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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  Practical but Troublesome - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By ShrinerMonkey - August 25 - 9:46 am

  The Passats excellent driving dynamics and a premium cabin cannot make up for its horrible reliability and incredibly poor dealer service. Even with regular maintenance which is extremely expensive because of synthetic and proprietary fluid requirements and expensive parts, this car has still had numerous part failures in only 60,000 pampered miles of driving. I love European cars but they are too expensive to own.

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  Love It! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jaylo - August 24 - 9:03 pm

  This is my third and favorite Passat. I have owned the B5 (00), B5.5 (02), and now the B6 (06). VW has really stepped it up with the new 3.6L Passat. I purchased mine with the Sport Package #1, Black on Black with the 18" Samas (best option IMHO for someone looking for a car that drives and feels like a sports car). I test drove the Acura TL, Audi A4, and BMW 325 for good measure, but IMO the Passat won in power, refinement, looks, and value for money. Maybe I am biased towards German (VW) engineering, but you would make a BIG mistake by not giving this car a serious look.

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  I LOVE my Volkswagen - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jill - August 24 - 7:46 pm

  I have owned this car for over 6 years now. At 145,000 miles it is still going strong. Its as much fun to drive as the day I bought it. The only repairs I have had to make were on an oxygen sensor which was covered under warranty and a power steering fluid leak (likely related to an accident). Great gas mileage, fun little car. Also, more space in the back than some of the small SUVs. Also, I can safely say that the safety features are very effective- Ive been hit twice - once causing over $4,000 in damage to the car, and never had a scratch on me. Highly recommend the Jetta.

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  Love the car - suggest the manual trans - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Keith - August 24 - 1:26 pm

  Had for 6 months, no complaints. Test drove the automatic and went with the 6 speed manual (which leaves you with the sport model). I would have liked the sunroof and the homelink from the Lux model, but for anyone who has not drove one of these with the manual transmission, you are missing this car at its best.

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  2000 VW GTI GLX VR6 - 2000 Volkswagen GTI
  By Sigh - August 24 - 1:03 pm

  This car is amazing, and I found a really good deal on it.. Mine is fully loaded with air conditioning, power sunroof, 6 CD player, power windows, cruise conrol, lether seats, you name it. It is unbelievably fun to drive and superfast! Of course, I have the standard version!

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  New Bug - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By BugN - August 23 - 8:43 pm

  It is a fun drive, and I fit at 6 2", the TDI smoked a little at first, but after it was broken in, and using Biodiesel it now does great. Going from a Land Rover to a VW TDI is very nice on the pocket. Only thing that bugs me a little is the outside mirrors defrost is in the center position of the mirror adjustment switch, this is taking some getting use to, hope I dont burn them out before I figure it out, a light would be nice.

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  The Jetta that couldnt be killed - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By DJ - August 23 - 6:36 pm

  I purchased this car new and have put almost 200,000 trouble free miles on it. The fit and finish of this car is on par with anything made currently and with minor suspension upgrades has been a blast to drive. It may not out accelerate most cars in a straight line but it corners great. The only major repair was the transmission which nuked at 159,000 miles, but I didnt expect to have it last that long. I would reccomend this car to anyone looking for a inexpensive, fun, reliable, economical, great looking car. It would be a safe first car for a young driver. Someone buying a used one should check service history and make sure window regulators are in working order.

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  3300 mile Update - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By FCWarrior - August 23 - 2:50 pm

  I have the cloth standard seat which are very comfortable but several threads are ripping already after only 3300 miles. Incredible. Dont know how this compares to other vehicles but its a really bad start. I am only 190 lbs and am careful on how I get in and out since I saw this as a potential trouble spot early on. I have yet to take it to the Dealer for the 90 day checkup. If I go even very slowly over neighborhood speed bumps there is a loud metal-on-metal bang as the suspension tops out. The sunroof switch is very counter-intuitive with no obvious detent for closed. So far I get 55 mpg @ 45 mph 43 mpg @55 mph

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  Love It!!! - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By InigoCO - August 23 - 10:00 am

  This is my second GTI in 2 years. I bought an 01 VR6 GTI and loved it, but I found a great deal on an 02 GTI 1.8T. This car gives up nothing in the way of performance to the VR6. I noticed the VR^ had more low-end grunt, but all it ever did for me was spin the tires. The 1.8T just goes. On the Highway at about 75-80 MPH, just hit the gas in 5th and off you go, no need to downshift. This thing just pulls all the way to nearly 140 MPH. I plan to do some mods int he future, but for now, Im happy with the power Ive got and so should everyone else who buys one.

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  Great car, fun, and stylish - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By AdamBlayton - August 23 - 10:00 am

  Bought it after comparing with Mini Cooper, Ford Focus SVT, and Toyota Matrix. Wife wanted 4 door stylish car, (if there is such a thing) I wanted 2 door toy that she would drive when I wasnt. Very impressed with interior design, VW is great with that. Leather is definately a requirement, cloth felt like sitting on wool, very harsh. Sunroof quiet all the time, and definately need 17" - everyone says they never have seen the brakes on a car before they saw my 17"s 1.8T engine is a big sluggish off start, should get better with more miles. 5sp is a blast to drive, turbo engine puts you back in seat at about 1800rpm when accelerating, gotta get used to that..