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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  VW Money Pit - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ghostrider8 - November 29 - 1:34 pm

  VW was the vehicle that Hilter Commissioned to the designer of Posche to build. The original bugs were great reliable cars. VW has lost its way in quality & dealer service.If you buy one,get ready to open your wallet & let the money fly at the service dept. The Corporate attitude is the same as the dealer of where customer service is beyond poor.All the VWs today are build in MEXICO & the lack of quality shows it.Yes,it will last as long as you keep replacing parts.The turn-over rate of the service dept. is high compared to other dealers,Ford & GM service & quality has went through the roof in improvement & GM now has Dodge/Chrysler where quality has improved.This will be my last VW.

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  Good Speed - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By Steven Lau - November 29 - 10:00 am

  Beautiful car Ive loved VWs all my life even if some reviewers say its not that good its been a very good car to me and its the best car to fix and enjoy.

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  great car!!! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By renee - November 29 - 10:00 am

  This car is awesome. my mom just bought it and it gets great gas mileage.

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  Bad Choice - 2012 Volkswagen EOS
  By bryceba - November 28 - 6:35 pm

  I was dead set on getting a hard top, four seat convertible, and in my price range, there was only this and the Chrysler 200. Ive never owned a Chrysler and dont want to. So that left this. Within two weeks of picking up the brand new 2012, the leaks started. VW wont fix it because they "cant diganose it." The way they "diagnose" it is to run a three inch Home Depot shower head attached to a hose suspended a foot over the center of the top of the car. Turns out when it rains in Rochester, NY, it rains over the entire car, not just a three inch spot over the center. VW America is a nightmare of a company to deal with.

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  Great looking, reliable, fun to drive - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By yellow bug - November 28 - 12:20 pm

  although personally i think driving is the most boring thing a person can do, i actually enjoy driving my beetle. infact, its my second new beetle- the first one being a 2004 turbo-s.

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  Good but needs tweaks to get to great - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VW Fan - November 27 - 7:00 am

  Great car overall. I traded from a loaded 2009 Honda Fit. While the VWs ride is far superior, the Fits features were quite impressive too. To take the VW from good to great, the VW needs voice navigation and steering wheels mounted controls. It needs front fog lamps and the homelink. the $500 for the blue tooth seems pricey too. Otherwise, the TDI is quite amazing.

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  So disappointed I traded it in within a month - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By greyhounds3 - November 27 - 6:29 am

  I am a 4-time VW owner (Fox, old Jetta, new Jetta, Touareg), so I was eager for a reasonably priced wagon that gets great fuel economy. The vehicle was not fully explained to me at the dealership and I never would have bought it if it had been. The transmission is so incredibly jerky and when the car shifts gears, you actually jerk along with it. The brakes are so tight that they are shockingly sudden. I never had this before in my VWs. The seats are so uncomfortable that I feel like I am sitting on rocks, which could have been less expensive. I have needed to see a massage therapist and chiropractor due to these seats. I am petite-maybe someone taller can tolerate these seats.

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  Worst Vehicle Owned - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Kelly - November 27 - 4:30 am

  I drive about 40,000 miles per year, I thought I would get a lot of miles out of the TDI, I currently have 115,000 miles on it and I would never buy another VW Diesel. The maintenance costs are outrageous; timing belt, filters and special oil. I had to replace a head at 103,000 miles, cost $7,000, why, VW could not answer that. I suspect that they used the wrong oil on one of the changes. Make sure you read the maintenance manual about the oil, VW was the only one who serviced my engine, but who is to say they used the correct oil. Im sure the 2009s are similar. Replaced Belt and routine filters and maintenance @ 80,000 and that cost around $1500.

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  Great look. Poor workmanship. - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By rigosauce - November 27 - 3:51 am

  We liked that the Routon did not have the "typical" look of a minivan and being that my wife and I are relatively young, we thought we could drive it and not hurt our pride. It drives well and is rather comfortable especially if you have small children. the DVD system along with the inputs for my sons xbox were utilized to the max. we became disheartened when the van started to shake while braking. We took it ito the dealer and the front rotors were going out...at 20k miles! they fixed it but, 7k miles later, the shaking began-again.This time its the back rotors. We decided to trade in the van because we did not want to chance any more breakdowns in the future.

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  Value at a price!! - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By sckcivic06 - November 26 - 5:52 pm

  When I first set eyes on this vehicle I was sold. My SEL is 4 months old now and I wanted to get a real feel for her before writing this review. The exterior styling is much better this time around then the previous generation. It doesnt look cute, it looks cleaner and more Audi A4 like. VW gets a plus here. The ride is firm yet still has enough cushion to endure the NYC roads. The 2.5L has good low end torque when its needed for passing while the 6 speed auto handles the shifting solidly. The lay out of the interior has good fit and finish. The materials they used are on par with a Chevy Colbalt as cheap hard plastic. Rear seat room is more like a midsize and fits adults perfectly.