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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  Bad Decision - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By frustrated - June 8 - 10:00 am

  I think I completely made a mistake in buying my jetta......I have never seen as many mishaps with any other car (my family and friends included). The bumper is low to the ground and OFTEN rips off when parking.....my sunroof has also started to malfunction. In the three years I have owned this car (bought it brand new) I have already put $7000 in to it. However it is fun to drive, though not when you have to take it to the shop every two months.

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  Deep Pockets Needed - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By JJ - June 8 - 2:46 am

  Decent car until something breaks. Problems with O2 sensors, mass air flow and the famous broken windows. Battles with the dealers and VW doesnt endear me. Engine belts, broken fuel pumps and sensors only available from the dealer at astronomical prices keep maintainance high. The software for the ODB II is VW only and hard to find an independent garage with it. Oh did I forget the 1000 mile oil change? Add a quart every 1,000 miles! Melting knobs on the radio, broken door handle surrounds, cheaply made plastic parts. Did I buy a Yugo?

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  Great until it gets cold outside! DO NOT BUY - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By tiguanowner4 - June 8 - 2:41 am

  My power sterring does not work. Thankfully this has not happened as I drive down the highway. However I am left to cross my fingers and pray my car will work when I get in it. I have had my 2010 Tiguan in the shop 5 times in the past 4 months. It always happens when it is cold outside. Perhaps they should not be selling these in Alberta then!!! My mom is also experiencing the same problem on the same day with her 2010 Tiguan! She has also had her Tiguan in the shop for the same amount of times...big surprise. It happens when the weather is colder than -25 which happens a lot here. Canadian buyers BEWARE:(

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  Dont waste your time nor money - 2011 Volkswagen CC
  By dp1072 - June 5 - 3:35 pm

  Where do I begin? Lets start with; Ive never had a new vehicle with so many problems. The power steering pump needed to be replaced after the first year. The water pump was just replaced due to leakage. The transmission, as everyone else said, is comparable to my dads 1990 VW Golf (non-turbo) diesel when it comes to performance. Slap it in the manual shift mode and its much better. The speedometer is 5 miles per hour off (shows youre going faster). This means your mileage adds up a bit faster if you do the math. Faulty tail lights. Cant wait to get rid of it.

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  Would Never Own Another VW - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Sgam - June 5 - 7:10 am

  I have had too many problems with my VW Bug to name. The EPC light is always going on and off. It doesnt start in the morning, unless if you take 10 minutes to jiggle the key back and forth in the ignition. The passenger side window has never functioned properly. I have had the car towed into my dealer several times, and they dont do anything but tell me that theres nothing wrong, or why dont you pay $200 for new spark plugs, were sure that this will take care of the problem, then the problem comes back. Bottom line they are bad cars and VW does not take care of their custumers. I will never own another VW.

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  Poor quality and poor Service - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By nchezy - June 3 - 11:05 pm

  The car has had numerous issues and it is only 27 months old with 38k miles. Most recently and now 2k miles after warranty coverage ended, the turbo intercooler cracked which caused the particulate filter and EGR cooler to fail. My extended warranty covers the IC but the DPF and EGR c ooler not covered. Cost to repair is $2100. VW offering to contribute $1000. 2-year old car and I owe $1,100 for repair...POOR Quality and VW not standing behind there product. BEWARE this car and extended warranties purchased from VW

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  Lemon Vehicle - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By momi60 - June 2 - 3:32 pm

  I own a 2006 passat sedan, the first year of owning the car my catalytic coverter went out. From that point each year a major componet on the vehicle goes out. Now I keep getting check engine light, the oil has to be replaced often and the cost to repair vehicle continues to rise. Now I have a camsgaft issue that is causing the regulator to leak. This is by far the worst vehicle I have ever owned. I tell everyone I know and dont via reviews to stop buying vw vehicles. They dont stand by their product. Its pure garbage, since owning the vehicle I have spent approx. 7500 in repairs. Please dont be fooled into buying this product. Its DAMAGED and UNTRUST WORTHY!!!!!!!

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  DO NOT BUY THIS CAR - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By jj - May 30 - 6:30 pm

  The Touareg on paper looks like the ultimate SUV: excellent perfomance on pavement and unbelievable off road ablility. The problem: it will be in the shop so often you will not be able to experience this theoretical performance very often. Over the first year of owning this car I have had multiple problems: stepper motor malfunction, poor remote range, door handle fell off, bizarre deafening fan noise that I was told is "normal", persistent wind noise from side mirrors, and others. And going to a VW dealer for repairs is no joy. They have no clue about customer service. The attitude of the service dept. is accusatory at best- like i caused all of the quality control problems. STAY AWAY TOUAREG.

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  Good car but only fail quality - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By mikes15 - May 30 - 7:56 am

  I like the carÂ’s slick exterior design--It looks very cool. The interior is nice too as long as you donÂ’t need to seat 5 people. ItÂ’s a coupe so the back seats are a bit tight. ItÂ’s a great car for someone who needs a backseat and 4 doors but wonÂ’t use t often. IÂ’m not sure about the reliability. Within the first few hundred miles the engine started to knock. Also, a screw fell out on the door after I hit a speed bump. IÂ’m leasing and have all service covered so IÂ’m not too worried about it, but beware. more...

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  Horrible quality - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Disappointed - May 26 - 10:00 am

  German engineering and quality at some point in time was stellar. Not so with this vehicle. In the shop more than on the road and finally have had enough. 7 years of ownership and real pain all along. Great vehicle when it works, but a very expensive experience. Now changing and looking at Asian brands exclusively. How times have changed when a Kia is more appealling quality wise then a VW.