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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  I do love my Jetta - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By SarahZ... - May 10 - 2:00 am

  I have wanted a Jetta for years, and I finally got a 98 this past December. I love it. Its fast, fun to drive and seems to be very reliable. I think the cup holder situations stinks, they are way to small. And the fact that the GL has roll down windows also stinks, I had a 90 Oldsmobile with power windows! Anyway, I so far love this car- its almost everything I want in a car. I love the german feel and design.I love the way the car shifts. I have been told VWs are very expensive to maintain... and I believe it. Well wish me luck-

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  Great family sedan - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By ericba13 - May 10 - 2:00 am

  This is a very solid car. I have the AWD version, which is slow, even with the V6, but a great handler a very luxurious. That said, the AWD is an incredible safety feature in rain, snow, and around corners and it makes for a very safe car. (In fact, all of my cars will be AWD from now on). If you can sacrifice some power, this is the best midsize car on the market.

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  Not Bad at All - 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By cfr5555 - May 9 - 2:20 am

  I bought the car new in 2007 and have enjoyed it ever since. Good performance, but the handling could be a little tighter. MPG is constantly around the 30 mark. I have 40000 miles on it and it has not given me any trouble. There were a couple of squeaks/rattles at the beginning but they have since vanished. I would recommend this car from my personal experience. Happy Motoring.

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  Perfect - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By chris - May 8 - 5:50 pm

  I absolutely love this car. DSG! WOW! The sport hatch is back. I went from driving a Honda back to a Volkswagen. There is no comparison unless you are straight line racing this car. The GTI is such a comfortable, roomy and well thought out car.

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  Enjoyed My Jetta - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Anand - May 6 - 2:33 pm

  I enjoyed my car right from the beginning. I had some minor electrical issues when it was under warranty. Also, there was minor issue with the indicator lights that was repaired under warranty. My battery broke after 75,000 miles and thats when I replaced it. Under warranty, I had an oxygen sensor issue that has been corrected by the dealer. The catalytic converter failed at 60,000 miles, but luckily there was recall on that and my payment was reimbursed by VW. At 97,000 miles the transmission broke. Guess what, it has a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty and the dealer replaced it with a new transmission. At about 75,000 miles, I had an air conditioning issue that I had to pay for.

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  1999 Passat 1.8T - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Brad Landis - May 5 - 1:13 am

  We love the ride of the car. The 1.8T has a funny hesitation when you step on the gas. The car has been totally unreliable. Its in the shop every 3 months for something. Definitely would not recommend.

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  awesome car - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dbanda51 - May 4 - 11:14 am

  this is my 2nd vw. i had a 99.5 jetta 2.0 as my 1st car and loved it except for it was to slow.great on gas though. i later got a bmw 323i and kind of liked it but not as much as the jetta so i got rid of it. and finally found the 01 jetta Wolfsburg. it had everything i needed, 5 speed, sport seats, turbo, 4cyl (for great mpg).i have owned it for about a year and a half.has never let me down.previous owner kept everything tight and said he never got check engine light, as of today i havent either. i have also added coilovers, APR tune (making 215hp!), forge dv valve (makes the psshh sound), 17 rims, and a Nav system, i have put about 20k miles on it without a prob. this car is awesome!!!

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  fix the problems before you buy - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bta614 - May 4 - 10:00 am

  car drives great for the most part, turbo is fun to drive but i noticed i have been getting less power off the line the past couple of months. buy the dark interior, light interior stains with anything on it, trim is peeling after a couple of months, cup holders need to be redesigned, front windows dropped five times before they figured out plastic hinges dont work, check engine light is a common feature, warranty needs to be better because parts are not cheap on this thing. i wont get one of these again.

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  What have I gotten myself into - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By What have I done!! - May 3 - 8:50 pm

  I bought the 2004 Touareg in Aug. of 2005 and it has been nothing but trouble ever since. For all the problems I have had, I always had to take it back at least twice because it was not done right the first time. I have had problems with the amplifiers that had to be replaced two times. The tire indicator has always had a malfunction, but it was not until after the warranty that the dealer finally admitted that all 2004s Touaregs have this problem. And most recently the horn does not work at all, which will cost $438 to fix!! My advise it not to buy a 2004. And I hate that they do not have loaner car service. I am at the dealer so much they are programed in my cell phone as a personal contact.

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  The Conundrum... - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Pete - April 29 - 8:13 pm

  about our 04 Touareg is that we love using it. The brakes are fantastic, it handles well for a 5,200 pounder, and it really moves. The transmission is amazing. The tire pressure sensor system irritates my wife, but we have a compressor in the garage and its very easy to keep the tires correctly inflated. An electrical glitch has left my wife stranded twice - a "fuse breaker" under the drivers seat near the battery. The dealer has tried, but we have the feeling that the technicians assigned to the Touareg are not properly trained. It took eight days to get the car back the first time the breaker failed; the car is at the dealer now, for five days so far, for the same problem a year+ later.