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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  wow what a great car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By cheri - October 8 - 2:00 am

  By pricing this car with edmunds and other internet sites, I purchased this vehicle for 27,759, it was 800 over COST not invoice, a fair profit for the dealer of less than 4 percent(msrp was 30,375, invoice was 27,187 plus 550 destination fee) holdback for this vehicle was 895, so that leaves you lots of room to negotiate! good luck

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  A zippy little number with lots of power - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Deb - October 8 - 2:00 am

  You cant beat the great handling and powerful VR6 engine! I love putting the windows down, opening the moonroof and just letting it all hang out.

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  Jettas ROCK! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By LukyDuk07 - October 8 - 2:00 am

  After my first car i was painstakingly looking for another car that would last and yet look good. The Jetta was the best bet! i love the way it runs and the inside and outside of the vehicle. i love my car!

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  Love It, but Want More! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Omnix - October 7 - 11:50 pm

  Its a good thing VW redesigned the Passat, because the new design is great, but not perfect. Auto-off bi-HID headlights, full-power (memory) seats, and auto-dimming mirror should be standard in a car in this price range (regardless of trim level). That being said, the rest of the features that this faux-demure sedan offers is great. The 2.0T engine offers plenty of power and the aftermarket is rife with upgrades to extract even more grins. That power is balanced with a luxurious feel that is often reserved for the Lexus and Benz-class owners. This car is a real contender against the Maxima, and some other low-end luxury vehicles. If you buy one, read the owners manual to find even more novelties.

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  R32 #2 - 2008 Volkswagen R32
  By KingfisherSeattle - October 7 - 10:43 pm

  Just picked up my Mk V R32 today! This is my second as I had an Mk IV since new in 04. 20k miles later Im ready for my new car. A lot more refinement and still that great VR6 motor. Worth the extra money over the 2.0T motor for the sound alone. Road trip to PDX tomorrow (with the radar detector).

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  Like the car but very poor headlights - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By caseydog3 - October 7 - 7:15 pm

  i bought this car in July and overall Ive been pleased with it EXCEPT for one extremely important thing. The headlights are terrible. I traded in a 1999 Nissan altima for this car and never had one problem seeing at night. Not only did the passat not come with foglights, but the low beams arent the projector type. The combination of the two is very poor. Now I had to go to a specialty shop to inquire about custom headlights just so I feel safe driving at night. I did a test drive during the day with this car and all the others. I never even considered this would be a problem. I called the dealership about it and they dont even make upgrade headlights for the passat in U.S.

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  The CC is that and more... - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Kimyatta - October 7 - 4:30 pm

  Passat 06 up for lease; just bought the CC last night (11.12.8). While waiting for the CC to come out, I test drove everything under the sun (AccordCamAltSaturnBMWMerc)for the past year, and I still came back to the CC. Its fun to drive, and is easily the most stylish of all the Passats. Excellent interior fit and finish. Like one of the other reviewers stated, its not for everyone but if youre looking for something different from the standard Passat or some of the other sedans out there, its a great value. And yes, it does resemble the Mercedes CLS. There Ive said it. Just bought it, so Ill check back with another review when Ive had it for awhile.

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  Early Impressions - All positive - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
  By TheMagicTiki - October 7 - 5:03 am

  I was looking for a small commuter car that, while reasonably priced, had a bit of style and personality for the daily commute. While some excel in certain areas, nothing else we test drove had the same combination of features, and style that this Jetta has. After two weeks of ownership, we are very pleased so far. Plenty of interior room for adults (or big kids) in the front/back seat. Rides & responds like a solid German car should. Great torque and acceleration (Ill give up the 2-3 MPG for that over others in the class). SEL adds some great creature comforts. Sure, its not a BMW... but it is close enough to stand out as a cut above the class of economy appliances in this segment.

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  Love my Passat 8 years later - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Don - October 7 - 2:00 am

  This was and still is my first VW. I love the way it handles, even now at 133000 miles on the odo. Original clutch. Only issues were with ignition coils and radio(replaced under warranty years ago) and a power window regulator (last week). Last week, VW also replaced the trunk lid and remote trunk release -- there was a rust spot at one of the license plate lights and this moisture had caused the trunk release to malfunction. My dealer experience has always been excellent. Sure you pay more than for an independent, but the guys at Hunt Club VW (Ottawa Canada)understand the value of customer service. My next car will be a VW.

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  207k still running - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By GJR - October 7 - 2:00 am

  cant believe its 12 yrs old. Held up great, but, so many repairs and each was very costly,$400-$800. Fun car to drive, but too many simple flaws that were too costly to bother fixing, ie:gas cap not closing. and breaking of same parts-bargain price, but too costly to maintain after a few years. Although many parts still original and reliable car, ends dont justify the means.