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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  FUNCAR TO DRIVE! - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By madmbutterfli - March 21 - 10:00 am

  I DROVE A suv FOR 12 YEARS AND WASNT SURE IF I WANTED A CAR, TO LOW TO THE GROUND. THE 5 SPEED PASSAT WAS THE FIRST CAR I DROVE AND NOTHING ELSE IN THIS BRACKET COULD COMPARE. AUTOMATICS WERE TO BORING. THIS CAR DRIVES LIKE A SPORTS CAR WITHOUT PAYING THE INSURANCE ON ONE! COMFORT,RELIABILITY, SAFTY AND FUN TO DRIVE, WHAT MORE COULD A PERSON NEED.

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  Fun, dependable car - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By Seamaster - March 21 - 10:00 am

  I am retired and enjoy taking road trips on back roads. The car handles very well and helps make my trips fun. This is the 6th TDI that I have had and I have had no problems with any of them. I do not even look at other models when I go to buy a new car!

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  Buy It - 2004 Volkswagen Golf
  By Maxwell the dog. - March 21 - 10:00 am

  I have 83000 miles on my TDI Golf - I am original owner and put all mileage on it myself. I average 46 miles per gallon - 52 if cruise is set on 72 for 3 hour+ drives! Extremely comfortable, fun to drive, reliable, - still in love with the car after 80K miles - thats a feat for me! Love the car - what else can I say.

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  ok - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By traniman - March 21 - 10:00 am

  Hard to read overhead info center

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  Passat review - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By Truman Todd - March 21 - 10:00 am

  The original warranty was for 2 years or 24000 miles.The extended warranty was for 10 years or 100000 miles. I had engine trouble couvered by the extended warranty. The fuel injectors were changed per a service bulletin as was a gas cap grounding problem. I had to change the battery Dec 2003. In June of 2004 the battery again had to be changed. Though covered by the dealer it really wasted my time. Changing the original battery cost me 215.00 because the dealership said they had to reprogram certain electronic features.I later found out that my model does not need reprogramming when the battery is removed. Over all this car is fun to drive but it suffers from to many mechanical problems.

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  Problems with VW of America - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Nothappy2 - March 21 - 10:00 am

  The vehicle has lots of minor issues that can not be fixed by dealership. VW of America policy is to review all work done under warranty. Dealership will not fix lots of little items under warranty because they are afraid that once information is sent to VW, VW of America will evaluate items as not being necessary. In other words, VW of America will not fix items. They deem items to be functional within their parimeters. Calls to VW go unanswered. Car has been in shop for more than 15 days. In addition, maintenance policy for 4 years is very limited. Lots of exceptions.

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  good car bad service - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By victorIA - March 21 - 10:00 am

  i was very happy the day a got my volks it was a fun car to drive. LOTS of POWER.HOWEVER, those days are gone.I spent more time in the dealership than i could ever think possible.Volks folks should update their service to match with the $50k-$90k cars they sell.They should learn from lexus and acura (my wifes cars what customer service mean, not to mention RELIABILITY.I almost never get a loaner car, and when i do its a rundown non automatic jetta.

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  my jetta - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By cait - March 21 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely love my jetta. It might be a little mor expensive than some cars out there but it is well worth it. I havent had any trouble with it at all. One really neat thing about it is i can put my key in my door to lock it and it will close my windows and sunroof for me. It has the most comfortable car seats i have ever sat in.

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  toms review - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tom yost - March 21 - 10:00 am

  Very broard power band, feels like you are driving a small v-8 engine. Handling is excellent,very tight and road noise free interior. VW has thought of everything on this one and built the quality with it. Shifting is velvet smooth and clunk free on the 5 speed the transmission complements the turbo very well. Love the car.

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  everybodys lookin - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By A Craig - March 21 - 10:00 am

  I have had VW bugs, both sedans and conv. over the years- a. 56 bug b. 62 bug c. 64 bug conv. d. 71 Ghia conv. e. 78 Super bug conv. I just wanted another, never had a new one; but this time I wanted lots of features and comfort with thew VW bug aura. Everyone in the the whole neighborhood wanted rides in it- they still do! Great fun! Great feeling!