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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  Theyre Not All Lemons - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By DenverKen - October 17 - 10:00 am

  Im surprised to hear about so many major problems others have had. My car has been pretty great. Last car was a Honda Civic. The Jetta is fun to drive, super peppy, comfortable, and Im getting about 30MPG. The car was recalled for the coils (after I had to be towed once because of poor behavior related to the coils). Mechanically, the Honda was perfect - never a problem with it. The coil issues, and frequently blown taillights, are annoying, but all in all Im very happy with the Jetta. Mine was manufactured/assembled in Germany - it was the first year of the wagons.

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  2 bug household - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Candace2068 - October 17 - 10:00 am

  This is the most wonderful car I have ever owned. My husband liked mine so much he got one too.

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  Ill miss my lil green homey - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dgrundei - October 16 - 10:36 pm

  I bought this car used with 43k miles on it from a private seller who bought it new and took excellent car of it. I have since put roughly 75k miles on it and have invested over $7,500 in maintenence unrelated to regular wear and tear. If something goes wrong, its usually expensive. I had a lot of issues with the fuel system, replacing the fuel injectors and intake manifold. Had some issues with the wipers at 100,000 but replaced the motor myself for about 30 bucks. Otherwise, I love driving the VR6. Its fun, trendy, relatively fuel efficient. The heated leather is nice and comfy, the moonroof is perfect for nice weather. Other than sucking my wallet dry with maintenence, I loved this car!

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  VW Jetta - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Helen - October 16 - 9:16 pm

  Love it love it love it. My experience has been all positive-it handles well hugs the road. Mileage is as one would expect with a 2.5 engine-glad to see they are starting to import diesels these are the way to go for fuel efficiency and the reason Europeans are getting 50+ miles to the gallon! It also feels SOLID-I feel safe in this small car. Enormous space in the trunk. My only negative comment would have to be when it rains and the window is open you get wet!

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  A Very Satisfied Husband and Wife - 2014 Volkswagen Beetle
  By Francis J Wanat Jr - October 16 - 8:46 pm

  For the price and condition this was a fantastic purchase. My first car forty- six years ago was a Beetle Bug and although the air-cooled engine is no longer, the reliability and technology are very much in the product. My wife and I have no regrets. We have a loaded SUV and she claimed the Bug as hers before we returned home from the purchase. It was also a wonderful purchase experience as we were already qualified for credit and knew what we wanted having done extensive on-line research. One year later - March, 2017 My wife and I are still very satisfied with the Beetle and could not be happier. It is a second vehicle that we garage for about six months of the year as we go north to Maine with our SUV. That being said, we put 3,000+ mph on it and are more than pleased. It is a very good product which has protected its reliability. It is true that my first was German made and this was manufactured in Mexico, but VW has certainly maintained the integrity of the Bug!!!

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  Sad to Say Its a LEMON! - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By PinkBambi - October 16 - 5:40 pm

  This was my dream car, and it makes me sad to say that this car stinks! I got it for my high school graduation present and it was a dream for the first year I owned it. Then things started breaking left and right. Im not hard on my car but the plastic inside started peeling, things started falling off etc. Then the timing belt snapped leaving me stranded in the middle of nowhere and the whole computer is being replaced...THE WHOLE COMPUTER! AHHHHH! This car is junk and it makes me so sad :(

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  Disappointed with overall quality - 2000 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Eddie Serna - October 16 - 4:13 pm

  We purchased our VW Cabrio GLS new because of its styling and our impression that VW makes quality vehicles. I must admit that the car was involved in a rear-ender in which the front end of the VW took a good smack, but fortunately, it was all cosmetic. My wife is the main driver (and I play the mechanic) and loved her car for the first two years. Then glued on interior parts started coming off. At about 45,000 we lost the speedo and tach gauge ($900 to replace, cant be fixed). The convertible top no longer works ($810 for the motor), the power steering leaks badly, the engine sprays oil all over, and this car has been babied, TLCd, and garaged. $26,000 and you still get a stamped steel valve cover.

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  Awesome SUV - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Sonja - October 16 - 3:46 pm

  We have been so happy with our Touareg!! It was a great purchase. VW was awesome to work with, and everwhere we go, everyone is so jealous of our VW. We would definitely recommend this vehicle to anyone who is looking to tow, off road, or just drive around in class and style.

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  Awesome - 2017 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mark Robinson - October 16 - 10:17 am

  Great value, awesome reliability

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  Un-Reliable after 50K miles! - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By negaverse - October 16 - 2:56 am

  I bought the car brand new in 2009 and it was a great drive at first. The car was awesome for the first 2 years. I drove it about 20k miles a year. It was so comfy and fun to drive esp on long trips. But, after about 50k miles, I had so many problems!! Those dreaded EPC lights would always come on! I ended up taking a huge loss on the car with another 1.5 years to pay off but I had safety concerns with a car that would stop accelerating in the middle of the road. I have heard the myths bout VW electrical issues but did not believe them until I bought my own VW. Unfortunately they are true.