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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  Lovely to drive, Costly to repair - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By lilguma - November 19 - 9:30 am

  I bought this SUV used and love it so far. Its true what everyone says about the brakes, tires, fuel efficiency and service. My tires were $800 for all 4 and the shop rotates my tires for free anytime i want to. Same shop tells me the brakes arent cheap either $600 for ceramic pads up front. However, this truck is solid and safe you will bulldoze through snow and probably wont every hydroplane in the rain. You will love this truck until you get to the shop(try to stay away from the dealership, their labor is super expensive)

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  Cruising - 2011 Volkswagen CC
  By Anonymous - November 19 - 2:00 am

  I have had my 2011 VW CC for one week and LOVE it! Im a first time VW owner and I have no regrets. Im leasing the car and already considering buying it when the lease is up. This car is for cruising. It offers a smooth ride, a sporty look and is fun to drive.

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  Love It - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By Anonymous - November 19 - 2:00 am

  I love my TDI. I average about 38-41 MPG on a tank of diesel. In highway- only situations I yield about 45 MPG. My all-time record is 49 MPG on a 250 mile round trip. Expect about 560-600 miles out of a tank. But MPG is only half the story with the TDI. It feels a lot quicker than it actually is because of the torque. But that being said, it is no slow poke. Ingear acceleration is great if you shift quickly through the gears, but the engine runs out of steam in the high RPM range. The suspension setup is great, so the TDI is great in the twisty stuff. The only competitor that I can think of is the Audi A3 or Prius. The audis is smaller and more expensive. The Prius is slow and hates corners.

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  Super VW - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Les - November 18 - 11:43 pm

  The Passat 3.6 4Motion is an excellent car to drive. It has stylish looks. Its a great jump forward over the previous model. A job well done.

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  CC=Completely Cool! - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Debbie - November 18 - 6:13 pm

  Ive been a VW driver for many years and when the CC came along it was love at first sight. I bought the Sport/MT which is the base trim level. I cant believe all the standard features that it comes with, all for under $28,000. All my friends are green with envy.

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  Longest Car I Ever Owned - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By smokeymaxwell - November 18 - 10:23 am

  I bought my 2007 VW Rabbit from the dealer brand new in 2007. It was the base model with a manual 5 speed. What an awesome car for the money. It was quick, very responsive, had no bothersome stability control and was fun to drive. At most, I would keep a car around 1 to 2 years. I kept this Rabbit for 5 years because I loved it. The 2.5L engine was strong (I say this because the same engine in later years was de-tuned for gas mileage savings). The car never let me down, never made any weird noises, and was totally reliable. The hatch was convenient to use and fit a ton of stuff. The only thing I didnt like and changed right away was the factory radio. I put an aftermarket Alpine.

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  Do not waste your time on Beetles PLEASE - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By lylarose13 - November 17 - 8:03 pm

  I beg you. I have spent over 3000 and now need a new transmission (everybody seems to need these with these cars.) The car only has 70 Ks and when I bought it only had 39,000. NOTHING BUT A MONEY PIT of problems and every time I turn around I see more and more people with the EXACT same issues as me to a, "t." Like others have said, it should be illegal to make a car this unsafe, and unreliable. Even though my car is older there are similar problems with newer models of this car. I cant think of a worse car to own then this one. Seriously.

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  Routan Rocks - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By Kevin - November 17 - 3:03 am

  *Exterior is beautiful (best looking minivan in my opinion) *Love the features (i.e. stow & go, power windows in rear dual sliders, sunroof, traction control, stability control, and much more) *Interior is improved over the Grand Caravan *Suspension is much better than Grand Caravan (thanks VW)

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  When you rent - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By d c - November 16 - 9:36 pm

  When you rent a car as often as I do, you know you have a good car when you get back home and start your own car up. I rent newer cars, and their fit, finish and performance dont compare to my VW Passat GLX. And the service! My cars armrest started to wear; no sweat, the dealership (in Colorado, no less), happily replaced it. Right now I am considering an SUV because of a potential job change to the Midwest. I doubt seriously if I will trade in or sell my Passat. Its a classic!

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  lemon - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Greg - November 16 - 7:43 pm

  Ignition coils go bad between 50-75 K miles. Major design flaw. VW will not claim responsibility for this issue as I have contacted them. I dont mind 3 or 4 recalls and countless other items that had to be replaced during the warranty, but it is unfair for the owner to pay for ignition coil replacement, which seems to be a common issue with this engine. Ask any VW owner or dealer.