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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  Ow, my back... - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bkelly - June 15 - 12:03 am

  2010 Jetta TDI, silver. Car is well- built, handles like nothing else Ive ever driven. Diesel performance is very good - although you have to get used to it. MPG is fantastic - >40 all the time, even in city driving. So, Im selling it. Reason - I find the drivers seat amazingly uncomfortable. At 511", 205 lbs I dont fit into it, the surface is hard, and the seatback specifically resonates with the vibrations in both the engine and rear suspension - all the way up to the headrest. Ive driven trucks and buses for almost 30 years, Ive never been so uncomfortable. I dont know what I was thinking on the test drive. Shame on me...

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  So far so good - 2012 Volkswagen GTI
  By deeperseoul - June 13 - 11:56 pm

  My first VW ever and digging it!. Ive always had interest in GTI and there was 0% apr opportunity back in July. One test drive pretty much sold me the car. My attachment of this car is almost equal to the time when i got my first car back in 1988(Nissan Maxima). Although, brand new car picked up from the dealer was already defective with faulty head light ballester, it has not given me any other issues so far. I see why people rave about this car...driving this car is very gratifying. It may not be the most powerful or reliable car but for me, this car has more personality than competitors.

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  2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rich - June 13 - 2:16 am

  Great car, a lot of fun to drive, great handling, 50+ MPG average, very quiet diesel, good power, good looking. Love It !

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  what the helllllll - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By dencee - June 12 - 11:03 pm

  Well I own the car and now seeing that it is hard as hell to get fixed the brain to the car is bad and to top it off it will not pass admissions and the airbag light is on VW boo to you these cars are full of problems.

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  luv bug - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By isabrooke - June 12 - 9:23 pm

  this is my third vw new beetle and first convertible! i absolutely love it. its also first ever automatic transmission but with the Tiptronic shifting i feel im still in control on curves~ total blast to drive as were previous new beetles. only difference is, the flower doesnt stay it the vase for long with the top down at speeds over 10mph!

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  AutoBahn quality - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Johnny - June 12 - 7:46 pm

  Very satisfied and wild on the car. Almost like sports luxury when you drive it. Needs a bit more performance but has alot of potential and style.

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  Stoop to Conquer - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By Dan Hoogen - June 12 - 7:46 pm

  This is an excellent car - quick, fairly comfortable, great handling and incredible mileage (36 hwy). But, if youre older, like me, its a pain to get into and out of due to the low roof line. Also, it is hard to load and unload the trunk because of the smallish opening. However, it does have a big trunk. And the back seats are really roomy, nice. Did I mention its kinda noisy - as bad as my Outback. But, hoo baby, this car moves! And I never tried the sport setting on the transmission.

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  Love my little vw! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rach - June 12 - 10:16 am

  I just bought this car a couple months ago. My Mustang was totaled and I had to find something fast. I had a 85 Jetta in the early 90s and loved it, and my Moms 76 Rabbit was passed down to me in the late 80s as a teenager so I love Volkswagons. This Jetta handles grades like a champ. I had four people and luggage in it and it climbed a mountain that cars usually overheat on with no problems, never even had to downshift into 4th gear. For the few of you I read about the noises from the front end. Well, mine had that also. Check the bolts in your sway bars. My bolt was hanging half out and there was thudding in the front end from that. Inside cup holder is also broken.

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  Fun but always broken - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By khq0660 - June 12 - 2:23 am

  This car was lots of fun to drive and I had an extended warranty, or else I would have ditched it. It always had body parts breaking. The electrical system was always having shorts (one time it went crazy and my trunk kept popping open while driving, blinkers worked only sometimes, doors locked on their own, etc). Endless mechanical parts were replaced. I hated the feeling I got when a new warning lit up on the dash. Just before the warranty expired I had to be towed. All of this happened before it even reached 91,000 miles. If I hadnt owned a Fiat 27 years ago, which showed me how truly bad a car can be, I would have been tempted to give my Jetta an even lower reliability score than I did

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  200 HP V-6 is a winner - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By trillium - June 12 - 2:00 am

  I kept waiting for "buyers regret" to set in and it hasnt. The torque the engine provides pulls all the way to redline and the six speed manual gives you all the choices you need to keep you entertained. The car has the added benefit of not attracting undue attention from the local police. Having ESP (stability control) instead of ASR (plain old traction control) is a big benefit for Minnesota winters.