Among their many Hits, Volkswagen has had some Misses
You can't have success without learning from past mistakes. Volkswagen, one of the world's largest and popular automobile manufacturers, is a true testament of this. While some of their cars have become iconic -- like the Beetle -- some have fallen short of expectations. Rocco's European Garage in Atlanta, Georgia, discusses some of the manufacturer's misses.
- 2015 Beetle: This model is mired in eco-scandal since the supposedly clean diesel engine was not so clean and it turns out the emissions tests were skewed.
- 2011-14 Routan: Trying to tap into the minivan trend, the Routan was merely an expensive copy that provided no improvement on the already well-established minivan vehicles on the market.
- 2011 Jetta: The 2011 model compromised the integrity of the Jetta legacy in order to lower the sticker price. Jetta's from this year tend to have recurring interior repairs and generally less German engineering than was expected.
- 2018 Atlas: Again, Volkswagen tried to break the mold with the Atlas and corner the full-size SUV market. While the Atlas did have impressive safety and crash ratings, the countless teething issues eventually torpedoed this model.
- 2015-16 Golf SportWagen: This model did not live up to any of the standards for Volkswagen cars. The environmental impact was marred with the 2015 Beetle, the ride feels every imperfection on the road, and some drivers complained of the automatic transmission at lower speeds.
- 2010 Tiguan: Another model that experienced growing pains, the Tiguan has improved drastically by the time the second generation was released in 2016.
- 2010-17 CC: Few people remember this model, except for how poorly it drove and the cramped passenger area.
- 2013 Rabbit: Internationally, the Rabbit does very well, but it also suffered from the eco-scandal of emissions testing.
- 2011 Jetta SportWagen: This model offered a good transition for people starting families who would upgrade from a standard Jetta or smaller car. Unfortunately, some owners complained the cabin features would fault regularly.
- 2016 Touareg: Here Volkswagen attempts to break into the luxury, mid-size SUV market along with Audi and almost for the price of an Audi. When the Touareg was exposed in the diesel engine emission scandal, Volkswagen was suitably shamed, and their experiment didn't pay off.
These vehicles are outliers from the usually dependable and innovative models Volkswagen produces. At Rocco's European Garage, we understand that even car manufacturers aren't perfect, and we always love our Volkswagens. We also know that our customers love their Volkswagens, even those that made this list. We treat every vehicle that comes into our shop as if it were our own. If you have questions about your Volkswagen, or have questions about buying one, call our Atlanta shop to speak with a highly-trained technician today!