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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  Quality & Saving - 2010 Volkswagen Passat
  By Joe in AR - March 18 - 5:30 am

  Great build and quality with exceptional gas mileage, within first 3,000 miles have 650 miles trip with best result of 30 mpg. Power is exceptional for a 4 cylinder and turbo, interior is very quiet and ride quality little too soft in my own opinion, highway speed the steering response turns to ultra sensitive - "great feel". Quality made with incredible savings on gasoline usage but calls for premium fuel. Have consistently gotten 400 miles from full tank of gas with 50/50 town/highway driving. Wagon is versatile with great looks; adequate amount of room for hauling with family of 4. Turbo lag noticeable but once whines up, power rival a V6 - makes it very fun to drive, cruises GREAT!!

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  Great looks, expensive repairs - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jacko - March 16 - 11:20 pm

  I bought this car used with 80,000 miles on it. I felt in love with the design of the car (mine was black), tinted the windows. I got tons of compliments on my car. Drove it for about 6 months, and in anticipation of a long trip decided to check it at the mechanic. His verdict was this: it looks like new, but its falling apart. Belt, bushings, suspension, brakes etc. The list included about 15 different things. Total cost to repair all that: $2500. After owning the car for 6 months! Thats almost 1/2 the value of the car. Not to mention that oil change costs twice as much as on any normal car, runs on premium only and i had 10-12 mpg!

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  Good car with great space. - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ecwhite - March 16 - 9:22 pm

  This is a big car for its class but needs the 2.5 litre to make it work. The 5 speed manual transmission seems too tall in an attempt to gain fuel mileage. An extra gear in the manual gear box is needed to bring some life to it. The space is off the charts compared to any competitor which is a big asset when you have a family to fit in the back seat and luggage in the trunk. The Civic and Elantra might win the "fun" category but the space, quiet ride and solid road performance in weather trump the fun factor for me. It is not a TDI (my previous car was a 05 Jetta TDI before the moose destroyed it) and if you can afford it, go with the TDI. The TDI is a Santa bag of fun with crazy torque!

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  Falls Short of the Mazda3 - 2008 Volkswagen GTI
  By Rob - March 16 - 8:33 pm

  While the 08 GTI is fun to drive and well designed, it still falls short of the competition. The steering feels much heavier than what one would expect in a sport tuned hatch. The performance of the automatic transmission is also sub-par, as it frequently shifts to higher gears too quickly causing the engine to strain and grumble. I’ve ended up using the paddle shifters to correct the problem. My 05 Mazda3 (S) with automatic transmission and 156hp had better handling and off the line acceleration.

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  Forget about Japanese cars, get a GLI ! - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By z3r0c00l - March 16 - 1:46 pm

  6 months ago, I was searching for a new car and thinking to get a Honda Civic SI, Nissan Altima 3.5L OR a Toyota Camry V6. However, I saw someone drove a new GLI and amazed with how beautiful the car was. I owned a VW Golf 2.0L and it was an OK car for me, not too impressed by it. Then, I decided to test drive a GLI and fell in love right away! Forget about those Japanese cars which are built by old grandma non-virgin metal! Thats why they are cheap! Get a real car under $30,000, complete w/ Package 2 GLI and youll never regret it. The car is superb, comes with high quality interior, sweet looking exterior and excellent performance. I dont like it, I love it!

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  Great Little Speed Box - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By Joe - March 16 - 11:26 am

  The Volkswagen GTI is a great car, with excellent pickup and standard features that are great. The only thing I considered adding was a moonroof. It comes with electric doors and windows and great litle VW trims inside and out. This car is great looking, it has an amazing honeycomb front grill.

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  Superb package! - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By ahnold - March 16 - 2:00 am

  In a word:FUN. Has all the creature- comforts and practicality in a tight, fast, sticks-like-glue package. Test drive it and youll buy it! Only 5000 produced for North America in 2004....destined for collectibility, I think.

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  DONT BUY THIS CAR - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Charles Clingman - March 16 - 2:00 am

  This 2001 Jetta GLS VR6 has been a nightmare since it was purchased new. Repair costs are 3 times US made car. Car has had repeated problems like 5 electric window motor problems. The dealer had the car for a total of 6 weeks trying to diagnose and repair a problem, and finally had to bring in a factory rep to repair. That repair was over $1500.00! Car has locked up in Park twice requiring a tow to dealer. It has had numerous problems of rapid acceleration while sitting idle. A major safety hazard. Car is made in Mexico so that should tell one to stay clear of this headache. If you buy one of these VW Jettas you may die in it!

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  Solid Uber Ute for the Money - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By allseasonswheels - March 16 - 2:00 am

  VWs service is absolutely unacceptable for the quality of their cars. I had a major defect in my 2004 (gas tank) and they treated it like it was a broken sun visor clip. Truly unbelievable, and quite a shame because the Touareg is a heck of a vehicle. Just pray nothing goes wrong with it, which is highly unlikely. The salesman I purchased mine from said 7 out of 10 Touaregs he sells come back to the shop for some reason or another. Most popular problem was with the radio systems.

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  CMDs Touareg 2004 - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By auntcmd - March 16 - 2:00 am

  This is the first time I did not have buyers remorse. The Touareg is very comfortable and was fantastic in the snow/ice, especially when I needed to get to work, no matter what. I am disappointed with the radio options (no cassette), the speed controlled volume is sporadic, the antenna was malfunctioning from my purchase date (it is now fixed after many months of trying).