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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  My VW Lemon... - 2001 Volkswagen Golf
  By thiscarstinks - December 8 - 10:00 am

  This car is handsdown the single worst investment of my life. I have had SEVERAL headlight replaced before finding out (after the warranty expired) that the housing was bad. I have had my mass airflow sensor replaced (in hopes that it would end the shaking and stalling that occurred at least twice a day), and I have recently encountered transmission problems, that my dealer isnt helping with. Bottom line: I have pumped thousands of dollars into this car and I am selling it so as to avoid sinking any more of my hard-earned cash into this demon spawn.

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  chasbra New 01 Passat - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By chasbra - December 8 - 10:00 am

  Fun, safe, quick and confortable. I have 80000 miles in less than 2 1/2 years. No problems. The car is fun to drive and I made it even more so by adding the AVGO ECU chip. Now it has approximately 217 hp and 200+ torque. At 80000 miles I would normally trade by now, but cant get the chip for the 2003 yet, and cant find anything as good at or near the same price. It handles better than the 2004 Maxima, 2003 Altima, 2003 Mazda 6 and 2003 Acura TL/Cl Type Ss. All of which I test drove this week.

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  Do not invest into this car. - 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By AnnaM. - December 8 - 10:00 am

  When I first saw the bug,I can admit i was in love. As a college student,I saved every penny to afford this awesome looking car. I had to have the GLX-Turbo,leather and the fin.To be honest this car is the worst car built on the market. I have had my beetle in the shop for recalls over seventeen times. I have the dealership programed into my cell phone it is that bad. I pay for my car to be in the shop, on average I am only able to drive it two weeks out of a months. I highly suggest not to purchase this car.Unless you like spending time at the dealers service department.

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  Missed the mark - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By stevehu - December 8 - 10:00 am

  Nice fit and finish. Porsche is going to hold value WAY better. VW is better looking. 1: No passenger airbag shutoff 2: No reclining rear seats. That was dumb.

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  THE BEST EVER - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By VEEDUB - December 8 - 10:00 am

  I bought this SUV because of all the good things I have heard. I will buy another because if what it is. THE BEST

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  Hands Down best base model car! - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By falconeight - December 8 - 10:00 am

  I looked at many base model cars, and for $16,000 dollars you cannot get a vehicle with the Jettas build quality and accessories. This car comes with on the base model 4 wheel disc brakes, 6 air bags, awesome cd sound system power downs/locks, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, adjustable forward/height driver and front passenger seats, and a inclimate weather steering system. Best car ever for the price.

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  Same again - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By maca - December 8 - 10:00 am

  Nice car. Good head and leg room. Quiet. Dont even ask me to put a muffler on steroids on it.

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  Fiesty with no pick-up - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By zaharrah - December 8 - 10:00 am

  I love my care truely love it. If I had 3 things to change i would make the cup holders more accessible, increase the trunk space and the pick-up on the car. The engine is the same as the Jetta and due to increased safety weights the car goes 0-60 in 10 minutes! But I dont need the speeding tickets. I love everything else. Its a fun cute car.

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  Vee Dub In Da Haus - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By eldaino - December 8 - 1:30 am

  What a wonderful car. I have n complaints. It provides great bang for the buck. Its fun to drive and delivers unparalleled luxury and comfort for its price range. It has not let me down and I plan to run her into the ground.

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  Love it now time will tell - 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By tiguan2012 - December 7 - 12:12 am

  Just picked up our 2012 Tiguan SE 4Motion yesterday so clearly too soon to tell but so far we love it. The end of model year incentive made the deal quite attractive, we figured the 4motion-SE would be good for resale when the time comes. The ride is very smooth. Took test drives in the CR-V, Mazda CX5, Hyundai Santa Fe/Tuscon, Kia Sportage and Ford Escape. Any of them would be fine, but we just liked the styling and European ride of the Tiguan. 2nd choice would have been the Sportage.