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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  Love my Touareg - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Mbaye - August 24 - 4:26 am

  I read the comments but overall, they were not bad! They were 8.3 on a scale of 10 for consumers and 7.8 for the editors! Personally, I dont think this is as bad as some "wieners" must think. Think about the alternative Toyotas! The car does not accelerate and it is made to work as intended! It is a car for raggedy and tough road conditions like the Sahara desert in Africa or the bad road in Africa! The only think I think they should improve on is MILEAGE per gallon, but again, you are not driving a hybrid here! Bottom line this is a great car, backed by a reliable builder, and a trustworthy holding company named PORSCHE! The car shares many parts with the Porsche (same chassis)!

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  Water Retention (rear doors) - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By DGrant - August 24 - 3:20 am

  Ive had my VW CC for 7 months now and Im still in love with it. Not only does it perform and ride well, its an attention getter. However, the issue of water retention in the rear doors is annoying. With every heavy rain, Im opening the rear doors to release the water, and checking the floor for wetness.

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  Two in the garage - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Bob Lykins - August 24 - 1:50 am

  My wife and I can afford any type of car made, but we both bought new VW Beetle convertibles late last year, and we absolutely love them. I have a 2005 turbo, whereas my wife picked a 2006 2.5. The car is solid! It is amazingly quiet with the top up, and is extremely comfortable (Im 63 and have more head and legroom than I did in my Toyota 4Runner!). We both get excellent gas mileage and we feel very safe on the interstates. I havent had this much fun in a car since high school and college!

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  Less flash, more value - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Morgan A - August 23 - 7:11 pm

  While other cars in this class might have a more balls and whistles, the 2016 VW Jetta is a great drivers car. Immediately apparent once in the seats is great visibility out all directions, nicely laid out instrument gauges, and comfortable seats. Rear legroom and trunk space is phenomenal! The new 1.4L turbo engine has plenty of oomph in every year for merges or just run driving with the sport mode. It also offers great fuel economy both in the city and on the highway. I love this car and would be another today. The 2016 Volkswagen Jetta might have just made me a VW owner for life.

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  Less flash, more value - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Morgan A - August 23 - 7:11 pm

  While other cars in this class might have a more balls and whistles, the 2016 VW Jetta is a great drivers car. Immediately apparent once in the seats is great visibility out all directions, nicely laid out instrument gauges, and comfortable seats. Rear legroom and trunk space is phenomenal! The new 1.4L turbo engine has plenty of oomph in every year for merges or just run driving with the sport mode. It also offers great fuel economy both in the city and on the highway. I love this car and would be another today. The 2016 Volkswagen Jetta might have just made me a VW owner for life.

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  German engineering is super - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By dave_anderson8 - August 23 - 5:41 pm

  I got the car second-hand when it had about 20,000 miles on it and now it has already 160K miles. Awesome car. The previous owner did a great job maintaining it, so I had no problems at all with this car, except regular maintenance. It is a great car. Very fun to drive and looks great. Actually I think it looks better than the current generation of Passat. German engineering is super and trustable. Only thing one must remember is to use only premium gas (91 or above). I can see some people got problems with the car mainly because they were cheap enough to use 87 gas for the car. If you do that, you will end up with many problems. I have been using 93 gas and got no problem at all.

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  2005 GLS TDi - 2005 Volkswagen Golf
  By gfen - August 21 - 3:40 pm

  "Thats a diesel?" You get that a lot at the gas stations, as well as attendants shutting the pump off on you to helpfully "save" your car. Youd be hard pressed to know its a diesel, as well. Sure, from the outside its definitely louder at idle (up to about 1600rpm its got that diesel clatter), and theres no smoke or fumes from the engine, either. On the coldest days, it needed no more than 15 seconds for the glowplugs to do their job, and itll start right up. The HP is low, but dont let this deter you. You wont notice with the torquey engine and gearing ratios. The Tiptronic feature of the auto 5spd isnt exciting, shift lag is high. On the other hand, itll let you hold a gear for climbing,etc

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  awesome! - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By Kevin Collins - August 21 - 10:00 am

  Picked up my R32 yesterday.. this is my 6th Golf, dating back to one of the earliest Rabbit GTIs to hit the streets in the USA back in November of 82. I test drove the R several weeks ago, prepared to be underwhelmed or even disappointed - instead I immediately decided I had to have one. The awesome VR6, the 4MOTION drivetrain, and refinement and comfort not available in the competition just won me over. The headlights are badly in need of an upgrade (either euro HIDs or halogen e-codes will be added soon) but other than that, this thing is the complete package.

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  Jetta TDI Wagon - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tom21769 - August 21 - 10:00 am

  This car approaches the safety of a Volvo (with head curtain airbags, good crash test results, and available ESP). It approaches the performance of an Audi (with its sporty handling and diesel torque). When you factor in fuel expenses, it approaches the economy of a Honda or Toyota. Now, if VW could only promise Honda or Toyota reliability, theyd have an unbeatable combination. Its a little small for a family, but wonderful as a second car for solo commuting.

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  Still a Great Car - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By Maybaby74 - August 21 - 9:26 am

  I have owned my Volkswagen R32 for about four months now and it still excites me each time I drive it! The exhaust note is still addicting and the handling is incredible! This car is all about balance. Where all other cars in this class are about trying to get the fastest 0-60 times or the highest Gs and fastest slalom times, this car is about everyday, usable performance. On a 8/10 scale, it can keep up with anything on the road while delivering a comfortable ride, all wheel drive stability along with a bunch of options (moonroof, awsome stereo, automatic climate control, seat warmers, etc.). There is no turbo lag, no darty handling, just pure driving pleasure, and German style!