The Top 10 Worst Volkswagen Vehicles

Maybe it’s the success of beetles, a car with a mind of its own that gave an impression that Volkswagens have a soul, and it’s not to be reckoned with. Whatever the case may be, the beetle left a remarkable impression in the automotive industry.

However, this brand isn’t free from gaffes and have had a couple of bad Volkswagens. Let’s look at the list of the top 10 worst Volkswagen vehicles ever made;

Table of Contents

• 2006 Jetta
• 2002 Passat Model
• 2006 Passat Model
• 2003 Jetta Model
• Volkswagen Golf (Mk. IV)
• 2003 Passat
• The Derby
• The Phaeton
• The New Beetle
• The Golf MkII

2006 Jetta

The 2006-2008 VW Jetta with a 2.0L turbo engine is unarguably a non-conventional “Dual Mass” fly wheel. It’s known to make funny rattling noise from the transmission when the engine is shut down.

The problem associated with this vehicle is one too many, from the water pump, to oil leakage, to reverse gear failure and others. The most troublesome grounds locations in this VW is on the engine or under the battery.

2002 Passat Model

This car can be termed as “fancy looking cheap build.” When it was first introduced, it got a lot of attention due to its fancy look, but that’s basically everything there is to it.

The interior and exterior scratches easily on the surfaces consumes a lot of premium fuel, and it’s slow on its feet. It needs alignment most of the time.

2006 Passat Model

This VW Passat has one too many issues for a small vehicle. The minor issue that ordinarily shouldn’t happen to mileage usually occurs on it. Things like the pic valve make the car idle and rough.

It keeps repeating same old problem when replaced. The biggest issue with this car is the components around the timing belt.

They are all messed up that you have to keep making preventive maintenance so as to keep your engine in good condition.

2003 Jetta Model

The 2003 Jetta model isn’t just one of the worst German cars of all time; it’s one of the worst cars produced by VW.

The car had a very pitiful stroke engine which smoked like no other, always in need of oil every time the gas tank is filled. The fuel tank on this model sits over the top of the engine and gravity does most of its job.

Volkswagen Golf (Mk. IV)

This car is not entirely a bad vehicle, but it and its counterparts from the same era were so unreliable and unattractive they continue to haunt Volkswagen to this very day.

All Volkswagen wants is to be seen as a major brand in the U.S., and to freely compete closely in terms of sales with Honda, Ford, Toyota, and Chevrolet.

They have even gone ahead and made most of their cars bigger, uninteresting and more unattractive in an attempt to attract U.S. customers.

But many of their prospective customers remember vividly the nightmares gotten from maintenance of their VW cars especially the ones from the late 1990s and 2000s.

They have greatly improved since then, no doubt. But the terribly produced vehicles still haunt them till today.

2003 Passat

This spot really should go to any of the DaimlerChrysler-era of Volkwagens failures but it will go to the VW 2003 Passat coupe. It was VW’s failed attempt at selling a cheap hatchback coupe to America.

It is undoubtedly one of the least friendly vehicles on Earth, not to mention that it looks and feel less attractive. It wasn’t exactly the most reliable thing to come from VW.

The Derby

While Volkswagen is also known for making quality vehicles, there are also a couple of crazy ones and the Derby, which came into lime light in the late 1970s, fits this definition perfectly.

The VW Derby is about the size of a Metro but with a tiny boot on the back that made it look more like a stupid small saloon. This must have been made with the intention of appealing to people who’s already planning retirement.

The Phaeton

There are other cars that VW does very well. Like, designing premium class machines. However, vehicles like the Phaeton turned out to be a real struggle for Volkswagen.

This is not because they are bad at producing them, it is more like not been able ever to compete with the likes of the Mercedes or BMW.

VW Phaeton is typically referred to as a “classic lemon”, although it’s also a decent piece of technology. The Phaeton is like an anti-capitalist limo but, unfortunately, the idea did not really work outside of the shores Germany.

The New Beetle

The new beetle, as it came into the scene, went ahead to cement the Beetle’s reputation and it was referred to as “a girl’s car.” This is something VW has been trying to repair by designing a masculine style vehicle with the current-gen Beetle.

While the new Beetle is cool, it’s clearly an averagely engineered machine, and it misses the mark in a number of ways. It has an inexpensive, plastic look and feels about it; the design is kind of weird and not so appealing. Its low sales confirmed it’s spot on the list.

The Golf MkII

The MKll Golf was designed for those with the craze for the hatchbacks when it came onto the scene in 70s; it was received with mixed feelings. With an unimpressive look, the MKll takes the spot in the list of the worst Volkswagen vehicle ever made.