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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  No compromises!!! - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By LJWalters - October 1 - 2:00 am

  Fantastic all-around vehicle! The car looks great, its fast enough to be fun to drive (though it might be underpowered compared to competitors) and its very luxurious, which helps enjoying the car on a day-to-day basis. Ive had the car for over 3 years now, lease is almost up and Im even thinking of buying the car b/c its so great for my family & fun for me.

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  Absolutely great car - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By velvet - October 1 - 2:00 am

  Easy to drive Economical on gas excellent german craftsmanship many features of mare expensive models

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  Fun/Fancy/Family Car - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Family Man too - October 1 - 2:00 am

  I actually have a 2001.5, but little has changed and its a great car! The car looks great, its fast enough to be fun to drive (though it might be underpowered compared to competitors) and its very luxurious, which helps with enjoying the car on a day-to-day basis. Ive had the car for over 3 years now, lease is almost up and Im even thinking of buying the car b/c its so great for my family & fun for me.

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  Im in Love with my TDI - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By yamsTDi - October 1 - 2:00 am

  Ive had the car for a little over 2 weeks now and I absolutely love it. The drive is smooth, mileage is great and the turbo gives great performance. Most people think that you need to sit and wait for glow plugs for a couple minutes, that the TDI is loud, and that they stink. ALL NOT TRUE!The interior is great; very comforting. At night the dash glows with the red-blue combination. It looks great! Also, a great resource for TDI information (besides edmunds.com) is tdiclub.com. Check it out and the car. Youll love it!

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  Best Car that has ever been built - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By .Larry Golin - October 1 - 1:10 am

  This car drives like a Mercedes. I holds the road like glue and it is very smooth. The four cylinder turbo acts like its a 6 with remarkable pick up on the highway and plenty of room for packing things. It has very comfortable heated seats with several adjustments for lumbar support. Both front windows roll up and down with a touch of a button once and all the windows go up or down using the outside key. The workmanship is solid.

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  Practical Fun - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By fhohio - September 29 - 12:40 pm

  I decided to purchase the GTI because it is a great combination of performance, practicality, and value. The engine pulls strongly into triple-digit speeds, the handling on the 17 inch rims all season tires is good, though if pushed it displays typical front wheel drive understeer. The ride is firm but not punishing, and the fit and finish are difficult to fault. Fuel mileage has been quite good. Only complaint has been a gear noise while parked with the transmission in neutral, but this seems to be unusual, and has not affected operation one bit.

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  Mad Cool - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By VeeDubya - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Is what our 13-year-old son says about this car. It is absurdly fun to drive. It needs brighter regular headlights and its gas mileage is a bit disappointing, but these are cavils in an otherwise splendid car.

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  Could Not believe the value for price - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By masterofdisguyz - September 29 - 10:00 am

  This car is so fun to drive, and it gets a lot of attention. i have the black on black (leather) 17" wheels, sunroof, everything. Sometimes the acceleration is sluggish but I think its because its new. It will get better once it "breaks in". LOVE the car. its so fun to drive and the PRICE??? forgetaboutit! Best bargain for the money. I will definitely buy another GTI. Absolutely.

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  from Golf to 337 - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Ashley Jacobs - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Ive drove a lot of VWs and this one is close to the best. I traded a 01 Golf GLS for the new Rabbit GTI 337. I lost the excellent gas mileage of 430 miles on one tank of fuel to about 300 miles on one tank that holds 14.5 gallons along with my sunroof. However i have gained the 180 horsepower 1.8T that is the same engine in the Audi TT or A4. The car also came with 18" wheels and a performance exhaust, Recaro Le mans seats and a body kit. I love my new VW.

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  I love this car - 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio
  By Arica - September 29 - 10:00 am

  This car is the best. When I test drove it, I knew it was going to be the one. Its a small compact car perfect for zooming in and out of traffic and getting where you need to go.