eyes. Besides the normal repairs and somewhat non-normal repairs, I had an air flow sensor malfunction, and needed to replace the throttle valve because my Passat was driving itself. 3 weeks after those repairs, I either get to replace the heater core, fix a radiator problem, and replace the oxygen sensor or call it quits.

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  Fun to drive, but not fun to own - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Robin M - January 6 - 10:00 am

  We bought our Jetta Trek new in 1997. Weve had three of the power windows go out (at 26,000, 30,000, and 34,000 miles), replaced the clutch twice, replaced the brakes three times, replaced the battery four times, replaced both our power front door locks, and now our alarm arms itself at random while we are driving the car. VW customer service also leaves much to be desired. I thought I would love this car, and to be fair it is fun to drive, but I will never buy another VW because of all the problems weve had with the car and customer service.