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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  Great car, lots of costs - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By cmzimme - April 2 - 10:06 am

  I am finally at the end of my lease with my Passat wagon. My car has been in the shop numerous times for various problems; i.e. electrical, engine problems, minor things like bulbs burning out and the brakes needed to be replaced at 25K miles! To add insult to injury, my local VW dealer has ONE certified repairman so many times I had to wait for up to 2 weeks to get my car into the shop. Bottom line is that I took a lot of time researching cars when making my decision and unfortunately VW did not live up to my expectations. This car is expensive all the way around; repairs, gas mileage, etc. Be cautious when purchasing this car.

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  Good car, expensive to maintain - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Kster - April 2 - 2:00 am

  This has been a great car for the most part of 50k miles. I have just had many little things fail that had to be resolved. As I was driving it home on the day I bought it, the check engine light came on. Took it back the next day for service, didnt see it for a week. New car smell was gone :( After that I had minor things like vanity mirror light go out, the rear door handle sticking, rear window not rolling down, and a starter. The lastest thing is my alarm system not beeping right, due to battery replacement by the dealer. I am proud to speak of German engineering despite its flaws.

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  This is a fun car to drive - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By B4B - April 1 - 3:00 pm

  I purchased this car new in 1998 and have been religious about maintenance and fixing things before they become expensive problems. Ive driven 160,000 miles with no major repairs and still enjoy driving this car. If you stay up on maintenance (yes - brakes, struts, engine, etc.), this car will reward you every day - it is a fun and responsive car to drive and blast through turns. There is a certain "structural integrity" to the Jetta that Hondas and Toyotas lack. It handles well, has a responsive engine for its size and is great to drive. Great on gas too - I get 31 mpg highway.

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  Cant Stop Redlining! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JT - March 31 - 4:56 pm

  I have had the car for a year. I have had only one problem, the front rotors were replaced (wrapped). Thats it. I have had no electrical problems at all. I do have ratles in the doors though. This car is fun to drive and really holds on the turns. Also, this cars ECU can be reprogrammed to increase the HP. So if your looking for more HP for cheap.. it can be done. Doing this completly changes the car. Its still a beautiful car even today.

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  Sad to give up too! - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By cindyaj - March 30 - 9:36 pm

  First comment, I will never buy another Volkswagen. Had the emergency brakes went out a year ago and now my blinkers went out. At 56,000 miles the dealership flushed engine, said all okay to drive, my car died highway 100 miles out of town and had to be towed back and a new engine was put in, was very costly. I only put on 20,000 miles at first year and the dealer said it was my fault not getting regular oil changes. With no rental car provided (not covered by warranty). I also had front cv joints with axle, emission sensors and have been driving with "check engine" light on for 2 years and battery replaced! My sunroof is leaking I can not afford it. Driver side door lock is not work

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  The last passat review you need to read. - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Christian Schroer - March 30 - 10:17 am

  Its like this, no one does it like the Germans do. Remember that. This car has a soul. It will ask for what it needs. And you better cough it up or it will betray you. Off with the bad first. Scheduled matinence is here to help you. Follow it to 120k than worry about the big stuff down the road. If you actually do what the people who engineered this car intend for you to do, it never fails, and even the wear you get just adds character to the car. It eats brakes, and at 4750 lbs, no one is sure why anyone is surprised by this. On a positive note, every time you get in, youl want to rub your shiny VW emblem and you will grin like an idiot when you snap out your switch key and gracefully start up in one fluid motion. Underway, the Passat is a lock and follow machine. Not car. Machine. I have never owned a car that spoke to my soul like a VW. When you walk away, you will look back as the small horn blips when you lock it. You may find yourself showing off the fact your windows go up and down without getting in the car, and you can turn the stereo on while the car is off. When you have the Monsoon audio system cranked around 80% or so with a new-to-you CD of your favorate music in the trunks changer, you find that vibes flow in the wake you cut through the air. Your friends will want to ride with you. You will walk outside at 3am to smoke a cigarette and watch the gleam of orange light from the streetlamp reflecting off your sharp 6-spoke allow wheels. If you see that Passat as ugly, simple, or basic, great. You have never owned a Passat. This car is art. And if you see it as such you will understand why people own these cars. This is not a race car. This is not a off roading car. in fact, its not even a car built for being really great at any one thing. But that in and of itself is exactly why you should buy one. VW just made something...thats really good at just being a car. And there is something to be said for that.

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  Germans do it better! - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lulu - March 29 - 9:53 pm

  This was my first brand new car and Ive been completely happy with it. The base line model (GL) doesnt feel very base line with remote key less entry, power windows/locks, CD AM/FM and cassette, cruise control, chrome trim accents and those cool purple dash board lights. Its comfortable, reliable, nice to drive and gets good mileage. Servicing is reasonably priced and so is the car itself. I dont think the signal lights staying on were manufacturer default, but operator malfunction. Heres a tip, turn the lights OFF and they wont run your battery down. Good luck backing up in that ION. (thats a bad shape)

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  Loved It! Hated It! - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By HeatherO - March 28 - 7:03 pm

  The Aquarius Blue New Beetle with the black convertible top was my dream car so you can imagine how happy I was when I finally bought one. I had the car 3 days before the headlight went out the first time. So it went into the shop...for a total of 6 times over a two year period...for the same headlight! I also had power windows that randomly went down, alarms and lights that went off for no reason and brake lights that sometimes worked, sometimes not. I cannot tell you how disappointed I was by this car. I loved the way it looked. Loved the convertible. But VW completely let me down.

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  20,000 Miles - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By mowryc - March 26 - 8:46 pm

  I was in the market for a fuel efficient car to replace my aging Toyota. The TDI fit the bill perfectly. I average 40 MPG overall and get at least 500 miles per tank (12 gal). I love the interior of the car. It has been years since I owned a German car and I had forgotten how comfortable and ergonomic they were. Everything is logically placed and within easy reach. I have always disliked automatic climate control and the Jetta allows me get the system exactly were I want it (fan, hot/cold, floor/panel). After this, I will never own another Japanese vehicle :)

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  Seems like its falling apart...=0( - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By bridge89 - March 26 - 11:33 am

  I love my Beetle, HOWEVER little things keep breaking. Cosmeticly inside the plastic materials used were just cheap... the visor mirror cover broke off completely so now the visor light is always on, the hande to the glove box completely broke off, can not access glove box, pieces of plasitc from the drink holders have chipped out, even in the backseat which is rarely used. The CD player stopped working, the sensor inside the drivers side door is on the fritz, I have to unlock the car door, then press lock on the remote to lock the door. When it rains, the trunk will not shut, now the door on the gas tank wil not open, had to pry it.. my list goes on...