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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  An other week without my Touareg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Looking to Sell Toua - December 27 - 8:36 am

  I would not take this vehicle further than 10 miles from home because of reliability problems. Number of ignition coils, air bag, tire pressure, faulty gas cap, door locking problems, just to name a few. Last VW I will ever own!!

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  Dont Buy this Car or from Dorschel VW!! - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By DStens - December 24 - 2:00 am

  I have had nothing but problems w/ my 2000 V6 Passat. After a year of driving I had on and off Emission problems for a year...numerous O2 sensors replaced and finally the coil wire and a recall put an end to those. In total about 6 trips to the dealer for the repairs over a years time. This fall w/ 36K miles my timing belt and water pump fail resulting in a complete engine rebuild which took my dealer Dorschel VW of Rochester, NY 5 weeks to repair. Now 3 months later I have a coolant leak requiring the engine to be taken apart again to be diagnosed.

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  spend your hard-earned money elsewhere - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By bbdozer - December 23 - 10:00 am

  I couldnt be more disappointed in a car. Its been in the shop out of commission for a total of eight days in a two year period. In my previous ten years as a Nissan/Toyota owner, I was without a car a total of ZERO days! I regret my decision daily and am trying to sell as we speak.

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  Dream car turned money pit - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Krystyna - December 23 - 3:43 am

  I purchased this car new with 12 miles on it. The car ran great for the 1st 3 years. My problem 1st started with an o2 sensor that was replaced in the 1st year of ownership-and my cup holder was replaced twice and the 3rd one broke but was not covered by the warranty. My glove box handle also broke off not to mention the arm rest broke. Then in 04 the j-joint snapped and caused the steering to fail. 05 I had to replace a cracked oil pan. Then in 08 the radiator blew ($500.00). Then the timing belt fell off, smashed the power steering pumu and wrapped around the tension arm ($750.00 w/o a new $350.00 tension arm) Ive had 2 batteries, re-replaced the 02 sensor and today my car wont start.

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  Dissapointed - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Marc Comire - December 20 - 6:46 am

  When I first drove the car I fell in love with it and immediately bought it. The very responsive engine coupled with 18" performance tires made this car fun to drive. Just two months later and the clutch has way too much transmission feel and the gas consumption is not even close to the quoted technical specifications. Unless my dealer can solve the consumption issue I am estimating that this car will cost me $400-500 more per year than I should expect based on quoted estimates. In terms of the clutch, the feel has drastically changed from when I first took delivery. My dealer is claiming that it is operating normally. I hope this is not a sign of things to come.

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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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  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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  BAD PURCHASE - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By BAD PURCHASE - December 13 - 10:00 am

  In the shop every 2 months and the dealer can not even fix it. To replace the headlight one dealer quotes you $150 another $50 since you can not do this on your own. The engine seized 2 1/2 years after buying it and the dealer tried to make me pay for it even though I bought the extended warranty. Brought it in because the window wouldnt roll up and then the dealer broke the other window. Brought it in to do routine maintenance and told them dont touch the breaks. When left dealer brakes squeeked. You get the picture. I can go on and on and on.....................

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  Debt. - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By savannahb - December 11 - 7:35 am

  We bought this car as a first car, and at first, it was great... Until about two months later when we spent $1200 on engine, heating, and oil repairs. (Mind you, $1200 is a little less than half of what we paid for it.) Then the buggy worked fine until the window rolled down and wouldnt roll back up... And the tail light bulb burst... And the battery kept dying. If I had the choice, Id sell it to my now-well-known VW repair man for spare parts and buy a RELIABLE car.

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  Think twice about the Touareg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By LDH - December 7 - 10:00 am

  We bought the VW T, 8c, primarily looking for an SUV with the weight benefit for tax purposes (greater than 6k lbs.) The Touareg is great fun to drive, but the problems we have had with it, to date (9 months) have been RIDICULOUS. Started from day 1, when things were broken after getting back from the dealership. 3 different recall issues having to visit the service dealership. Dozens of little things, that are annoying and need to be fixed with service visits. Id advise against the Touareg at least until the 2005 model year... too many things wrong with the first model year here in the US. memo to VW.. work on service if you want to compete