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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  FUN car...but..... - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Irby - July 29 - 2:00 am

  Fun car to drive, has a lot of pep. but i will not be getting another Beetle. And after 2 years of ownership (we bought it brand new with hardly any miles on it) i am ready to give it up. mechanically it is sound...but for a 2 year old car lots of little things have gone wrong with it as soon as we drove it off the lot. The drivers side window we were told is a known problem with Beetles. Also al of the face plates on the interior are coming away and becoming loose. the rear hatch almost never releases on the 1st try...usually it takes 3-5 tries before it will release.

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  The Worst Car Ive Ever Purchased! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By sami3 - July 29 - 2:00 am

  I bought a 2002 VW Jetta with the Turbo engine. This is the worst car I have ever bought. It has broken down three times due to the coil pack, the turbo went out twice, I have had a bunch of electrical problems and my door would not close. All these problems have happened to a new 2002 car with 14K miles. Im starting the process of getting a Lemon law layer. I will NEVER buy a VW again!!!

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  A nice car and fun to drive. - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By AlphaAce83 - July 29 - 2:00 am

  The VW Jetta is a fun car to drive. It handels well in all road conditions. When the exstra power is needed, the car will give it to you w/o hesitation.

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  Bad Quality - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jetta2002 - July 29 - 2:00 am

  This is the first VW I have ever purchased. I purchased this car 4 months ago and since Ive had to have it serviced twice. First, after 2 months, the car had no power, it couldnt even go 20 mph. Second, the passenger window wouldnt go up. I would caution anyone looking to purchase a new Jetta to be aware that you will run into these problems.

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  The little stuff gets you - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By HIRBY - July 29 - 2:00 am

  This car is relaible and fun to drive. i bought this car in 2000, drove it brand new off the lot...within a week had it back to the dealership...a month later had it back to the dealship...2 months later had it back to the dealership....4 months later.....you get the picture. I am bummed because I have had the car for 2.5 years now and for the past 6 months I have wanted to get rid of it and get a new car...but I am stuck in a 4 year lease so must drive it for another 1.5 years.

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  Good, comfortable, fun car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By rarmor - July 29 - 2:00 am

  This car is alot of fun to drive. It handles very well while delivering a comfortable ride. The heated seats/mirrors are great now that winter has arrived. There is plenty of room and the interior is very well designed. I have only owned the car for 4 months but it feels very solid and well-built. The gas mileage is only average, however.

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  So nice, so fun, lokks so good - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By chrisk84 - July 29 - 1:03 am

  This is THE BEST CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. It is quick, comfortable, easily seats a family of five, and drives just as good as a Mercedes-Benz. My next car is certianly to be a VW. The warranty is excellent, my dealer has good follow up for services.

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  Best Buy!! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By avidfan4 - July 28 - 6:33 pm

  My husband and I traded in a 1996 Honda Accord for this car and I cannot think of a single complaint. It has a very smooth ride, gets excellent gas millage, and ours has so many wonderful features. We havent had to any maintenance besides oil changes. Its braking system can handle the slippery winter roads like a pro. It handles extremely well, I would be completely comfortable racing this car in a NASCAR setting. VWs are worth the money you spend for them, I dont think I will be getting another car until my kids go to college...and I dont even have kids yet!

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  Go test drive one yourself! - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By carloco1 - July 28 - 5:31 pm

  Yes, the 2.0 is under power, I wouldnt buy this car with the automatic. But with the manual transmission works fine. You can get this car to 70 or 80 mph with no problem. Actually, its pretty quiet at 75 mph. In order to pass other vehicles in the highway I have to put the car in 4th or 3rd gear. The Jetta is very roomy, I am six feet tall I can put the seat all the way back and my teenage sons fit in the back seats with out touching the back of my seat. I like this car better than my old 2001 BMW 325I. I am very with this car purchase, I just hope this car turns out to be reliable. I found out all the new Jetta come equipped with four wheel disk brake even thu the reviews say otherwise!

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  Fun to Drive! - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Igloo - July 28 - 3:56 pm

  I shopped around and drove everything. I compared the Mazda3, Chevy Cobalt SS, Honda Civic, Chrysler 300, Ford Fusion, Subaru Legacy...you name it. Finally, I tried the Rabbit. Its such a fun car to drive! The stereo is excellent. The handling is incredibly precise (you feel like you could drive around cones all day!), they offer you tons of features. It even has heated cloth seats and heated side mirrors! Plus it has A/C vents for the rear seats (very cool) and traction control! I am shocked that our new Rabbit (150hp) is even faster than out V6 Ford Escape (220hp V6). This is a huge improvement over the Golf. If youre considering a Mazda3 or a Civic, give this a try, you wont regret it!