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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  Positive Experience - 2007 Volkswagen Touareg
  By EdR - July 1 - 10:00 am

  Unlike others here, my experience has been very positive over 60,000 miles. This is a late 2007 with the FSI engine. Mileage is 16 to 18 on highway at higher than posted speeds. Issues - generally minor -- have been quickly resolved at various service locations. Reliability has been excellent -- no issues noted. Handles superbly on the road (equipped with 19" wheels and premium tires/air suspension). Heavy solid vehicle which does lead to limited tire life on secondary roads -- generally 16,000 to 18,000 miles. Brakes are excellent but require more frequency replacement than typical. Quiet and luxury feel.

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  Almost perfect - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Tim - July 1 - 10:00 am

  This is my first VW after owning over 25 new cars. Like quality of body build, feels solid. Interior is like Audi quality without the price. Seating is excellent as well as visibility. I am getting consistent 25 mpg combo hwy/city taking it easy with 6K miles to date. Only complaint is brake squeal when backing up after car sits a couple of hours. VW cant or wont resolve and it appears this is common with the brand. Talked with dealership and customer care -say brakes are to specifications so have a nice day. I told them how come I never had this problem with any other vehicles in the past. They say because you never owned a VW before. They make a nice product except for this issue.

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  Little Black Jetta - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By T MO - June 27 - 10:29 pm

  This car is a great choice. Te sports shift makes the performance of this little black Jetta a joy to take on winding roads. Much fun driving!!!

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  Love my Car, Not my dealership - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Kristina - June 27 - 9:13 am

  To be honest I love my car. I dont love my local VW dealership. Every time I take her in for a $100 oil change something needs to be fixed. However, being female I always go for a second opinion before I get anything done and half the time they are just trying to rip me off. The catalytic converter did go. But it was under and extended warranty because there was an error in all 1.8ts in 2001. The O2 sensors. Fine, it was time for them to go. As for the rest I will never go back to my dealership unless I have a problem no one else can figure out.

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  toy car - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jettahater61 - June 26 - 6:56 am

  As I read other bad reviews, it is plainly clear to see that this car, The VW Jetta, is poorly constructed. Plastic things in the interior break constantly. The gears (Automatic) downshift as I go downhill, so I am awaiting the transmission to blow up or begin leaking. My passenger window just yesterday "finally" fell into the door, like others I have read about. I leased the car, and in January I am supposed to either buy it outright, or turn it in. Cant wait for how much they want to charge me for their piece of junk to turn in. I would not reccomend the Jetta. Was fun at first. Had to fix and then finally replace the stereo. Have read about others with problems with it

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  Distinctive but problematic - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Cara - Florida - June 25 - 10:00 am

  Yes, like the others, I have loved driving my Bug and the comments I get from others. I have experienced similiar electrical problems with the car as well as some others so be on the lookout! So far, at 36,000, I have had to fix the following - both power window switches, both O2 sensors replaced, replace 1 headlight, have 1 foglight that needs to be replaced, a seal crack that caused all the power steering fluid to drain out. Still waiting to hear from VW to see if they will cover any of repairs for O2 sensors as all other model years except 1998 were covered for this under a recall. Not sure if I will get another one or not.

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  Good, practical car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jay - June 25 - 12:53 am

  Overall Passat is a very good and practical car, did not have any major problems, pleasure to drive, excellent trunk space (as a wagon). Interior is nice, quality of radio sound is good.

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  2005 VW Jetta Wagon GLS TDI - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By joshdkatz - June 24 - 9:46 pm

  First of all, my fuel economy is awesome. I have been getting upwards of 40 mpg in combined highway / city driving. It is generally very fun to drive. It has a very smooth and forgiving clutch and shifter. It has good pickup and can go pretty fast. Ive had a few problems though. My window on my drivers side fell off the track and needed to be put back on. Thankfully it was covered under warranty. Now, I am developing some trouble with my speakers. But generally, this car is pretty nice.

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  Fun and frugal ! - 2011 Volkswagen Golf
  By veniero - June 23 - 12:44 pm

  I have enjoyed my VW during the first 1,000 miles. Very fun to drive, seems to be very well built. In country roads (average speed 35-45 mph) I get 38-42 mpg! I traded in a BMW X3, which got 18-19 mpg under the same conditions. Handles beautifully, love the audio system (Dynaudio). Very comfortable front seats (I am 61") I had previously looked at the Prius, Ford Fusion and Lexus CT and they dont come close as far as handling and fun factor.

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  fun driving car but parts dont last long - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By jbdonkey - June 20 - 11:56 am

  I owned two beetle tdi (2003 and 2005 model). I always bought them used and over 100000 miles on meters. They drive smoothly but the interiors are horrible. The door panels are never good. I have look at least twenty beetles from craigslist posts and the plastic or leather parts are bad. Their sale price is way lower compared to Japanese. Since I drive 200 mile every day in commuting and i really care about the gas millage. so I can live with that. If VW try to earn the market, they should know how to improve this. By the way, the parts are not cheap in this car.