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, but Wish I got the Turbo Model - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Chris - October 15 - 6:03 am

  I purchased my Jetta 2.5 in May, and have been pleased so far. Now, with 6,500 miles on it, the gas mileage is up to 28 mpg on the highway at 75-80 mph. The interior is great quality, but Im a little worried about the lack of heated seats for the winter. Overall, its a very well-built, solid car. The engine has great torque, but isnt as quick to rev as Id like. Also, the 5-speed shifter isnt quite sporty enough. If I had it to do over, Id cough up the extra dough for the Jetta 2.0 turbo with the 6-speed transmission.

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  Love my Tourey the Touareg - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By demlg - October 14 - 10:00 am

  Love the car -- so much fun to drive. Got the V6 and both my husband and I are more than pleased with the power it has. Looked at BMW X3, Acura MDX and Lexus RX330 and when we compared everything felt that the Touareg was the best value for the money. The gas mileage could be better. Bought the car in 5/04 and at least in our area they were very willing to deal with us.

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  Sportwagon, TDI, Manual - 2014 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By stevenjohn - October 11 - 11:44 am

  Bought this car because we needed something reasonably priced, great mileage, that can haul things around. First VW we have owned, we have owned BMW, Acura, Honda. Very happy so far with the purchase. Excellent driving, very good mileage (over 40 mpg....), plenty big, love the manual, and the turbo diesel.

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  Great Car For the Money - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Michael B. - October 10 - 11:06 am

  Looked at a lot of other cars in its class and the Passat felt the most substantial, heavy and comes witha lot of standard features. The only other cars that were competition were the A4 and the Acura TSX. The Passat was less and drives just as well as the A4 and tighter then the Acura.

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  Big Problems - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By dakotablue - October 8 - 10:00 am

  We have owned the vehicle for about 3 months and the problems keep mounting. Terrible transmission. Gear changing is very hard and unpredictable. VW says this is normal. Seats are not comfortable and the vehicle rides rough. We like the Interior features such as the Navigation and Stereo. The constant reminders going off are annoying. We have taken it for 7 problems in a 4 month period, including 3 recalls. We wish we could trade it but the value has dropped like a rock so we are stuck with it. Let VW fix the many issues and consider purchasing one in about 3 years. Maybe then the transmission will actually resemble a car and not a bulldozer.

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  A year and a half in review - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By sweenemo - October 8 - 10:00 am

  The GLI offers a lot in a small package.Sporty and fun to drive. Car is tight on the turns and loves to be pushed. Car feels stable at high speeds and is up to almost any task. I have 14k miles and after some early monsoon radio issues I havent had a prob in 10k miles.18 MPG in the city 25 on the highway-bit low for a car in this class. If i had to do it again I would get the leather package (cloth attracts hair) . All in all a good car that is fun to drive but beware this is no Honda Accord

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  Great Car Overall - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By michaelb1850 - October 5 - 3:20 pm

  I purchased this car new. Ive had many of the same cosmetic problems as others, ie.. broken window regulator (twice, driver side), broken glove box, broken armrest cover, cup holder. Ive had multiple teenage drivers, its been in the body shop more than once. Mechanically its a wonder! It is now 13 years old with over 275,000 mi on it and it is still on the original engine and transmission (automatic). The only major maintenance has been replacing the timing belt three times I think and a coolant pump. Ive had to replace the blower fan and am now having problems with the A/C control but hey, its 13 yo. If they can get the cosmetic things fixed it would be perfect. Getting 22 - 25 mpg.

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  Great Car - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Leroy - October 5 - 1:26 am

  This car has been the most fun ride Ive ever driven. Perfect example of a heavy German sedan, killer in any driving condition. The only problem Ive had with it after 130,000 miles is a coolant sensor going out, an easy $8 fix. Im a sold VW driver now.

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  Crown Victoria to Jetta TDI - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Beetle Juice - October 4 - 4:50 pm

  After driving a Ford Crown Victoria for 18 years, it is going to take a while to get used to a smaller car where I feel and hear more of the road than I would like. The 16-inch rims and low profile tires give the car a sporty feel but I prefer the smoother ride of a large sedan. I took the Mercury Milan Hybrid on a test drive first but it was priced too high. It was smoother and quieter than the Jetta. I am impressed with the fuel efficiency after 500 miles. I am getting 34 mpg city and 47 highway while driving between 65-70 mph. When the piston rings are seated and the car is more broken in, I expect to do better.

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  2005 Jetta - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By SpecialJohnny - October 3 - 2:23 pm

  The brakes are very loud. My brakes have made noise from almost day one. The stealership has not replaced or done anything. I hand wash the wheels and car and the problem is with brake dust. Other than that good car to drive. Nice performance. So the first mod should be new aftermarket brake pads and forget trying to get VW to do something.