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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  Just..great - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By fabio - July 15 - 2:56 am

  I get 400 miles already..its my first new car and Im so happy with mine..I get 2 kids and my mother..all of them cant be happier with our van..every thing is great..roomy..softh..strong..cool..good price..all the toys..blue tooth..sattelite radio..2 tv screens plus 1 radio/video screen..30gb hard disc..compatible with ipod..power doors..power seats..every thing..good cuality materials...what else u wants ?

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  Best car - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Happy VW Owner - July 14 - 10:20 pm

  Just got mine yesterday after 4 months of research and test driving Benz, Toyota, and Honda. Best value for this price range; not to mention the loads of fun just driving such powerful car (in this class)

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  Wow! What a blast! - 2012 Volkswagen GTI
  By gti12 - July 14 - 3:41 pm

  Great car... fun to drive, well made, roomy and comfortable. Great MPG and performance too! Recently returned from a trip from Eureka, CA to Palm Springs. Returned via Santa Barbara, then up the coast on Hwy 1. Great drive. 29MPG average for whole trip... was better until the leg up Hwy 1.

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  Simply A Great & Well Designed Car - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By jones0602 - July 14 - 3:10 pm

  I bought my 2011 TDI Sportwagen about 5 months ago and without a doubt feel this car was the right decision. The MPG is nice, yes diesel is more expensive, but when you get 40+ MPG with the power of the TDI, it more then makes up for the price of gas. I got the GPS/iPod upgrade which I use everyday. The 2011 VW GPS is 10x better then my old Garmin. I am 66" and comfortably fit into the drivers seat. The heated seats are perfect for NE winters, plus this past winter I never had to wait once till the engine heated up before it would turn over and start up. Just a solid and well designed car from top to bottom.

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  New VW Jetta - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jason B - July 14 - 2:53 am

  I am really happy with my VW Jetta. It handles great in the snow and I feel very safe driving it. It could get better gas milage but all in all I would recommend this car to anyone. Once you drive it youll never want anything else.

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  Better than BMW and Mercedes - 2005 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By walter oechsle - July 13 - 3:40 pm

  I have had many luxury cars, but my Volkswagen Phaeton W12 is the best all around vehicle. it rides like it is on railsl, handles amazingly well, is built like a tank and exudes luxurry, inside and out. It is the perfect understatement for people of taste and class.

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  Awsome - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By noreckito - July 13 - 7:30 am

  Very powerful for a 2.0 engine, a lot a performance and comfort for a 26k price tag. Well balanced 200 HP. e careful with the throttle, Passat 2.0 T likes to speed.

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  Love my new VW CC - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Lena - July 11 - 11:26 pm

  Its a great looking car, fun to drive and makes you feel really good on the road! Everything about it is perfect, has all I wanted.

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  What a car! - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By cobraboy1 - July 11 - 10:13 pm

  Wow, this car is totally amazing! I spent 3months test driving all different cars in the class, bordering the class, and in classes above and beneath just to narrow down everything. In the end I decided on the Certified Pre-Owned 2010 VW GTI, which I bought for 19.5k with just 16k miles on the clock. The top three for me were, in the end, the GTI, Mazdaspeed 3, and the WRX Hatch. Third place was the WRX because while I loved the AWD and the power. I really didnt like the price, nobody orders the base models. the Speed3 was close but didnt have the refinement of the GTI.

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  Might be the best car Ive owned. - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Marc-n-Judy - July 11 - 2:00 am

  Purchased this car from the 1st owner, with 148,000 miles on it. Have driven it daily, with little or no trouble. Might be the best all around car I have ever owned! Waiting for VW to bring the new Passat (or Toureg) to the U.S. with diesel, plan to buy another when they do!