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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  Tank Like - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Marcello Belmondo - August 11 - 7:26 am

  The Jetta feels like it weighs two tons - when cornering and braking. It feels pretty light when accelerating, which is fairly smooth and pleasant sounding - because of the turbo I presume. I love small turbo charged engines. The accelerator is somewhat sticky, you dont know how hard to press to get it rolling. Same with the brakes. I bought the car for the engine and the great price, and the 6 speed trans. The engine is the cars greatest asset, a very important feature obviously. The transmission is mostly smooth, but there have been a few clunking shifts which made my heart beat extra. I have owned it 6 months. If it is a reliable car for the next several years, then I wont complain, but if there is more than one problem, I will be very disappointed in my purchase. I already received a notice that VW wants to reprogram the exhaust before my first smog check. Other notes: the door is heavy. The rear visibility is bad. A rear view camera would be a big help. Most models have them, mine does not. It is smooth on highways, but corners so poorly. I wouldnt rate it highly for city driving because the cornering is so lumbering. I havent checked the gas mileage. It better rate as high as they say, which is very high. The trunk is great. The air conditioning does not feel very cold. The seats are adequate.

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  Excellent Car - Worth the price - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By sat - August 10 - 9:03 pm

  Nice features. 1. Blue Tooth (Call quality is very good) 2. Nice Leather interior 3. Frame less windows. 4. well designed Bucket seats suitable for long drive with excellent lumbar support. 5. Play music using your SD card( no need to carry ipod anymore)

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  I love it!!! I hate it!!! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vw nut - August 10 - 2:53 pm

  I love the way it handles, the styling, the dash, all the kewl options. I love the way I can drop it into third gear and scream past the slower moving traffic. I love the bitchen blue dash lights and the heated seats, all those great options you normally find on only the higher end luxury sedans.
  I hate how many times I have had to bring it to the shop for repair. The window cables have come undone, the little door for the gas orfice fell in the tank and the tank had to be replaced. The cup holders and arm rest, almost everything plastic inside the vehicle has broken. The temp gage has never worked and they cant seem to fix it.

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  Love my Passat - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Kevco55 - August 10 - 2:26 pm

  this car has been very reliable. It gets decent gas mileage and is fun to drive. The 1.8 turbo engine provides power when needed.

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  Awesome for what it is - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By cfeigenbutz - August 10 - 12:56 pm

  There have been many complaints about this being a rebadged Chrysler. For what it is, the Routan is outstanding. There is no way to get a Wolfsburg designed and built minivan to the U.S. in this price range. VW is trying to capture the market for their customers who already have a VW and need a family hauler. We have a Jetta, and needed more room for our growing family. While every aspect of it may not be "German Engineered," it surely is "German Inspired." The ride is great, the layout inside is well though out (we have a bench instead of the captains chairs for the 2nd row, much more convenient in my opinion). Would definitely recommend.

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  Worth the Trouble - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jose Morales - August 10 - 10:00 am

  Apart from the weird electrical stuff, a great car. Fuel economy, ride, extra features make it a great car. Get the extended warranty !!!!

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  Solid, Comfortable & Fun to drive - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By JAS3rd - August 10 - 10:00 am

  My Passat is quiet and nimble and yet it "rides heavy" on the highway. When I looked at the Audi A4 and BMW 3 series I realized that would get much more creature comfort for less money and still have a car that is a joy to drive. If you want significantly more sportiness you have to go for the BMW 330 or the A4 3.0 (more $$$). The Accord seemed tinny & the Camary is as plain as a soda cracker (by the way... whats up with the funky exhaust pipe hanging so low under the Camary??? its ugly and odd.

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  I luv driving this car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Bill in Madison - August 10 - 10:00 am

  I now search out the "Rustic Roads" (an actual state designation in Wisconsin), in order to push this car a little closer to its edge. Cornering at high speeds is like riding on rails, and I enjoy leaving the wannabes way back after corners, only to have them zoom up on the straight. Then at the next corner... The foldback mirrors are great fun, and Ive used them while driving onto a ferry boat in the Apostle Islands. I REALLY love driving this car! Only possible negative is the mileage, but unless I start driving like Im from Minnesota, I cant expect good fuel mileage. ;-)

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  Dont buy it! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By duckrun101 - August 10 - 10:00 am

  I regret buying my my 2002 1.8T Jetta. Within 3 months the engine went down, not once but twice. They claimed to have fixed the problem at the first time, but a week after, the engine went down again. It was the coils that they said caused the problem but they didn’t replace all of them the first time even though they knew they were not right for the car. Another problem - Just a few days ago, my A/C was broken. Since all the dealerships are so busying fixing other more serious problems like engine and falling-apart windows, they wont have time for my A/C problem until after this summer is over.

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  so far its run and been fun! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By skeeterdog - August 10 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my GLI approximately 3 months now. What a fun car to drive ! I love the 6 speed manual transmission, it has get up and go. The interior is very nice, the stereo system is great, loads of trunk space.