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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  Some Irritating Quality Issues! - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By prospective - January 3 - 12:56 am

  Hey Everybody… I just leased a 2012 Passat S… Although I absolutely love driving this car, I have noticed some irritating quality issues that VW America needs to be aware of. My Passat is just over a month old and currently has just almost 1,400 miles on it. My irritations are as follows: 1. The seatbelt light and chimes come on even though my seatbelt is fastened and I’m the only person in the car. It’s very frustrating to hear the chime and see the dashboard light illuminated. I’ve pulled over to turn off the car and restart. I’ve unbuckeled and rebuckled. I’ve stopped to get out of the car and start the whole process over and nothing seems to solve this problem. It’s kind of like driving down the highway and having someone ringing your doorbell every 10 seconds. My main concern is that this may be a safety issue? 2. Drivers seat rattles. with only 1,400 miles on this car, Is this a quaility issue? Keep in mind, I’m not a heavy set person. It seems like the seat is just not secured properly. I’m hoping this is a quality issue and not a safety issue. 3. Trunk lid is not aligned properly. I have to slam the trunk lid closed in order for the trunk lid latch to catch. You should be able to gently push the trunk lid closed in order for the latch to secure itself. I also have the same same problem with the drivers side front door. I have to slam it shut or the open door light illuminates. Both of these are frustrating as my wife thiks I’m mad everytime I have to close the door or trunk. These are both very minor quality issues but the liitle issues are starting to add up. And, I’m getting tired of hearing my wife say to me “What’s wrong” everytime we get in the car together. 4. Suspension noise from front and rear corners seems to be getting worse as the days go by. This is especially prevalent at low speeds when rolling over speed bumps or climbing the curb to pull into the driveway of my house. If this were a 1995 Ford Tauras with 120,000 miles on it, I’d be more understanding. But this is a brand new 2012 VW Passat and I expect better from a German car company which touts German Engineering as it’s tag line. Once again, I love driving this car… The handling, power (I have a 5 speed manual transmission), body style, bluetooth connectivity and generous back seat legroom make this car a beautiful ride. I just hope VW America understands and responds to my concerns to correct these minor but irritating quality issues. Luckily, this is only a 24 month lease, so if VW America choses not to respond to my quality claims, It’s a short term relationship and I can return to a car company like Honda who has a history of solid quality control. My concern is that after leasing Honda’s over the last 10 years, I’m not used to having to deal with these types pesky quality issues. I understand this 2012 Passat was built in America (which is a big reason why I chose to lease this vehicle), but it seems to have some quality issues that still need to be ironed out. I’ll be interested to see how VW America responds to these issues… Will they ignore me? Let me know these are normal inconveniences that I need to tolerate, or will VW America correct these issues to make sure I stay a loyal VW owner for years to come? I’m big on long term relationships. I don’t know the answer to my questions but I’ll make sure to update everyone on how this turns out!

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  Avoid it...or pay... - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By evilveedub - December 31 - 10:00 am

  This is my second VW Jetta. Traded my 98 Jetta GT. In fact, Ive never owned any other car but a VW! I love this car, but...nothing but problems. Heres the "brief" list: 335 miles - dash rattles, door rattles. 2,400 - glove box light 24,301 - dash lights 26,250 - both front window regulators 32,000 - two wheel bearings 36,506 - brake light switch and coil pack. 42,000 - BBS wheels pitted. Do yourself a favor, DO NOT BUY ANYTHING MADE IN MEXICO. This is a car I have babied since day one! I called vw to complain, and they could care less. NEVER AGAIN VW...NEVER! Hello Honda Accord.

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  One-year update on Jetta TDI - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By PaulTD - December 27 - 8:56 am

  After 16 months, 22,000 miles. Paint is very soft, hood has numerous chips. Idiot dealer response-"do you drive a lot on the freeway?". Rear brakes overheat frequently, 50% worn with front brakes virtually unused. Idiot dealer response-"thats the way the car is designed". Just received notice from Volkswagen of possible premature wear in transmission, along with extension of the transmission warranty to 100,000 miles, but apparently only on the particular part that is wearing out prematurely. Steering requires more effort than I would like. Seats well shaped but hard. Cost of diesel consistently $.30 higher than gasoline. Good points: excellent fuel mileage (38 average, up to 54 On

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  Happy Diesel owner - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Tabak - December 25 - 10:00 am

  Excellent fuel milage. First trip on the highway 52.3. Around town 35. Great for an automatic. Only 3000 miles on the car. Plenty of power. handles well.

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  2000 Jetta GL - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ebozz - December 23 - 6:13 am

  The Jetta I have driven for the last 9/10 years has been good to me overall. That said, I would not buy another Volkswagen the next time I purchase a car. It is a sharp looking vehicle, fun to drive, and very comfortable. My issues have mainly been with the quirkiness of mechanical instruments and engine parts. I think you could find a Japanese car for the same money and find better reliability. Common issues include replacing the following: Water pump (impeller is plastic on original and designed to fail; eventually the inside of it melted and had to be replaced. The catalytic converter needed replacing (warranty is 10yr/120K miles FYI). And various other check engine lights etc.

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  Very Poor GPS System - 2010 Volkswagen Touareg
  By deh2 - December 23 - 3:39 am

  I have had problems with my GPS since I purchased the vehicle. It often will have you exit & do a U turn only to bring you down the same road,do this a few times in rush hour and see how you feel!! I reported it to the dealer I purchased it from in Georgetown,TX & was told there was no fix yet. I have since moved to Houston,TX took my Toureg in before the warranty went out. They told me that they have heard this numerous times before & could fix it for $200.00 new software. I called the Volkswagen customer service and was told the same thing. 50K vehicle and wont fix the problem that it came with, that way of doing business does not work for me folks!! Imagine a big problem, eh!

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  My Easter Basket - 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By MissMix - December 23 - 2:00 am

  I cant decide if I love this car or hate it. Snow and tractor trailers are the enemy! Once the warranty expired, the problems started. MANY electrical problems and a coolant leak, so far. If Volkswagens are so reliable, why is the warranty so short? The back seat is roomy, but the front isnt. Try starting it without the wipers coming on! The interior panel material wear too quickly (door handles). With a 2.slOw, it barely gets out of its own way. Not the car to not someone off in! FAR too much wind noise on the highway. Easy parking and very easy to "transform". With the top down, it looks like an Easter basket!

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  Kick *ss FUN - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By tyster - December 23 - 2:00 am

  I trully love my 337. Ive never had a car that was fun to drive; this one is. Very fun to pick up a friend and jump on the road. Curves are the best. Did have one problem; an ignition coil went out. The AAA roadside service towed it 15 miles to Pasadena and I got a loaner for the day. They fixed it at no expense, so I was happy. They did say that there was a bad batch of ignition coils, so it might happen again.

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  1.8 T - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By fec29457 - December 23 - 2:00 am

  1.8 gls good mix of all the things I was looking for. sporty,reliable and good on gas.

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  Will Not Buy Another One - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By WV VW - December 22 - 5:06 am

  I purchased my V6 4Motion new and had only minor issues for the first 2 years. Love to drive this car. It is hard on tires and brakes. I am now in my 5th year of ownership and spent nearly $3000 in repairs this year. The alternator went bad followed by a leak in the seam of the gas tank. This should have been addressed by VW as a recall. There is not even a service bulletin to found even though I know of other cases. On top of that when replacing the fuel tank, I found that VW changed the design to the fuel tank which meant that the fuel sending unit had to be replaced. When I contacted VW all they offered to do was send me a $1500 voucher for a new VW. Fat chance!!