​       By Don Hammonds

I admit that I’m a great admirer of Volkswagens.

Anytime I was given one to drive, I’ve always immediately fell in love with them for their snappy, crisp handling, and strong acceleration.  They simply treats to pilot anywhere–and especially on highways.

But the Atlas, the company’s mid-sized SUV, is something else again.

It’s big, almost massive in how it presents itself.  It has tons of room inside and given its cargo space, rugged looks, and crisp handling, it’s …

Looking for a way to pull away from the crowd?

Try Volkswagen’s 2017 Volkswagen CCR-Line Executive with Carbon Sedan. with its presence, Audi-like ambiance, and brisk acceleration and plenty of value, you won’t be disappointed.

Ours had a base price of $37,820, with delivery costs, it totaled $38,685.

It has a 2.0 liter TSI DOHC Turbo, four cylinder direct injection engine. As is the case with just about all Volkswagens, expect the CC to deliver tight, responsive handling, strong braking, swift acceleration and just a …

By Don Hammonds

When it comes to compact SUVs, the word for today is “rugged.”

Thanks to the influence of Subaru’s hotter than hot Crosstrek, every car company seems to be adding some body cladding, raising ground clearance and installing new macho-looking interiors into one or models in their lineup.

Volkswagen is now getting into the act with its cool, sleek new Golf Alltrack,  which is based on the company’s Golf Sportwagen.

It shares some of the advantages of the Sportwagen–simple, intuitive controls, really …

By Don Hammonds

So-called pocket rockets are all the rage these days.

Ford Focus RS, Honda Civic Si, Subaru WRX STi, Volkswagen GTI and others mainly designed for overseas markets all have their own loyalists, enthusiasts and advocates.

But we at Automobile Journal had a chance to get behind the wheel of a car that you almost certainly don’t want to put in  your pocket, and as for rocket, well…we strongly suggest you hold on tight. And all those others better run for …

By Don Hammonds

The fun thing about Volkswagen’s Beetle is that it can be transformed into countless distinctive versions, each with its own personality.

This time around, some bold colors, striking interior features and some nifty exterior features have resulted in the 2016 Beetle Dune, a way cool version of the Beetle that looks as though it belongs somewhere out west on a vast desert.

What VW does is take a basic Beetle coupe, give  it coat of a gorgeous yellow gold color …

      By Don Hammonds

 Could the 2015 Volkswagen Passat 1.8 SE and its fellow versions of VW’s midsized sedan be the Bentleys of the family car segment?
Could be!
First, they are conservatively elegant. Second, they handle quite well, and are fast in a very subtle sort of way. And they are impeccably put together.  Sound like any  car you kjnow?  Bentleys, of course.
Now, we are not suggesting that the Passat is a good substitute purchase for the Bentley.
But we are saying that each …

By Don Hammonds

If I was to take  road trip back to my hometown under the Gateway Arch–St. Louis–I’d want the 2015 Volkswagen Jetta TDI SE as my four wheeled companion.

Why?  Phenomenal gas mileage. We’d hit the St. Louis riverfront with tons of gas to spare–from Pittsburgh, almost 600 miles behind us.  It’s an incredibly comfortable car with lots of room, so we would arrive there with the family intact with no battle scars from being too close together.

The Jetta TDI …

By Don Hammonds

If you haven’t heard by now, the 2015 Volkswagen Golf lineup has been selected as the 2015 Car of the Year by the widely respected Motor Trend Magazine. Of course, when anything or anyone is ranked at the top, detractors and competitors love to seize the chance to knock the winner off the pedestal. Well, if Volkswagen Golf’s competitors wish to mount an assault, they’d better prepare for a big fight. This newest Golf generation beats its competitors …

This year’s North American International Auto Show—also known as the Dtroit Auto Show-took a U turn away from hybrids and compact cars–and unveiled a slew of big cars, huge trucks and flashy sport car with blistering performance. Everyone from Ford and Buick——that’s Buick’s stunning concept car, the Avenir, just above– to Acura and Lexus unveiled products that represented a huge departure from the sorts of cars seen at the last few Detroit Auto Shows.

Just about the only brands introducing products that …

By Don Hammonds

The calendar says summer is well past the midpoint now, so if you want to get in some sun, better hurry!

Or you can wait for fall; we think that’s a much better time for top down driving.

And if you’re looking for a companion, look no further than the 2014 VW Beetle Convertible R-Line with Sound and Nav.  That’s a mouth full, we know.  But it won’t take you nearly as long to fall in love with the car.

 The …