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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  Great car with poor mileage. - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By LD - October 13 - 10:00 am

  Great car, but I am very disappointed in the mileage. I dont get 20 to 21 miles per locally and 26 miles per long distance was the best I ever got. When I am at 250 miles clocked, I keep getting gas messages and beeps.

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  Fit & Finish - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By kb50 - October 13 - 10:00 am

  I purchased based in reseach (Fit & Finish) and our interest for fun w/a stick. Got that and great mileage. Husband loves this car & drives most often. Have had regular servicing and no mechanical problems. Had to have bumper repainted once from bad driving in parking lot. Our 6 year old hates this car. Car seat didnt work well & now hes too short & tends to get car sick. No arm rest this model year (2001-2). I miss being able to rest my arm on window while driving...

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  WOBVW Review - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By walter baumert - October 13 - 10:00 am

  My bug is wounderful and would keep it if I had another larger car. The only problem that I find with this VW is the take off at a light or stop sign. Just not enough get up and go.

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  Beg to differ - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By gys98jetta - October 9 - 9:23 pm

  Great to drive to Sacramento and back and to work and to all my friends houses and then do it all over again.

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  New GTI - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Kmills - October 7 - 10:00 am

  Significantly more powerful than Honda/Acura VTech products dontt have to redline(5500 in Integra) to get max hp. But will not corner like one either. Generally great fun to drive. Interior with leather is sweet and the monsoon is good for a stock system. The seatbelt often gets stuck on the seat release which is seriously irritating. I had problems with the power windows at under 5000 miles. Apparently they used plastic clips in there causing world wide problems. They will only fix when broken as not enough replacement parts yet for recall.

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  VW Bug - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Francois - October 7 - 10:00 am

  Great fun car, easy to drive and feeling of sportyness and safty

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  Buyer Beware! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By gmb - October 7 - 10:00 am

  I was thrilled when I purchased my VW - my 1st NEW car. It didnt last. In the past 2+ years, I have fixed the sunroof, replaced the front tires at 30K due to improper alignment, replaced the rear rotors, the max air flow sensor AND a myriad of other smaller repairs. My side mirror casing cracked 3 mos after buying the car - right on the seam in the plastic -but the dealer refused to cover it under the warranty. I finally traded it in for a Honda, b/c Im so tired of dropping $500+ everytime I take my VW in for service. The car also runs VERY LOUD, especially on the highway. Yes, it is fun to drive. But if you want reliability, buy something else.

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  Great Start - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By the king - October 6 - 7:36 am

  The car definitely out shines all other cars in this price range. Performance is the name of the game on the highway. Most cars today lack handling features that are standard on the Rabbit. I test drove the competitors with fuel efficiency atop my requirements. After driving the 30+ mi/gal cars I started noticing a trend toward thinning out the suspension to ensure fluidity of movement. The difference with these fuel efficient cars and the Rabbit is severe. The Rabbit feels solid and grounded where its competitors want to go flying. A majority of my driving occurs on LAs horribly unkept roads with major obstacles every 100 yards including poor drivers with cellphones. I must be nimble.

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  Great car for the money - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By Josh - October 6 - 5:56 am

  I leased the 08 GTI as an emergency replacement for my beloved A4, which was rear-ended at an on-ramp light, and have been pretty happy with my stand-in. The car is a blast to drive and feels solid... all at around 20k! The interior styling is passable and the exterior is pretty awesome for a hatchback. I am very impressed with the engine and the turbo lag hasnt really annoyed as I thought it might. The only problem Ive had, which worries me a bit, is the tranny. It doesnt always want to go into reverse and the clutch pedal stuck to the floor on one occasion. I dont know if this is a singular issue with my car or its a model issue. Overall though, puts a smile on face on a daily basis.

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  Awesome Compact Car - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By ben - October 5 - 11:10 am

  This car is better than any other compact car in the market today. It is awesome and I recommend it to anyone. Its priced a little bit higher than other compacts, but it has sooooooooooo many additional features that cars in a higher class have.