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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  Trusted freindly passat - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By steven rhodes - April 10 - 3:13 am

  We bought the car used and some initial issues and vw stepped up and fixed them with no questions and even replaced some items that we did not expect. The car handled great had plenty of pep when needed and we averaged around 27 mpg. Now we do not have a lead foot but the car on the highway at over 75 still got over 30 mpg. Now after over 140k it is a sad parting as we move up to a mid size suv.

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  Passat - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By shannyb - April 10 - 2:00 am

  Great car. I have had a couple minor problems with the glove box latch and the trunk latch not working, but both were easily repaired at no cost to me by the dealer.

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  Never thought Id love a wagon :) - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Makr - April 8 - 5:10 pm

  2010 Jetta Sportwagen TDI - Candy White, Black Interior, 6-speed. My wife wanted something with room and good gas mileage(not easy to find, as you may already know). I wanted something fun to drive. BAM! VW has the perfect solution. Weve only got a little over 1K miles, but this car is great and grows on me more every day. 6-speed is a blast to drive, does not feel like a station wagon at all. Plenty of room for us, our daughter w/ car seat, 2 dogs and luggage on last road trip. What a great feeling to look down and see that youre cruising along at 75+ mph and getting 42+ mpg!! We plan on keeping this car for a LONG time...thanks VW!

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  What a Great Golf! - 2015 Volkswagen Golf
  By jdh25 - April 8 - 8:04 am

  I have been a VW driver for over 25 years. 86 Scirocco, Jettas and Passats. I thought my 06 2.0 Passat was the best VW ever, but this Golf is giving it some competition. Eye candy on the outside and inside. The interior looks and feels as luxurious as an Audi, BMW or MBZ. Great design too with easy to use technology and awesome sound system. Love the simplicity VW provides. The 1.8T is peppy and provides plenty of power for this car. Its not a GTI, but it is quick. The handling feels a little stiff, but not too much and very secure. Overall its fun to look at and drive. I had considered an Audi A3 & A4 but the Golf won and my wallet was all the more happy!

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  Love the car! - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Aaron - April 8 - 6:40 am

  I absolutely love the car. It gets great gas mileage (I havent topped 40 yet but I do a lot of city driving) and has a ton of power.

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  Very Impressive - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Robert - April 7 - 1:56 am

  VW cut no corners in this vehicle. Quality craftmanship on the interior especially with the seats, dash board, access to controls and visibility. Very tight car with little outside noise. No rattles! Exterior is very attractive with features such as turning headlights. You can see and feel a lot of Audi in the car. This is my third Passat and will consider a 4th when time runs out on this vehicle. AWESOME CAR!

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  VW Hit It Out of the Park! - 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
  By DoMaNo - April 6 - 8:50 am

  If you are looking for a 3-row SUV, make VW your last stop as that’s what you will buy! Excellent buy for the money. Easy to drive and great for the family.

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  Tons of fun - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By AADAM - April 5 - 6:56 pm

  I love driving my Tdi Touareg daily. It is a blast; tons of torque and hp which makes it a lot of fun. We put the car on a rolling chassis dyno to see what it would do and how much power and torque it would lose through the drivetrain; from the engine to the tires. We were pleasantly suprised. It is rated at 310 hp and 554 lb-ft at the motor so I thought it should put down somewhere around 250-260 hp and 460- 485 lb-ft of torque at the tires. The dyno results surprised us all to say the least; 299 hp and 548 lb-ft torque at the tires; damn near matched the power ratings which were listed as at the flywheel. It is very difficult not to drive it with your foot to the pedal. Brakes are super as well. Super!!

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  2nd Passat in our garage - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By Vdubtx - April 5 - 2:53 pm

  We just picked up a 2nd Passat. Our other is a 2007 luxury model. Great prices on the car with a maximum bang for buck. Stated fuel economy is only 28 on highway. I regularly get 32 with cruise at 65. I have driven Passats since 1998 when they came out with their redesign and have not been without atleast one since then. I love them for the fun driving and the great looks.

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  Falling in love... again. - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By vwlogansrun - April 4 - 6:27 pm

  Im now the daily driver of our 2007 4-Door Rabbit and just absolutely blown-away by it. Weve had no major mechanical issues with it, ever. I just had spark plugs and a few things replaced and suddenly it is driving like new. For a car under $19k, the handling and acceleration is fantastic. It is bigger than our previous Golf and more solid overall. The engine, Im told, borrows from a Lamborghini design. Im not a racer but this is a quick car. Also room enough for groceries and two kids. A bit tight for a long road trip, but doable.