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 am screwed - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By judeboscure96 - December 10 - 2:00 am

  I have a 2002 1.8t. While I have no complaints with the handling of the car I am concerned about its reliability. I have had to have a linkage replaced on the tiptronic transmission. My monsoon stere system kept shutting itself off or wouldnt go on at all. The finish on the drivers door handle has all but peeled off. The cup holder is a mess and whats with no cupholders in the back seat at all? The A/C is anemic. My first VW and my last.

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  PLEASE READ THESE REVIEWS! THEY ARE TRUE!! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By trust_issues02 - December 9 - 3:49 am

  I bought my 2002 VW Jetta in 2004 used 40,000 miles. From day one nothing but problems. Engines coils, water pump ( like 3 times), oil pan, hoses, transmission. The list can go on and on.. I put myself in debt trying to fix this car. So EXPENSIVE to fix. I felt the trans was slipping shortly after my purchase. I kept taking it to the dealer before my warranty went out they couldnt feel what I felt while driving.. A year later after the warranty went out so did the transmission. I paid $2,600 to fix it and it still wasnt fixed the correct way!!!! Every time the car went to the shop my bill averaged $500-800. DONT BUY A VW PLEASE. Youll regret it!!! Also no mechanic knows how to fix them!

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  Let Down - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By oscarkat01 - December 8 - 1:50 pm

  This car drives great and is a joy. It is great driving with top down or up. This car feels much more luxurious the the price. I have never been more disappointed with a car though. The top has been broken for a month now. I have lost top down time which is seasonal where I live. I probably wont be able to put the top down again until spring now. If I wanted a coupe with a sunroof, I would have bought one. I bought a convertible. It is completely unacceptable to me. It doesnt matter how great the car drives or how comfortable it is if I cant put the top down in good weather. I will not be keeping this car. There are plenty of convertibles that dont have these number of problems.

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  Good but needs refinement - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Shree - December 8 - 7:06 am

  I have a 01 Jetta Wolfsburg for the past 6 months. Has been generally good. During this period cruise control died. Sound system good when it works. Looks like there is a bug in the software. Occassionally CD player stops working when car is started. Have to change to tape mode and come back to CD player to enable sound. cupholder design flaw. Cannot load an in-dash CD with the cupholder in use. Also I found that pick up was unusually bad at low RPM. It feels like engine might stall when accelerating from a stop. Ride quality very good and there is also a fun to drive factor with this car. Also has a lot of features not standard in other small sedans. This might justify the higher price.

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  Middle aged family sedan buyer 😂 - 2017 Volkswagen Passat
  By RC - December 8 - 6:41 am

  Currently only have 1200 miles. Will update as miles increase. As expected so far I really enjoy the car for what it is. I was in the market for midsize 4 door for the family and my daily commuter vehicle (50 miles round trip). Im normally a Honda or Toyota guy for my daily drivers, you cant deny reliably and resale of those brands. I previously owned a new 2014 Honda Accord sport, I have zero complaints other than the cvt transmission, which I hate in any brand! My local vw dealership had a few passat r lines priced very aggressively that caught my attention. If I had to pay msrp I would have passed on a vw product and just purchased a Camry or Accord,not that they arent worth the money but resale is horrendous on German brands (Audi,BMW,Mercedes etc) I only keep my vehicles 2 years max normally and always purchase never lease so resale values are important to me. I purchased my passat r line for 19300 plus tax and tile! Msrp was 25300! I feel this is a tremendous value for 22k out the door!!!! I wasnt interested in any other Passat model other than the r line, love the wheels and slightly sporty appearance package it offers! It feels like a 30k car! So far the passat seems on par with my previous Accord sport. I do prefer the 6spd auto and interior quality, infotainment (carplay👍🏼) compared to the Honda. I highly recommend the Passat r line if you can purchase for around $20,000 before taxes and fees

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  2004 jetta - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dave2009 - December 7 - 11:16 pm

  In one month and 5,000 km Im very happy. Getting 30 mpg on my 120 km daily commute. Had one engine issue, a coil failed but was repaired under dealer warranty. At times the turbo can be jerky in city traffic but the power does make the car. Tried the normal 2.0 L and it was a dog.

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  Great idea, terrible execution - 2001 Volkswagen GTI
  By das26_2 - December 7 - 10:00 am

  The car could be one of the best for a small sporty cars. My car has been in the shop 12 TIMES for ignition coil problems and there has been little to no satisfaction from Corporate. This is my 4th VW and by far the one with the most problems. The coils will have you in the shop every couple months and the service is terrible.

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  Good Decision - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Corky Fulton - December 5 - 7:13 am

  Id done a bit of research here at Edmunds.com and decided that a Jetta diesel was the economy car for me. Ive owned Infiniti Q45s and Mercedes E-Class cars in the past. I wanted something that would get me great milage with reliability. I bought the automatic with package 1 (my wife must have heated seats) Ive had the car for 4 weeks and have averaged 38 to 40 mpg on 4 tanks of fuel, doing combo highway/city driving. The car is fun to drive and really feels tight. I love the 6 speed auto transmission. It feels much quicker than it really is because of the torque. My only complaint is that its a bit noisy on certain road surfaces at speed. The fit is good with everything feeling tight.

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  A Real Gem - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Fretbuzzer - December 5 - 2:00 am

  We bought our 2000 GLS used and have enjoyed it more than any other vehicle we have ever owned. It has been very reliable as well as fun to drive (a hard mix to find). We are taking her for her 40k service this week and havent spent a dime on maintenance that wasnt a regularly scheduled service. Would buy another VW bug anyday! Have had great service at Ed Murphy VW in Schaumburg, IL!

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  Dont buy one. - 2012 Volkswagen Beetle
  By bob491 - December 3 - 4:54 pm

  Purchased a new 2012 Turbo Beetle 3 months ago. Although the car is a blast to drive, I have been experiencing problems with the drivers and passenger windows. They go down fine but stop and go when you close them. The car has been in three times so far for the same repair and I am doubtful that VW will ever be able to correct the problem. Since the dealership has been working on the problem, I now have wind noise and other issues with the windows that I did not have before. My intent is to force them to take the car back since the car and many others like it share the same problem.