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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  Fun - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By artaxena - April 12 - 10:50 pm

  great pocket rocket

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  Piece of [non-permissible content removed] - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By benji smith - April 12 - 1:17 am

  In 2013 we bought the car brand new. At first we loved the car it got great gas millage, but 2 weeks after that it started jumping. I took it in and they looked at the transmission and the engine and said nothing was wrong. It keep doing it so i took it back they keep saying the same thing the techs said that nothing is wrong well eventually they replaced my crank shaft sensor "emission part" keep in mind mine is a gas car not diesel. It was still messed up so i took it back ant they had to fix my ECM "emission part" and now it is in the shop getting the engine wiring harness replaced "emission part". I think that vw screwed up on all of the emissions in all of their cars not just TDI. The car has horrible road noise, the "premium" sound system sucks and the car is just the worse thing that we have had. The only good thing that i have to say about this car is that it is amazing on gas. When we get to drive it and when it is not in the shop which is rare. I recommend getting a dodge we love our charger.

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  If only it would keep running regularly - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Kelly Leach - April 11 - 10:03 pm

  When VW came out with the 1.8T engine and extended its warranty to 4yrs/48,000 miles on the Passat in 2002, I had to buy one. In terms of style, comfort, and exterior appearance, the car was a dream come true. It felt solid, quiet, and responsive. Mechanically, however, the car has been a nightmare. Its been recalled four times and has had to go into the shop another three to four times for other problems since I purchased. I realized after driving the car for an extended period that the cars interior appointments werent as user-friendly as they could be. The storage space up front is minimal at best, and is poorly placed. Also, for people 5 5" and under, the sun visors are not deep enough to come close to blocking the sun.

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  Great Engine...Poor Interior - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By knoll149pc - April 11 - 9:36 pm

  The engine has been extremely reliable and I have had no problems. The interior is falling apart with just the passing of time (i.e. chipping off of finish, glovebox handle falling off, armrest breaking). The engine, although reliable, is very loud.

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  I like it! - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By nich617 - April 11 - 7:53 am

  I have only owned the Routan for 4 days now but so far so good. There is SO much space. The gas mileage isnt bad for a minivan. It is definitely the best looking minivan out right now. Im a little nervous about the fact that Chrysler has a hand in producing them but time will tell.

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  Never buy volkswagen again - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Tina - April 11 - 4:06 am

  I had so many problems with my car this year alone. Anything that could have gone wrong with it it did. I had to change the whole transmission in early january, then in the summer i had to change alternator alternator belt speed sensors and connector and battery. I will never buy a used vw or any vw ever again. All my expenses were more that $3000

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  Its a Keeper - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By SanDeigoTouareg - April 10 - 11:13 pm

  Its been almost 3 years with my Touareg... its a keeper. Granted, you cannot be a person on a tight budget for an SUV like this, but its worth every penny in price, maintenance, and fuel. I truly feel like I can go wherever my heart desires with the Touareg. Yeah, brakes and tires require changing more frequently than expected, but its a worthwhile trade-off for the performance and amenities on this SUV. Highly recommended. The key is to make sure you can afford to maintain it. If you cannot afford to maintain it, dont buy it. If you can, you will love it.

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  2002 Passat W8 Wagon - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By mda - April 10 - 2:00 am

  Was looking for a peppy version of the Audi A6 and was intreiged by the look-alike W8. The car rides and feels like an Audi but the W8 has little more zip than the A6. Otherwise, I love the Bells and Whistles that are standard equipment that are in the car.

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  Dont buy this piece of junk!!! - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jody - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I wish I had bought an Acura RSX for just allittle more money. Everything just keeps on going wrong with this car, for example cruise wont work, fuel latch wont work, remote entry wont work half the time, O2 sensor went bad, finally the transmission threw a gear uot the side of it. By the way a new transmission from vw is $2,500. I HATE THIS CAR!! Oh yeah the sorry cup holder broke. I guess I just got burned.

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  excellent car - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By luke m. - April 10 - 2:00 am

  no problems got 50,000 mil. now what a car. Get it. No problems at all. Just small break problem but that`s my own fault for buying cheap breakes.