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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  Hope It Lasts Forever! - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By VW4Life - December 5 - 1:23 am

  I have owned nothing but VWs. They all have been reliable and great to drive. In 2000 we needed a bigger car as we were expecting our first child. We drove the new Jetta, and but it seemed small and sort of cheap. Then we saw the beautiful Indigo Passat GLX. It is a big, roomy sedan which drives and handles like a dream. The VR6 engine is the best thing VW has ever designed. The check engine or ABS lights have NEVER been on in this car. I bought it with 38,000 miles on it, now it has 96,000 miles and drives like the day I took it home. The first owner probably neglected a few things. It needed brakes, rotors, battery, etc. that first year, but the dealer covered everything. Find a good mechanic, do your maintenance, and this car will last!

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  Perfectly Fine Car - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By fried003 - December 4 - 7:06 am

  The 2003 Volkswagen Golf is a solid car. It is nothing special, but its very reliable and solid. It has all the basics.

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  MPG - 2012 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By geo02r1 - December 3 - 3:00 pm

  I purchased a 2012 VW sportwagon se 2.5 rather than a Nissan Frontier truck mostly for the MPG. Having owned a Toyota that had lower EPA MPG, I thought it was a good move. The cars EPA MPG is 23 city/31 Hwy. I expected 25-26 combined. Im getting 18-19 driving conservatively. I went to the dealer thinking there was something wrong and was told its fine. I contacted VW Corp. and was told its the way I drive. WARNING VOLKSWAGON MPG IS FALSE !!!!!! I WISH I NEVER BUY A VOLKSWAGON

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  Fun Little Car - 2000 Volkswagen GTI
  By Orange VeeDub - November 30 - 2:00 am

  The car is a blast to drive and looks great. Im just glad I got a warranty with mine, In the 6 months Ive owned the car, its been in the shop 5 times. I needed the Water Pump replaced, 3 different window problems, window switch, and a new Oxygen Sensor. When the car is running right, it drives like a dream and looks just like a brand new GTI.

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  Love my Passat but........... - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By DOLPHINGIRL - November 30 - 2:00 am

  I love to drive my Passat. Its roomy comfortable and looks great! However....I have had nothing but problems with this car from the first month. The service is indescribable! Everyone from the GM to the Repair dept. is rude. They actually stole 6 cds from my trunk while installing my new CD changer (after giving me a used one when I payed for a new one) and denied everything. Told me I probably left the CDs at home!! Its been a horrible experience. As we speak the car has been in the shop for over a week to get front tie-rods. This was the final straw..Im putting it up for SALE right away. Hellloo HONDA PILOT!

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  Good Solid Car... - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Freesundae - November 30 - 2:00 am

  I bought my car in August have put about 5000 miles...Nothing has gone wrong so far...will you keep you updated...

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  Great Car! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By MB - November 29 - 8:30 pm

  I bought this car used with 50,000 miles on it. It has been a great car. The check engine light was on at the dealer, but they fixed it before I took possession, it has been great ever since. (made it easier to negotiate price anyway:) ). The only major problem so far was the lower torque strut. It stripped a bolt and broke the other, but it wasnt hard to fix. The interior rubber coating was a bad idea, but not hard to remedy with a trim kit. All in all a great car in all the important areas; performance, general good looks, handling, general reliability. The handling doe require some tuning to limit body roll.

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  Diesel Delight - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By joe in MD - November 29 - 1:20 am

  I have purchased nothing but diesel vehicles since about 1993, and this one wont send me back to gas! Despite a few negatives (mostly the flimsy front end spoiler which catches on curbs and has cost me about $100 to fix on 3 occasions) we love this car more every day. 45-50 mpg is the norm, the only drawback being the need to pay about $750 to replace the timing belt every 100,000 miles. Its repairs have been minimal--a defect in the wiring harness when we first got it, and replacing the power steering fluid line due to a mechanics error-- both covered by warranty. It produces none of the smoke that older technology diesels produce. My sole regret is that I didnt buy a Passat TDI in the mid-90s!

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  Excellent Quattro a.k.a 4-Motion AWD - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Paul M - November 28 - 10:00 am

  I bought dealer’s demo 2001.5 Passat GLX 4Motion last month. The Quattro a.k.a 4-Motion AWD system provides amazing stability to the car. During cats-and-dogs downpour the car behaved as it was on dry pavement. In addition, the richly appointed interior and upscale looking exterior plus excellent crash ratings make this car a pretty good buy. On the down side, the engine needs low- end torque. You don’t get much acceleration before the tach reaches about 3000. Also, I wish instead of that bucket-size ashtray on the back of center consol, it had CD storage. Apparently, Germans smoke a lot more at the back seat...

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  I love this car - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By transmit - November 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive been looking at cars for over 4 months, test driving dozens of models and researching them thoroughly. I pretty much decided against getting a new car because nothing I drove impressed me. That was until I test drove the Golf. This car put a serious smile on my face when I drove it and equally important, it was the only car that seemed solidly built (for under 30K) and just had an air of quality that the others lacked. The interior materials are particulary well done.