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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  06 Touareg - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By VW backagain - May 10 - 7:56 am

  So far so good. I compared my Touareg with competitive models and VW surprisingly came out way on top in terms of price / feature ratio and comfort / performance ratio. BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus really have nothing over this VW.

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  Great Car, Lets See How It Holds Up - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jettafan - May 10 - 7:33 am

  Well the last time I purchased a Jetta was in 96. A decade later Im back. I love the design and the comfort of the vehicle. Lets just see if this round they can hold on longer then 100,000 miles.

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  Piece of junk! - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By just me - May 8 - 10:00 am

  2004 Volkswagon Passat. Bought used at dealership. Oil blew, coolant blew, destroyed the thermostat. Dealership could not tell me why. They were clueless. Sounds to me like the oil sludge problem but wont openly admit it. Cost 2000 grand to fix. headlights went out. dealership wont change them without charging me 150 becuz they claim you have to pull off the bumper. I will never again buy a Volkswagen!

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  08 VW Passat Komfort 2.0 Turbo - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By randy - May 8 - 10:00 am

  The care had few problems that were covered under the waranty: replaced steering column, transmission sensor, air conditioning replaced. Because the warranty covered these items we saved $10,000 in fix up costs. Despite these problems, the car has been reliable once the initial issues have been adressed. The design is great and the car has a lot of nice features. Drove it cross county in the mountains and it held up I like the look of the car. My wife tells me to get rid of the care now that the warranty is out because it is a Lemon, but I tell her now that the dealer paid 10,000 to fix everything on the car nothing else will break. Just bought out the lease and time will tell who is right

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  Efficient and Fun - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By AlexV - May 8 - 10:00 am

  Loaded with extras, sunroof, excellent handling, great mileage, dealer incentives, bluetooth hands-free, ipod connection...whats not to love. Hopefully, reliability is not an issue.

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  2011 TDI Jetta Sportwagen 6m - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Licensed in 72 - May 8 - 10:00 am

  Have only driven the car once since we picked it up last night but test drove 2010 and 2011 6m and DSG. Settled on the 2011 6m with nav, panoramic sunroof and protection packages. This will be the wifes car and was the perfect fit for her and our family. The wife is even reading the owners manual like her Kindle. A first. Really test drove the cars the way they should be driven which really startled the salesman. Felt like the DSG was driving me but a vast improvement over past autos in the TDIs Ive owned but the manual is still the way to go. The leatherette seats are better than leather for maintenance and the accoutrements are almost overwhelming. An amazing ride and value.

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  Superb, Fabulous German Quality! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Min - May 7 - 9:26 am

  When I drive my Passat I always feel Im driving a sophisticated German car with price of over $35,000. First I saw it I was totally infatuated by its appearance, and now Im in deep love with the feeling it provides when Im in drivers seat.

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  I Love My Passat - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By mjb - May 6 - 2:23 pm

  I bought this new Passat 306 in January after selling my 1999 Passat GLX. I thought I loved my old Passat, but I really love my new one. It has sooo many great features, rides like a dream, and it will fly. I have come to the conclusion, its just a VW thing. There is just something about the engineering that sets it apart from the rest.

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  Yeah, its great...for the first year - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By KCgirl1234 - May 6 - 6:20 am

  Like most Jetta owners I was thrilled to be driving my fire engine red Jetta at breakneck speeds down the highway, and then a year passed and the problems began. First, the coolant thermostat wasnt working and my car overheated in the middle of rush hour traffic in Atlanta...fun. Then, all of my tires began slowly leaking air.. Not sure how it happened or what caused it but so far one has gone completely flat and I had to use the spare. Then the door handle broke on the passenger side and people were forced to climb in through the window...lovely. And most recently,the clutch blew and I had to have the entire clutch replaced, costing 1300$. Dont waste your money! Get a Honda/Toyota.

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  Dont Make My Mistake. - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By Gregg - May 5 - 10:56 pm

  Not impressed, what a mistake. The transmission shifts way too often. The around town mileage is horrible. (11) & to top it all off the dealership cat fix it properly because its actually a Chrysler. If you want a Town & Country then buy one at least Chrysler can fix it for you without having to run to the other dealership to obtain parts.