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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  Wow fun in this pocket rocket! - 2009 Volkswagen GTI
  By Larry Orischak - March 13 - 2:26 am

  I love this car! I looked at everything in its class and just kept coming back to it! Have had for a year and it is still fantastic experience! Handling is superb and gas mileage is a real surprise and no On highway crossing Utah had cruise control set at 82mph and was getting 27 miles per gal. Around town 32 miles per gal.plus. Pick up is terrific and blows me away! and handling is tight and responsive! Seats are excellent for quick turns and no problems on long trips. Space in back is probably bigger than anything in its class. Dash and controls are easy to read and to control. I have had some great cars in my 45 years of driving but this is the most fun yet! Love driving it!

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  Love My Passat - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Gloria Val Verde - March 12 - 10:00 am

  It has been a GREAT car....the smoothest riding car Ive had the pleasure to own.

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  Unique and $ Pocket Friendly - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dezel - March 12 - 10:00 am

  I like this car, it attracts attn cause its a diesel and people are suprised. I put in some extra features and it almost looks like a Lexus IS300. With the proper care you have a car that will lasts you 300k miles easily.

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  great - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By spilly2 - March 12 - 10:00 am

  Cup holders suck. Great car if you dont like to spend money. Low Deprecation. Nothing for Fuel. Dont like going to the gas station 550 miles pr tank.

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  Watch for the LEMONs... - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By pipeline - March 12 - 10:00 am

  To be honest, I have mixed feelings about the car. Its great fun to drive, but, today, I ended my lease on the car; it was in the shop 36 days from Sept 18th, 2002 to March 18th, 2003!!! I am going to the much more reliable TDI 1.9L Golf. I hope I am making the right choice. Oh, and for those of you looking to buy a GTI, beware! My car insurance TRIPLED after getting the GTI (I had a Mazda 626 before the GTI and I have a completely clean record!!!)

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  great package - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By greg_m - March 12 - 10:00 am

  The car is easy to drive: it cruises to the grocery store with Clark Kent modesty but will also roar through the gears, shaming other vehicles with astounding low-end power, smooth high rpm shifting, and assertive turbo boost. Also brilliant in the rain, with excellent wipers all around and top notch defogger and heated mirrors, and it is blissful in the sun with the roof open. The seats are superb, and the cabin exudes quality and forethought. The GTI is a true automobile in world too cluttered with mere cars.

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  Cool car... - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By Brad Powell - March 12 - 10:00 am

  Bought the car a couple of months ago, so far has proven to be an excellent decision. This is a fast, tight, and reasonably priced car. European design, engineering, make a huge difference with similarly priced Japanese competitors, which have gotten over the years soo boring (they all look the same to me). Fuel economy is good, especially given the fun provided by the mighty 1.8 T. None of the quality concerns in prior reviews have cropped up.

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  A lot of fun for your money - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Passat convert - March 12 - 10:00 am

  My wie and I have had this car for 3 years with no problems and a lot of fun. It is a great long distance traveller, very comfortable, plus its very quick when you need it (merging in NJ ridiculous traffic, fighting your way through NYC). Car does not handle cold morning (anything below 0 degrees F) startups well -- you have to coax it a bit in the deep winter. It handles like a dream -- I can tell you, as a former Ferrari owner, well, no, its not a Ferrari, but the 6 cyl GLS version is very agile for a sedan.

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  Whats with the noise - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By CantHearMyselfThink - March 12 - 10:00 am

  I love the way it looks and that is just about all the compliments I can give my Jetta. The car is held together by plastic and crazy glue. Every little bump and it feels like the car will fall apart. The biggest complaint is how unbelievable loud this car is. There are two types of noises (1)the very loud roar of the engine and (2)this weird screeching sound that comes and goes. I actually have to turn my radio up very loud in order to drown out the noise of my car.

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  My jetta wagon - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By rasool - March 12 - 10:00 am

  The car is joy to drive.Great handling,braking(though ABS cylinder has a manufactuer defact that fails in first hard braking).Good warranty coverage and company that care about its image,will respond to your complain right away.Overall, proud to own this car.