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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  Recommended - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By 4motion02 - January 27 - 3:20 pm

  I have owned the car since new. It has performed well over that time with only routine maintenance required. I would buy another one (assuming it was taken care of) in a minute.

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  Superb Car for the price - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Antonio Carrera - January 27 - 1:46 pm

  Easily beats any MB, Audi or BMW in the same price range, has a great number of standard options included, handling and power are very good. Great leather seats and ergonomics. Was very surprised when I did the test drive.

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  what will fall off next... - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By last VW? - January 27 - 10:00 am

  71,000 miles... 4 exhausts, starter (@26k miles, dealer said was not surprised.. and wouldnt cover a new one), altenator (@45k miles, not covered), power steering pump, radiator, 3rd set of tires (alignment does not hold), body molding falls off, trunk leaks, randomly stalls in the rain (plugs, wires, dist. cap, solenoid, etc.. replaced 3 times), AC unit died, interior lights behind dash died (~$500 to rip out dash to replace $3 bulb). This thing is less reliable then the old land rover I have, and maintance costs are about the same.

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  Nice GTI - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Tots - January 27 - 10:00 am

  I have now 21000 miles on the car and I have had no major problems with the car. For 2002 there is a recall for wiring in the ABS system. What was scary is the window regulators. I had one glass fall into the door. I took it to the dealership and it was fixed with an updated kit free of charge and they went ahead and did it on the passengers side. All that happened within the first 6 months of owning the car. I havent done anything to it since. The car is working great. Tires are stock michelin and are at half of their thread life. The only hard part about driving the car is keeping it under 60mph.

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  Passat - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jrd2828 - January 27 - 10:00 am

  We purchased this car brand new 1 years ago. It was my first "four-door family car" but I insisted on a manual trans for a sporty feel. I love the get-up and go. Someone tailgaiting? Put it in fourth and watch them disappear in your review mirror. My friends loved the leg room especially in back. Now it carries 1 kid in carseats. No problems!

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  Driver & Loving It!!!! - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By vavwchic - January 27 - 10:00 am

  great gas milage, body style, dashboard lighting and comfort;performance rated a 9 due to hesitance to pick up speed w/AC on;interior issues regard location of front and rear cupholders; rear directly on "hump" no enough room to be secured;front has cups blocking radio controls; ocassional difficulty with master window controls when moisture is a weather factor although has been "repaired" twice since owning the vehicle.

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  I love my beetle - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By cabstewart - January 27 - 10:00 am

  I have had my beetle since Aug. 2000 - new. I have had less problems with it than we had on our Honda Odessy van. In fact we have had no real repair problems with the car. This car is fun to drive and gets pretty good mileage on the highway (30 mpg -gas engine). I agree with the reviewer who mentioned the interior door handles peeling, but other than that, it has been a keeper.

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  on first name basis with service dept - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By buttrfli - January 27 - 10:00 am

  I bought my touareg sept 2 and since then it has been in the shop five times.three for the rear window sensor not locking properly,two for the ESP not operating properly.My touareg has spent a cumulative week and a half in the shop and i havent even had it for a month yet.i wish i had ESP because if i did i would have never bought this truck...

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  Love to drive!!!! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By 42n81 - January 27 - 10:00 am

  The car has been awesome!! People are impressed by the stylish interior, comfort & good looks. Highway driving is smooth. Cant even tell how fast you are going (sometimes a problem!!) Would recommend highly....

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  What a car... - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Saone - January 27 - 10:00 am

  With almost 40000 trouble-free miles the Passat is the best car I have ever owned. My next VW will be the 8th VW for me, keep up the good work....