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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  CabrioDog - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Quigley - September 24 - 1:33 am

  It truly is a dog. And VW service is atrocious. What has gone wrong: catalytic converter; exhast hangers broke; drivers wind failed THREE TIMES; one tire (wheel) goes flat for no reason (even after replacing the tire). One of the more recent events was a violent shaking upon acceleration. The dealer replaced mass air flow sensor and some other electronic components. Got back on the road and he problem was still there. That is pure incompetence.

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  Why I wont buy another VW - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By DrRix - September 23 - 12:40 am

  I have been leasing the 05 VW New Beetle Convertible, a special edition in dark flint with a red top, red wheel trim, red leather seats. Ive never gotten more compliments, and never driven anything that completely feel apart on me before, even when I had an old Toyota truck with no power steering and a leaking oil tank. Parts just fall right off this car - seat headrests, the glove compartment handle, the sideview mirror adjustment knob, random plastic parts that I dont even know where they came from. German cars used to be good, but these arent made in Germany anymore, and they are CRAP. Dont buy!!

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  DO NOT BUY A VW - MY BIGGEST REGRET - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By BLANCA - September 22 - 8:00 am

  This is the most unreliable vehicle I have ever owned. The car has been in the shop over 15 times & about 6 months total. WE have spent over $5000 in repairs for this BRAND NEW car. It is worthless and full of problems and recalls. Entire steering column has been replaced twice w/in 14 months; entire radio/cd had to be replaced; air conditioner went out after only 2 years; brakes had to be replaced after 2 years; It is a worthless car and I am scared to death to drive it anywhere because it continuously has Service Now lights on; check engine light; beeping all the time; warning lights; Please do not buy a VW. VW of America does not care about their customers; they have shut us out.

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  Spend your money elsewhere - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By julianna33 - September 21 - 8:07 pm

  From my experience with VW my car and others they are junk. They all break easily. I have had to repair so many things a 1K a pop 5 times at least. Not including maintenance things. The design so compact requires many hours of labor to remove and replace to get to certain things. Plus the headlight lens falls off and cost ALOT of money to replace which i have done twice now at $400 each lens assembly and its falling off again! Just a crappy car. My sister has a golf the transmission and engine are going. Other family members have toyota and honda and hey i have never seen a repair as stupid or as costly or as often as VW repairs are. Junkie cars and they say German engineering is the best HA

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  Im still happy with my Jetta GT. - 1997 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Romael - September 21 - 10:00 am

  I’ve had no problems for the first 4 years. Luckily it came without power windows. The alarm work sporadically but now not at all. The battery was replaced once. The molding was a problem until I found that epoxy and tape together holds longer. Pretty expensive to maintenance after warranty expired until I found a reasonable non- dealer VW Expert. With routine maintenance and only 1 driver it’s been a great car. I’m constantly getting offers from young people to buy it.

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  my rabbit - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By speed demon - September 21 - 10:00 am

  i love this car, it handles like if it was in rail road rield.

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  Gold - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By runmanrun - September 21 - 10:00 am

  Great vehicle, over 95,000 miles and no major problems to date. Fun to drive and really good or trips. Would have expected to have paid much more for such a great auto.

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  Unique and spacious - 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By alias alias - September 21 - 10:00 am

  This van is unique. You wont see yourself coming dowm the road every few minutes. It is very spacious and has surprisingly good pickup on the highway. The seating is upright, giving you a commanding view of the road, yet it has a very comfortable ride, unlike the SUVs with similar seating positions. It also handles amazing well for a tall vehicle.

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  Awesome car!! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By gadgetgirl - September 21 - 10:00 am

  After doing a ton of research, I decided on the Passat, both for value and for style. This car is extremely fun to drive. The blue anthracite with black leather is a great color combo. This is my first new car and I couldnt be happier. I feel like Im driving a much more expensive car. Its so quiet inside with all the windows shut and the climate control running. The Passat is simply an awesome car. I highly recommend it.

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  VW Jetta TDI Wagon Review - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Rob Gunnemann - September 21 - 10:00 am

  I love the gas mileage on the TDI. It gets 35 mpg city & 45 mpg highway. My wife loves the heated seats. We got the cold weather package which is just great.