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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  A LOT OF BANG FOR THE BUCK!! - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Andrew Collins - August 14 - 3:02 pm

  Having owned nothing but Toyotas for the past 5 years, I was skeptical about switching auto manufacturers (if its not broke, why fix it?). But I can honestly say that for the price, I cannot imagine a better car. The 1.4 TSI gets GREAT gas mileage and has way more punch to it than its competitors. I was downsizing from a 2015 Toyota Highlander Limited Platinum because I had to start commuting further to work and needed better MPGs plus the $675/month car payment was killing me. I went from getting an average of 21 MPGs to getting 36 MPGs and the payment was more than cut in half. Having said all of that, I should be up front and disclose that I went from having the mack-daddy of vehicles to having a VERY basic car. But for $16,300, I got a HUGE bang for my buck. The technology package features Apple Airplay as well as another feature for Android users that allows the driver to use the USB port to mirror certain phone apps with the vehicles radio display. So if you dont have pockets deep enough to shuck out the extra bucks for navigation, you can now use your iPhone map app on the display in your car. Its extremely helpful and charges the phone while its plugged in as well. The 1.4 liter turbo-charger will be plenty of pickup for the size of the car. In fact, Im not sure why they continued the 1.8 TSI this year because the difference between the two is negigible, in my opinion. The 1.4 gets better gas mileage than its big brothers as well. I wasnt impressed with the acceleration of the Toyota Corollas and Honda Civics, to the point that I almost thought they were a safety hazard, a huge selling point for the Jetta. The Jetta has the same old boring, German dash that it and the Passat have had for years. Theres nothing spectactular about it. If you have never owned a VW before, itll take some getting used to and unfortunately the owners manual isnt much help. But the layout is very basic, something that I really like about the vehicle. I hated how the Civic was laid out with its radio controls slanted towards the driver and the Corollas features were forgettable. The Jetta also has a larger trunk than its competitors, something thats very desirable if you have to haul things once in a while. All in all, Ive been very pleased with this car. The higher-end versions are even more impressive, if youve got the pocketbook for them. But for something basic, I cant tell that it gets much better than this.

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  its mediocre - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By slb805 - August 14 - 1:36 pm

  So I bought the car and initially it ran fine, but over the two years Ive owned it, things have begun to break down. The passenger window screeches when I roll it down, it gobbles up oil and gas. I have to put oil in it every 3 wks or so its a rare occasion when the engine light is off. Its an automatic, but the transmission shifts very funky it lurches sometimes and lately has been making weird noises when idling its fun to drive when it puts out but unfortunately that is becoming less and less. It seems like 1/2 the ppl who own a beetle love it & the other 1/2 absolutely hate it! I think Im growing to be the half that is displeased dont be fooled dont buy the car because its "cute"

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  Jeep Driver, Loves New Touareg! - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By sbcs - August 14 - 7:36 am

  Ive had my 06 Volkswagen Touareg V8 about a month and love it. I originaly was going for a V6, a quick ride in the V8 however had me sold. It is smooth and fast. All the comforts I expected from the first look. I like technical stuff and this car is loaded, except for the navigation system. Every few days I find some cool new feature (like the wine cooler glv box). I highly recommend reading the manual as there are many things you need to know to get the full value of the car as well as prcautions, like; dont keep the power steering fully turned for more than five seconds. Driving on mountain roads is a dream, it sticks like glue. It is so smooth that under 25 mph you dont even feel like your moving. Use care approaching stop signs ;)

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  Still a great car after 10 years - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Dave McLaughlin - August 13 - 6:43 pm

  The VW diesel is the best, who needs a hybrid. Mileage has been 38-45 mpg over the last ten years. Car is very comfortable with 5 levels of heat for the leather seats.Car has never let our family down. With the rear seats folded you have a lot of space to haul things. If you have to drive a lot, get a diesel, your savings will add up over time. We have 145k miles and still going strong. We bought it new and still like the car.

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  Overall College Car - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ryan57us2009 - August 13 - 7:13 am

  Ive had my Jetta for almost two years. I tried to drift once but I forgot I had a FWD so I smashed a curb costing me 2,500 $!!! I love switching into step-tronic or w/e its called to give that extra kick of acceleration. Great on gas but It is a girl car so society says but w/e. Really interesting bass in the car too! never thought my Jetta would be bumping bass that good.

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  All This Fun for Only $25,000 - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Lender 1 - August 13 - 5:30 am

  My wife and I decided we wanted a fun convertible as a third car. The New Beetle is wonderful! It has lots of pep in Sport mode, the seats are very comfortable and the sound system is better than the one in my $84,000 Mercedes S Class. The top boot is easy to install and the interior has plenty of room in the front. It is fun to drive and is very stable and quite for a convertible (with the top up) at 80 MPH on the freeway.

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  Nice Alternative - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Mike - August 13 - 4:06 am

  So far I would say this is an excellent automobile! I own a 2008 C350 and this is hands down just as nice. Good performance, fit and finish, and great fuel economy. So far averaging 27-29MPG mixed highway and city driving. Rides better than my MB. Very quiet ride and provides great view of the road, handles nicely. Love the turning headlights! Interior is very comfortable and functional, two tone interior gets great compliments. VW has done a great job with this entry level luxury car. I would definitely suggest taking a hard look at the CC if you are in the market for a great luxury car for thousands less then counterparts.

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  2004 VW GTI VR6 - 2004 Volkswagen GTI
  By Adam - August 12 - 7:30 pm

  From the day I owned this car it has been a pleasure to drive. VW has a knack for incorperating feel into thier cars. My GTI has more feel than almost any non german car I have driven. Some people do not like to feel the road while they drive and just want to be as disconnected from the driving experience as possible. If you are one of these people do not get a VW. But if you are passionate about driving you will not be dissapointed with this car.

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  Horrible, simply horrible - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By admiral - August 12 - 2:20 pm

  This car is very uncomfortable and slow compared to what I want.

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  Efficient and Fun - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Warren - August 11 - 10:30 am

  This car is so much fun to drive, not to mention its getting ~43mpg over the first 5,500 miles (its not even broken in yet). It is fun to drive and the heated seats are great! The DSG automatic transmission is awesome! I also have the option to run up to a 5% blend of biodiesel (which I do). This is a great car with lots of room (Im 6 tall and dont have to put the seat all the way back).