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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  I love my Jetta :) - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By sistert - July 17 - 10:00 am

  I have been thoroughly pleased with the performance of my Jetta and with the service I have received from the dealership. Although its not perfect, its a smooth ride, I feel very comfortable and safe, and theres plenty of room for passengers and in the trunk. My sales representative at the dealership was straight-forward and easy to work with- I got an excellent deal and he has been helpful in my follow-up phone calls with random questions.

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  Outstanding! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By By by Oldsmobiles!! - July 17 - 10:00 am

  I used to drive a piece of crap Oldsmobile Alero...and well you can probably guess why they are no longer in business. I will never buy another American car at least for awhile. I listened to a friends advice to get a VW (she drives the Golf and loves it) and what an excellent choice I made. The car looks and drives like a dream car. It is sleek and very modern looking. It is excellent on gas and drives well on the highways. I love it when peoples heads turn when they see my Jetta!

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  Great - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Michael Cheeks - July 17 - 10:00 am

  This car has alot of geat features for such a great bargain. It rides wonderful and gets great gas mileage. If I get the chance to get another one I intend to do so.

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  This car will turn you on - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By gettadub734 - July 16 - 3:26 pm

  I bought the car 6 months ago I love my VW, very fast, good gas mileage unless you use the turbo then the gas goes fast, been very reliable to me only thing is the turn signal on 1 side is out guess thats common, but beautiful car to look at and can throw you back in your seat. Mine has 165,000 and runs like new its unreal, but I run synthetic oil and 93 octane.

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  Holy AWESOME!!! - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By Ryan - July 16 - 4:20 am

  Ive had my GTI for two weeks now, and I love it! Consumer Reports top 10!! Stepping up from a Prius, the GTIs performance, speed and handling are amazing. Im a 34 year old executive, people tease me that the car is too young for me, and I love that people make fun of my plaid seats! DSG, moonroof and nav are all great. Base radio is weak, ipod integration seems a bit buggy. I wish I had gotten the Dynaudio and xenons.

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  I Love my Jetta GLI - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jay Weingard - July 15 - 3:10 am

  I love my Jetta GLI. I was going to buy an Acura TSX but I could not bring myself to like it better than even my old 97 Jetta GLX. I test drove a 2.0T with DSG and it was great but having always driven a stick it just wasnt me. Once I test drove the GLI in the 6M I was in love. The ride is great, interior great, and so many thoughtful things like rear air, headlight washers, radio controls on steering wheel, built in air deflector on moonroof that actually works and extremely quiet for a sporty car. The electronically assisted steering makes 100 mph seem like 60. Turbo lag is not even noticeble. I test drive probably 12 different cars and for the money this was by far the greatest. Oh and it gets great gas mileage.

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  Good, Safe, Reliable - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Dad - July 14 - 6:53 am

  I bought this car for my oldest girl just before she turned 16. I wanted the safest car on the road and something she could take to college; that would give me piece of mind. Three people have hit this car and no one has been injured. The car weathered the damage very well and was easily restored to like new condition, and still has not had any mechanical/electrical issues. Its a really good first car! I dont like the noise from the air pump when its first started either, but its not really a problem, its just a temporary loud noise.

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  More fun than a barrel full of monkeys - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Steve - July 14 - 3:40 am

  This is the best car that I have ever owned. I had a Honda Accord before this, and I was a Honda guy. NO MORE. The handling and responsiveness of the Jetta compared to the Accord is unbelievable. This is by far the most fun car I have ever driven. It truly has to felt to believe, and even though the Accord was bigger, the Jetta is more comfortable for family of 5 (with two in car seats). From what I understand it is the safest small car on the road, and know that it has more safety features standard than the Accord. I have the Pkg. 1 and the sunroof is great. I love the interior and the XM Satellite radio, 6 CD changer, heated seats, and the 10 speaker sound system that come standard. This car has a ton of standard features.

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  Will never own another car!!! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By JackieB8985 - July 14 - 2:00 am

  Just bought my GLS wagon last week. I love it!!! Very comfortable, safe, stylish, affordable, just an overall great purchase. This is my first non- american car, and Im glad I made the decision.

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  Love my Beetle! - 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By karmagirl7 - July 13 - 2:51 pm

  I absolutely LOVE this car! The only weird thing is the crayon smell in the car, but everything else is awesome! I love the entertainment package and the MP3 option, when I am bored wtih everything else. This car handles like a champ - I feel like I am in a true high performance vehicle.