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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  Great Commuter in California - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By absnth2006 - November 11 - 12:20 pm

  This is our second Beetle and the improvements are extrodinary. Our previous, 2000 hard top in Cyber Green, was nice but the new 5 cyl engine and 6 speed auto are far superior. Our fuel economy is actually better now, 27 mpg vs. 24 mpg for the 2000. Our only complaint so far is the trunk lid that is tough to close.

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  The 1.4 TSI Turbo is amazing! - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By CAW - November 11 - 8:21 am

  I purchased my Jetta in August 2016, and currently have over 36,000 miles on it. I commute 110 mile a day total, which explains the high mileage. At this time I have had NO mechanical issues and the only time it was in for warranty work was to adjust some interior trim. Other than that, It has been extremely reliable. As for the car, I cant believe the amount of power and speed that the 1.4 TSI engine has. If you need to put your foot on the gas-it goes. But, just as amazing is the gas mileage-which has ranged from 40 to 45 MPG-which I consider outstanding. I can get over 400 miles from the 14 gallon tank. The build quality is what you expect for an entry level car-a lot of hard plastic, but everything work and works well. I know that they have upgraded the interior fabrics for 2017, so they have tried to address this issue. But for $17,000, I ended up with a car with most amenities, great performance and plenty of interior and truck space. Also, I do my own maintenance (oil changes) and besides the need to remove an engine pan (which is easy-8 screws) the procedure is not complicated like other cars. My only complaint is that the recommended oil can be hard to find if you want to stay with exact VW specifications. But with a 10K oil change interval, its not bad at all. Overall, this is one of the first cars I have had in years that I can see keeping for the very, very long term.

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  Whatta Wagon!!! - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By gagrice - November 10 - 8:43 pm

  Picked our new Passat up in Oregon and drove to Southern California. Went through rain, Snow and highwinds. The handling is superb. Averaged 37 MPG overall. Drove mostly back highways to enjoy the handling. It was all I could do to get my wife to let me drive. Her car is a Lexus and she likes the handling of the Passat better.

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  Fun to Drive - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Michael - November 10 - 6:16 pm

  Driving the 2007 Jetta is like driving a sporty luxury car. It comes with every option that I would want.

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  Hint of Euro Style + Great Price = Win - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By Came back to VW - November 9 - 11:40 pm

  Our family comes from a long line of VWs. Weve owned Bugs, 2 Sciroccos, a Vanagon, Passat, Golf, and yes even a Thing! That being said weve strayed away from the VW brand for the past 15 years, mainly because we felt there were other better choices. Recently, we decided to give the Routan a chance, basically because of the attractive pricing. It was discounted by almost $6,000. OK, we all know that this a badge-engineered Chrysler and Ive seen both the Grand Caravan and Town & Country up close. The Routan has a distinctly European flair about it. Bottom line: We paid the same price as a Dodge but got a great VW in return. It definitely has a more upscale feel compared to Chrysler.

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  Amazing car for the money - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Marco - November 9 - 4:33 am

  This car is absolutely the best buy. The GTI is over priced for the extra hp which, with less money, can be gained. The car is fast and handles amazingly. Although this car doesnt come with rims or the stereo controls on the steering wheel, it has the best handling and speed out of those cars Ive test driven and more airbags and crashtest ratings. Plus when you get a rabbit you get to join rabbit owners club.

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  Bought for MPG - Love for the Great Quality - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By countrydrive - November 8 - 7:07 pm

  This is our first diesel car - and we love it! We were pleasantly surprised at the acceleration - at least as good as all of our previous cars. On our first tank we averaged 44.8 mpg about (80/20 highway/city) The ride is firm. The car absolutely hugs the road on turns. No rattles The SEL Premium has electronic seat adjustments and lumbar support on the drivers and passenger side - which is really nice. One caution - new in 2013 is the refueling guard. There is a flap over the gas tank which can only be opened with the correct size diesel car nozzle. Check inside the nozzle for a small bar. Of course the first time we tried to refill we were at a station with "truck" size nozzles.

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  Never too old to have fun - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By Doc J - November 8 - 9:56 am

  At 60+ Im probably not the usual R32 driver but its been my daily ride for nearly 6 years. I drive it hard and love it. Reliability has been good other than for major transmission repairs at 35,000 and 65,000 miles along with clutch replacements at the same time. I dont think I drive THAT hard, but maybe I push it harder than the average driver. Ive heard that AWD vehicles a hard on their drive trains because their wheels cant slip to release strain. Other than that issue a wheel bearing at 70,000 and an instrument cluster replacement under warranty have been the only other major repairs. Ive yet to replace the brakes (maybe thats why I have worn out the clutches!)

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  Best Bang for Your Buck - 2011 Volkswagen Golf
  By nmcrusher26 - November 8 - 1:08 am

  Ive driven 8 beaters in my life (trucks and cars) then a 2008 BMW 335i and then this Golf 2.5 gas, manual, 3DR hatch and this car is a solid 4.5/5. I dont write reviews but this car is so good I had to. Ive owned for 2 years and it has 40k miles on it. The engine, interior, and styling make this car. Gas mileage is incredible even above sticker, I consistently get 31 mpg mixed use and I drive it hard. This car is a great value cause the comparable honda or subaru is $3-5k more. You may have costly repairs or quirky electronic issues at the 8 year/100k mark but you saved that money in the front end.

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  no regrets - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By volvo owner - November 7 - 6:53 pm

  I went from a volvo s70 to a vw jetta and have no regrets. i wanted a smaller vehicle for lots of driving with the same comfort of a volvo. i saved a lot of money downgrading to a smaller vehicle but didnt lose anything but space. i love it! i feel very safe for such a smaller vehicle.