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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  Zippy car! - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By VWGryph24 - August 10 - 10:43 pm

  I give it an excellent rating! Man that Mark 5 Rabbit is such a zippy car. It may not be as powerful as its big brother, the GTI, but it has plenty of spunk. In Sport mode its even more zippy!

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  A 170 HP Economy Car - With 6 Airbags - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Steve Conslaw - August 10 - 5:06 pm

  If you are looking at a Passat - try the manual transmission. Big difference - no turbo lag - plenty of power - good mpg. We get 27-28 MPG with very few freeway miles. Note - thats as good as the Accord Hybrid for fewer $. The trip computer makes it easy to drive for MPG (like a PRIUS) if you want. If you get away from traffic 30+ MPG is possible. Still,the Turbo is always there if you want to kick it. Lots of room inside. The car has been reliable but a few things are a pain - suggested premium gas, though runs fine on midgrade. Weve had no sludge problem but VW says use synthetic oil = pricey. Wiper blades are hard to find. Warranty repair stress crack in windshield.

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  My GTi is a Hoot to drive!! - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By ChiefSectionB - August 10 - 4:06 pm

  This German Rocket is the most fun Ive had in a car!! Autobahn package worth the price. Handles great. The exhaust note is sublime... no mods needed. Performance/price ratio is off the chart. First tank mixed town/country driving was 27.6 MPG, and 2nd tank interstate driving (75-80 MPH) was 28.8 MPG.

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  Buy it! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Ian - August 9 - 8:43 pm

  The VW Touareg gives consumers a lot of bank for the buck. I had this SUV for two months. The engine is doing well even after 35,000 miles of the previous oweners lead foot. If you are buying one, go for the air suspension and navigation because youll regret not getting them within first week of ownership.

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  Great dub - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By petesgarden - August 9 - 6:26 am

  I upgraded from a 1999.5 MKIV Golf GLS to this 2008 2.5 2dr Rabbit. Awesome car. 16000 trouble free miles over my 1st year of ownership, great get up and go, great ride. Not as much storage space as before and the interior is not as refined as previous models, but still way nicer than the same priced JDM or US cars.

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  Never Again - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By sold_my_jetta - August 9 - 5:53 am

  I just recently traded in my Jetta after getting sick and tired of having it break down and in the shop every month. I have had so many frustrations with this car; broken cup holders, front bumper coming off, car not shifting out of park, nasty yellow goop (that I was told was a blown head gasket), windows falling into doors, trunk motor going out, replaced oxygen sensor, broken glove box, in-dash cd player not working, radio randomly not working, sunroof breaking... need I go on. I have had this car for 3 years, had 8 recalls and only 52,000 miles (had 15,000 when I purchased). Needless to say, I got rid of it after getting way in over my head. If you own a 99 I suggest you do the same.

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  Exceeding expectations - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid
  By drm14 - August 8 - 12:59 am

  As a current TDI owner Ive enjoyed great performance and economy. I was skeptical of the hybrid, but I have been surprised to be getting better than EPA estimates for mpg, usually mid 40s to low 50s. The car does not need to be driven slow, but you need to maximize the time the car is driving under battery power or sailing. The power meter helps a lot with this. Aggressive driving will lower mpg considerably. The road feel is great and the DSG is very smooth. The 1.4L TSI is very torquey and the car feels quick. I have the SEL which is nicely equipped. I think the hybrids compliment the TDIs nicely. The hybrid is ideal for those driving around town and on crowded highways.

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  Not again! - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JLS - August 7 - 4:53 pm

  Although my 1998 Volkswagen Jetta was two years old when I purchased, it had low mileage (it still has low mileage) so I was enthusiastic. I loved the style, the way it handled, and the way it drove. BUT it is a piece of junk. I have had to replace every window control on it, the axels, side trim, throttle body, it quit on the interstate when the coil went out, and on and on. And it is expensive! To have the transmission serviced was $500! I will never purchase another VW of any kind. I still have it because I have too much in it to be able to recoup any expenses but I am going to have to do something with it.. I cant afford to "drive" it!

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  Surprise! I love this car! - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Diane - August 7 - 1:40 pm

  I bought this car a year ago when it was 2 years old-- never thought of buying a VW but was looking for a diesel & this was the only one available. Its so much bigger and more comfortable than it looks like it would be-- my sister says its nicer to ride in than my BMW 3 convertible was! And I got 47 MPG on my Christmas trip to Florida this year!!! Im buying 10 gallons of gas every 10-15 days and commuting 50 miles a day, averaging between 38 and 42 mpg (lower when the AC is on). I know the VWs have some maintenance issues, but Ive had no problems so far. Its a really enjoyable car to drive.

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  Want to love my Jetta, but... - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Houston - August 6 - 3:56 pm

  I chose the Jetta from a very short list. I actually wanted a Hybrid very much since. However, when I drove the Jetta, I just fell in love with its handling, interior room and massive trunk size [the Sopranos would get trunk-envy here]. Sadly, along the road a long list of annoyances has cause me to rethink my relationship with VW. Here is the list: - Sunroof - sometimes closes improperly, propped up in vent position - Interior plastics - bubble and peel - Trunk release - stopped working and then once fixed still not working - Service guys thought I was crazy for 1] having so many issues and 2] for expecting them to be fixed 1st time. - Service creating more issues during fix