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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  More than Expected - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By BAllen - November 24 - 10:00 am

  Still a "new" VW owner but am impressed so far. This car is solid, handles well and gives you a sense of being sporty yet practical. FUN TO DRIVE.

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  another great VW - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By 65kaefer - November 24 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Jetta Diesel in January, and love the peppy little thing! Ive driven 7,000 miles so far, getting about 45 mpg. The only reason I had to bring it back to the dealer was the sunroof wouldnt close and the drivers map light would not stay on. I got the stick shift thinking I need it for accelleration and fuel ecconomy. Its ackward to shift with the armrest down, and hard to reach the radio controls while in 3rd or 5th gear. Stick with the automatic! Theres plenty of head and leg room for my six foot frame. The stereo is great with cassette and CD, large buttons, and great sound.

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  Great car! - 2017 Volkswagen Jetta
  By AtK - November 24 - 5:41 am

  Solid, great car for the price

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  Puts FUN back into driving - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By WWW - November 22 - 12:16 pm

  Ive had my Jetta for two weeks now. After extensive research it was either the Jetta or Honda Accord. The Jetta won out and Im glad it did. This car is tight. Mine has no rattles or abnormal engine noises as another owner has mentioned. This car sticks to the road like none I personally have driven, except a Corvette. The black paint is 30% smoother than Hondas. Everything is in the proper place and all knobs and buttons function logically as you would expect. The fit and finish is first class. The engine is JUST RIGHT for this car. It has plenty of zip. The Jetta is so smooth on the highway that you find yourself easily doing 75 in a 55 zone and not realizing it. Overall, this is a very, very impressive and FUN TO DRIVE car!

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  Excellent Car - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Fiatfan - November 22 - 10:13 am

  We have owned our 2000 Passat Wagon with the 1.8T since new. Over the 6 years we have owned it, we have been very pleased. We had a minor problem with the aux. air pump and the MAF sensor, but VW replaced them for no charge. Also, the water pump became noisy about 1,000 miles ago and they replaced it also for no charge. Other than these minor problems, the car has been fantastic. I have recommended it to friends and relatives, and they have also had great success. So, dont listen to all these negative reviews. This is a roomy, comfortable, fuel efficient, fun car. Buy one!

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  So Under Rated - 2013 Volkswagen CC
  By carrao33 - November 22 - 5:27 am

  We have had our 13 Candy White CC for 5 months and 10,000 miles so far and we absolutely love it! It is our 2nd VW and is our favorite VW model. The 2013 refresh has made the CC much more attractive with dual xenon headlights that move as you turn the steering wheel and the tail lights are gorgeous at night! We have gotten so many compliments and seems as though most people are unfamiliar with the CC and it tends to exceed their expectations. The 2.0T is a peppy motor and with the APR stage 1 ECU tune it is a pretty quick car. Overall this car is a great bargain for all that you get.

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  firsttimeVdub - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By firsttimevdub - November 21 - 11:00 pm

  This is my first VW. Bought it used with 41K on it, and its now got 123k and still going strong. This car is probably the most under-rated vehicle Ive ever owned. Its super quick off the line, and even makes a nice cruiser on the highway. I drive quite a bit for work and have always had sufficient power I need to get around the freeways of Southern California. Its been a great car with no major issues. I feed it synthetic oil and 91 octane gas and it in turn, gets me where I need to go every single day. Im sorry to have to sell it and get a 4 door, but if youre looking for a great car and dont need room for say, a child seat, Id definitely check it out.

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  The real review on a jetta - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jarren1 - November 21 - 6:44 pm

  Germans use nothing but quality when it comes to their cars. VW are a well designed machine you have to do regular maintenance. I had my jetta for well over a year and a half No problems. I even went to basic and ait, the car sat for 8 mnths. got back jumped the battery and she was still in good condition. Oh and when it come to quality. They took the time have the mirrors self adjust when u put the car in reverse, a safe fail feature on ur windows if anything obstucts the window from going up. Not to mention i got stuck in the snow and no choce but to floor it at over 8,000 rpms for over 5 mins to get free. It makes me mad when someone talks down on a perfectly good car. The jetta is a Go.

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  Worst car I have ever owned - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By merry8 - November 21 - 3:55 pm

  Bought this car brand new off the lot, brakes squeeked from day 1, when I inquired with the dealer I was advised "all new cars brakes squeek". I took to an independent mechanic at 8k miles, the mechanic stated my brakes were completley failed, rusted. The mechanic told me the brakes were so bad I should stop driving asap, I had the car towed to the dealer. The dealer b.s.ed me and told me my brakes were fine, I believed them. They were not, at just over 12k miles, they were gone, dealer said brake warranty over at 12k, they strung me along until the warranty ran out. The dealer stated it was because i lived near the ocean, that is why my brakes failed!!Numerous other issues as well.

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  Pleasing Passat Performance... - 2014 Volkswagen Passat
  By djefferson - November 20 - 8:16 pm

  I needed and affordable sedan with good room for kids and extended family and looked at Accord,Mazda 6,Fusion and Passat. I also was shopping for a real discount beyond True-Car prices the decision was then left to 2 choices..Accord/Passat. I drove both Accord Sport/EX and Passat Wolfsburg/SE w/roof and noticed that the Passat was a bit quieter on the road and offered a nicer stereo Hwy ride than the Accord. I also has read about the CVT shudder and didnt want to have to deal that as a potential issue. When making a final decision I found VW was more aggressive with incentives of about $4000, rates of 0-1% and more for my trade..