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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  Last VW Van was a 65 - 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By Florida Bob - October 30 - 1:06 pm

  The new VW van still has enough of the qualities that made the old vans so much fun. Its big with a lot of usable space but it is still small enough to park and move in traffic. The VR6 is the best thing that ever happened to this car. It has adaquate power and is smooth and responsive. Handling is great for a van.

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  2006 Jetta TDI Automatic - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Kent - October 29 - 8:50 pm

  The more I drive my Jetta, the more I like it. It is a fun car to drive. It handles more like a flat cornering, tight handling sports car, which I like. It isn’t noisy but you can hear the motor purr when accelerating which is fine with me. It has plenty of power for normal driving, cruises easily at 60-70 mph, and accelerates at those speeds. This car never seems to labor at any speed, maybe because of the DSG automatic transmission. This is a 6-speed transmission with a sport mode and a paddle shifter if you desire to shift at your own shift points.

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  Manual + Diesel = Fun & 40mpg - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By greg-dc - October 28 - 2:00 am

  Want to drive 300mi on HALF a tank of fuel. Just go order one -- its worth the wait. Expensive? At 15000mi/yr the difference between 20mpg and 40mpg is $1500/yr ($125/mo). Oh, did I mention the German fit & finish and amazing handling? Worried about driving a diesel? If you drive a stick, dont be. Youll quickly learn to use and love having the maximum torque at 1900rpm instead of 5000 (like a Honda). We test drove an automatic, and it felt sluggish. But isnt $125/mo enough to learn to drive a stick?

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  Da Bomb - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jdog00700 - October 28 - 2:00 am

  Really Sweet and cool. cool heated seats and sunroof. Beats honda civic, dodge neon......anyday

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  Sell it before you hit 100K! - 2009 Volkswagen Passat
  By George - October 27 - 9:50 am

  I bought my 09 2.0T with less than 30K. Never put anything but synthetic oil and premium gas in the thing. It was a dream to drive until I started blowing ignition coils close to 80K. At around 103K it started dumping oil and coolant - so much it was embarrassing to park it anywhere. Took it to two reputable shops - they both told me it wasnt worth fixing. I just let the thing go at 106K for $2,500 as a trade in.

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  2006 VW Rabbit - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By sue - October 27 - 12:43 am

  I think VW came out with a winner! I test drove and had the car located in my area. I am pleased with the great seating and standard features. I love the whole car and do not regret buying it at all like some of my other cars even in this span of time. I totally recommend it. Its roomier than you think and it has a nice firm ride and great pick up when you need it

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  Cool Ride - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Mike Nelson - October 26 - 7:23 am

  My wife drives the VW during the work week and I drive my Expedition. And when the weekend hits I drive the V8 Touareg as much as I can. It is an eXtreme machine and it really jams down the road. The interior is very comfortable and my kids love the stereo. My wife says she loves her V8 Touareg and likes to drive fast in it all the time. Thats why she gets poor gas milleage.

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  Volkswagen makes a profit at this price? - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By Kris K - October 26 - 6:23 am

  I was driving an 08 HCH, and I couldnt help but think something was missing- any sense of driving excitement. I then test-drove this car, and that was it. I cant believe that Im achieving the same frugality as my previous car, only with a healthy dose of fun-to-drive, freeway-passing torque to go with it (I describe it as "my old car, but with stones (edited)"). Ive heard stories about VW reliability, but at 4,100 miles (and a lead-footed average of 40mpg), I have yet to see something go wrong. From the solidity to the materials to the robust powertrain, I find it hard to believe VW is making a profit at this price. Its an excellent car that covers all points of debate favorably.

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  Piece of junk with great seats! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By cliffordsgal - October 25 - 6:19 am

  Leased the car brand new in the Fall of 2005. Yea, they used 2005 parts in this piece of junk 2006 VW Passat. The 2005 had more recalls though, FUNNY THING! Ive had nothing but problems since 31,000 miles. Parts breaking left and right. The hubs were toast at 60,000 miles. Really? I mean rusted through. The interior started to deteriorate at 20,000 miles and it was out of warranty by then because of the year. RUST began to show on the outside of the car at 40,000. The engine repeatedly seized in the winter time as early as 40,000 miles. In Europe they recalled this same vehicle for many many more issues than the US did and they were all built from the SAME PARTS! Yea, pretty sad.

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  Enjoying the Eos - 2009 Volkswagen EOS
  By loudounman - October 25 - 4:46 am

  Purchased base model w/ 17 inch wheels. Great fun to drive. Plenty of pick-up with turbo. Slight hesitation but then it really moves. Compared with BMW 328 but glad I went with Eos. Saved alot of money and enjoying the car. Give this car a try and dealers are willing to deal right now.