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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  Even better the second time! - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Matthew - August 25 - 2:16 am

  Had a 2001 dark blue turbo beetle before and loved it so much i upgraded to a red turbo S. I cant imagine driving anything else (getting in other cars just seems so dull)! Not one single problem has occurred- VW has improved tremendously on their reliability.

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  The Best Luxury Car for the Price!! - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By ABS - August 24 - 10:53 pm

  I work for an Audi Dealer and find that the CC is superior in quality, especially in the doors. The doors are more solid, the handles inside and out have a nice feeling of strength and have a luxury tactility. The standard features of Auto headlights with coming home and leaving home, rain sensing wipers, self dimming rear view mirrors, bag hook in trunk, and a 6 cd changer on the CC may only be had in an A4 with a $4000 package! The styling is very unique and very seductive and intriguing. The interior is very luxurious and very well thought out. Everything lies in an intuitive spot. The steering feel is better than the 09 A4, and the handling is tighter as well as more compliant.

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  AWESOME VALUE FOR THE $ - 2002 Volkswagen Golf
  By JumpinJohnnyRocket - August 24 - 10:00 am

  This is my 4th VW. I had two 97s and a 99 Jetta. Build quality is exceptional, materials are pure German. I added 16inch BBS Wolfsberg wheels and tires for much improved handling. I have always been a huge fan of the GTI but for value reasons I chose the GL. The GTI offers much sportier engine and suspension but it was not worth the additional $3700. Standard features are abundant. I love this little box..

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  I Love my OTTO! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By AB - August 24 - 9:06 am

  My 03 Jetta TDI has proven to be the best car-buying decision I will ever make. Ive saved every fuel receipt since day 1, and with the 5-speed manual transmission, I get between 38 (a rare low) and 46 mpg, averaging around 43 mpg most of the time. Thats around 500 miles per tank. With fuel prices as high as they are, I cant help but brag about having to fill up only once a month! The styling is sporty and classy at the same time. The new body style is boring and disappointing, so Im glad I bought mine when I did. I frequently enjoy opening the sunroof, and the leather interior and Monsoon sound system keep me riding in near luxury!

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  2009 VW Tiguan - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By celgolf - August 22 - 11:00 pm

  Great response, fun to drive, many extras come standard. Too early to tell reliability but looks to be well thought out, preproduction much endurance testing and preformed well in all test I have researched.

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  Best option - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By carlos - August 20 - 12:26 pm

  I got my 2009 Tig in may of 2008 before better deals were to be had. Oh well... I love the car itself. It has been great and I get complements on it all the time. People stop me to ask about it. I sometimes wish I wouldve splurged and gotten the one with the sunroof. The car is great in city and hwy and Im amazed at how well it insulates outside noise. Feels very solid throughout. I agree with some comments about the black upholstery, it is a hair magnet. I had an issue with a faulty fuel pump which was quickly replaced under warranty. Thats been the only issue I currently have 11K miles in the Tig.

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  Value with Style - 2011 Volkswagen Touareg
  By stcamp - August 20 - 8:12 am

  Was in the market for another SUV, yet wanted something different, not cumbersome nor boxy. Previously had an 07 BMW X5 - liked the car, yet did not like performance. With gas prices fluctuating high/low, I considered the diesel. Drove the BMW diesel, yet it was $9k more than the VW. My car is new <300 miles, yet in town I avg 19.5 and Hwy 26 mpg. As the car engine breaks in and I get my foot off the pedal, I know mileage will improve. Seats are very comfortable, interior is well designed and Navigation interface works very well. The LED headlights are distinctive and the back end of the Touareg is in my opinion...nicer than Porsche

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  Great for the money! - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Francisco Carpio - August 19 - 7:43 pm

  So far so good. I find the engine to be very smooth and it has a nice torquey feeling, even with the auto tranny. The Sirius radio has some stations that do not require you to activate the service. When you close the doors they feel very sturdy. The leather quality was better compared to my more expensive (at the time of purchase) 1996 Toyota 4Runner, and far better than my 2000 Acura Integra. I love the blue lights on the dash but I find the speedo hard to read accurately. Overall I think this is a good ladies car (my wife drives it, and she loves it). I say that because this car is smooth riding, it has smooth leather, it is very ergonomic and it treats the ladies the way they should be treated.

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  Good if you take care of it - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By lucky12depart - August 19 - 2:55 pm

  My mom actually bought this car a year 2000, and bought it in 2008. From the start, it was making a very loud noise from the engine, til i figured it was the air pump. So we replaced that and it takes off very fast! I have seen some reviews on this car, and i do not think this car gets the good reviews it deserves. If people actually take care of the problem and know exactly what it is, then it will be good to you. Anybody could buy a car brand new, but eventually it will need to be fixed, and something will break down. This car is running good and fast even after soo long. I could say that interior is cheap, but just driving this is very cool. even the small size makes it great anywhere.

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  2004 Volkswagen R32 - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By rob - August 19 - 12:33 pm

  The Volkswagen R32 is an excellent vehicle. The only major issues that I have had with it are the lack of a facotory turbo option, the rims are too heavy, and the car needs HIDs.