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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  Remapped - 2006 Volkswagen EOS
  By GRy - March 20 - 11:10 am

  Hi I recently had my eos 2006 2.0 petrol remapped, blimey it goes fast , 240 hp and 361 toque it’s flyes and leaves most cars behind well worth getting done

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  2019 Tiguan - Quite a Lemon, Steer Clear - 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By SEM - October 21 - 4:58 pm

  Ou5 2019 Tiguan has been in for 5 major repairs in 26 months and has under 21K miles. Two oil leaks, one broken sensor, complete transmission replacement which stranded us out of state for a week waiting for the fix and an ungrounded wire that drained the electrical system and caused the car to die in traffic. We are getting rid of this car before it gets us killed. Do not recommend this vehicle

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  Loved My Rabbit! - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Chandler M. - March 14 - 1:03 pm

  I bought a 2006 VW Rabbit with 63k miles in 2016 after immediately falling in love on a test drive. This car is so fun to drive; it’s fast, maneuvers effortlessly due to its size, handles smoothly, and gets decent gas mileage even when driving like a race car. I live in a snowy state and in spite of being a relatively light vehicle, it handled amazingly well in inclement weather - I always felt safe if I had to drive in a snowstorm. I was also impressed with the durability when hit by a semi on the freeway and the car only suffered minor dents in the doors. It’s a car that was built to last. The interior is surprisingly spacious and bright. The exterior is sleek and sexy. I did have various mechanical issues over the years, including a check engine light that never once went away despite dumping thousands into the vehicle, the heat/AC failing, and the latch on the hatchback failing. Now in 2021, I’m unfortunately shopping for a new vehicle as the front driver side suspension unexpectedly failed and repair costs aren’t worth it. As sad as I am to part with it, I got about 120,000 miles out of my Rabbit and loved it every single time I got in the car.

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  Volkswagen Jetta - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By john smith - December 30 - 3:42 am

  Im a man of few words. So I would love to say Volkswagen Jetta (2011) is the best car I ever used.

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  I love this car! - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By I love this car - December 29 - 11:23 pm

  This car is fun, fun, fun! I have only had it a week and I cant remember loving any car this much. After purchasing my new Eos I left the dealer with the top down (of course!). I only got about five miles before some guy drove up and yelled, "Nice car!" to me. My daughter is seriously impressed and she has a new BMW 3 series!

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  Nice car - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By Severiano Rosales - December 29 - 2:00 am

  I really love this car

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  It is not your fathers VW - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Soon Reach - December 29 - 2:00 am

  I purchased a 1998 Beetle only to have BIG problems with it. By 50,000 miles I had replace 4 headlights, 6 driving lights a brake handle, 5 window switches, 5 inside door handles, 3 radios and a set of brakes and rotors. Then the trouble really started. Two radiator fans, engine fuse box, air conditioner conpresser, computer and more. So, I figured it was just the first year of production, surely they worked out the bugs! NOPE! I got a 2000 Beetle and still had the minor problems plus a new clutch at 30,000 miles.

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  The V8 Rag - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By GTC2230 - December 29 - 2:00 am

  Excellent ride, excellent comfort, superb handling, quiet, good stereo, my V8 loves to gulp premium fuel

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  TMPs Touareg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By tmpfilemgt - December 29 - 2:00 am

  I love this SUV. I have had a jeep and a QX4. The Touareg handles like a jeep, rides like a sedan and had no road noise as did the QX4. It is comfortable.

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  New Owner - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Kalliopi - December 29 - 2:00 am

  Only having the car a week I can only tell you that it has been A BLAST