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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  2010 Jetta TDI JSW DSG - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By martin - November 8 - 9:10 pm

  I bought this car in October. Its my first diesel. The ride is smooth, handing excellent and the interior is very upscale. Between the Ipod Interface, Touchscreen Satelite Radio, 6 CD changer, SD card slot and am/fm radio there is plenty to keep you occupied on long trips. The car is "green" almost no diesel clatter and the DSG shifts like a true manual in Sport Mode. Mileage has been as high as 48.3 on the highway and about 30 mpg in down and dirty local driving. The cargo capacity at 67 cu. ft. is almost as much as the Suby Outback Wagon which is almost a foot longer. The gas mileage is significantly better as I am convinced I can get 50mpg when the engine is broken in.

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  Over-priced, over-hyped - 2011 Volkswagen GTI
  By adr8 - November 7 - 7:02 pm

  BAD turbo lag, LONG delay on multiple downshifts with DSG, poor lateral support from standard seats, small gas tank, audio interface is full of bugs (my car has been in 4 times already; it ate my cds & the dealer couldnt extract them), iPod interface is horrible & slow. Passenger door alignment was poor. Lots of creaks from the body as you drive. If youre a halfway serious driver, avoid this car; at least get the stick-shift. The DSG will will leave you for dead in any "competitive" situation. It doesnt even get good mileage. I get 13.9mpg in combined city/highway driving with a somewhat leaden foot. I do really like the cars exterior and interior design and its good quality materials.

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  Horrible Reliability - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By upchuda - November 7 - 2:26 am

  I bought this car used from Osborne Automotive in Lakewood, CO. This is the worst car I have ever owned. The parts are all plastic, and I have pretty much replaced every part of the engine, including the water pumps. Once the car reached 120,000 miles, the transmission went out and I was quoted between $4,600 - $6,100 to replace it with a refurbished transmission. The car has just been sitting in my garage and I bought a Toyota Camry. Selling it for parts.

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  Waited Two Years... - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By Dr. Woo - November 6 - 3:40 pm

  In 2004 at the Paris Auto Salon, I sat in a first-run European-spec 2004 VW GTI in Candy White. The quality of the interior and exquisite attention to detail alone convinced me that I had to have one. Two years later, VWoA released it and I picked one up the second day I was back in the States in Tornado Red (as my German friend said, "the only color of the GTI"). The driving dynamics, build quality, and powerful 2.0TFSI engine all combine to make a magnificent driving experience. I have yet to suffer a single problem (knock on wood) with 5,500 miles. Im lucky to have a wonderful dealer in my area.

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  Good car, but too many annoying problems - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Tam - November 6 - 2:33 pm

  I leased this car a couple of years ago - it goes back in December. I love the styling, the interior room, and the comfort. (We call it our "van" because its so accomodating.) But there are a lot of little things I hate about it. I hate that to make the seats recline, you have to use a stiff knob rather than the usual lever. I hate that the windshield wipers are special ones you have to get at the dealership, which cost tons to replace, and are not nearly as good as I had in my Honda Civic. And the radio reception is poor. We havent had any mechanical problems with it, and its been a fine car to own. Just do some comparison shopping first!

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  New Beetle- Holds up well & Fun to Drive, but get a warranty - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By wizbang_fl - November 6 - 5:25 am

  Ive had my Beetle Convertible for over 4.5 years and have been overall happy with the car. It is a compact convertible. Dont expect a big trunk or having tall people in the back seat.

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  incredibly disappointing on reliability - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By klee - November 6 - 5:20 am

  When I first got the car, I loved it. Great sport suspension ride. Responsive. But then the problems started to happen withing a month of owning the car. Thus far, tire bearing replaced, camshaft replaced, fuel injector replaced, transmission value, spark plug replaced from carbon build up (always used premium fuel with cleaning addictives!), software reflashed multiple times, radio update for sound being muffled, oil burning and I can go on and on. This is on top of the multiple recall work. Where is the quality control?!!! Have yet another appointment to address more oil burning and car jerking from downshifting. Spent more time in service for this VW than all other cards I owned in past!

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  Long term review - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By Ray P - November 5 - 6:19 pm

  Not to get into my utter disgust with the TDI cheating scandal, my car had suffered a turbo failure at 36K like many others along with urea tank replacement at 70K. Other than the above issues the car was fairly decent. My only major issue that I have paid for dearly is related to poor ergonomics due to poor driver seat, misalignment with respect to steering as well as gas and brake pedals. These became obvious in time unfortunately after logging lots of miles. Another annoyance was the diminutive buttons and their location for cruise control especially for long commutes.

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  VW not worth it!!! - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By richard - November 5 - 1:46 pm

  I have a 2007 VW Jetta and I have to say that I have had the worst experience possible with this car. I have had the fan replaced with in the first year of purchase, rear rotters and brake pads replaced (only at 43,000 which cost $400). I have had electrical problems with the vehicle numerous times. Had to take it in for repair when the transmission started slipping out of gear. For some strange reason the tires had issues holding pressure even though VW said nothing was wrong... but yet the tire pressure light kept coming on. The dealership gave me a list of what they call normal maintenance for 43,000 miles. Here it is: Pollen Filter, Gas Filter, Spark Plugs ect.ect. $2,000 total! Hate car

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  Auotbahn Bunny - 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By roymich - November 5 - 12:53 pm

  This bunny is a fun and comfortable ride even at German autobahn speeds (+100mph). The bunny is just as roomy as my 03 Passat and easier to park in Europes tight parking garages. I had one rough start on a chilly morning (+5F), maybe that Knock sensor acting up, dont know for sure because it cleared itself up in a few seconds. I was soaked getting in once by water pooled on the roof, run-off made it too my arm and leg before I could close the door. Need to be mindful of passenger side rear blind spot.