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 Bang for your buck! - 2016 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Danny Watson - May 1 - 12:31 am

  The 2016 Jetta S model is my first new car purchase in a long time. But after owning this car for a week, and putting some miles on it, I wish Id purchased much sooner. I opted for a "base" model with a 5-speed stick. Thought I might miss out on some common features that most cars have these days... NOT SO!! The Jetta comes with an impressive list of standard features that make it feel like a more expensive car. Good sound system with plenty of power, power windows, cruise control, trip computer, Bluetooth link to my phone and voice command dialing. And the steering wheel controls put most functions at my fingertips. A very spacious trunk with spit fold down rear seats for even more cargo room. And the 1.4 liter turbo gas engine is a jewel of a powerplant. Smooth and quick revving make for a fun driving experience, and 40 mpg on the hwy is hard to beat these days in a non-hybrid vehicle. I took advantage of the VW lease program. Minimal down payment, and $99 a month for two years. But I gotta say.. Im enjoying this car so much that two years from now I will probably buy the car. Ive never been a "VW" guy, but this new 2016 Jetta S model is a lot of fun, efficient, car for the money.

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  More Reliable than my Bmw, Benz, Range Rover - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Cp - May 1 - 12:13 am

  The Beetle is so cheap to operate it makes it worth keeping. I was a car dealer that mostly bought high end European vehicles and they all had issues. Ding, and another message would appear with an expensive issue. After leaving the business, I rented a friends 2002 Beetle GL with 112,700 miles for $150 a month until I financed a Benz or Bimmer, that never happened. I bought it for $1,000, replaced the timing belt and waterpump. $10 gets 100+ miles, oil changes are $22, tires are $53, I now have 160,000 miles. Its so easy to clean, and the yellow paint is bright and holds up well. Interior plastics break, theres rattles, its slow, but who cares it gets me everywhere and barely costs me a dime. I baby it to death, wax it, only run chevron but no premium gas and I dont use synthetic but will now cause I want to just keep it going.

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  Go get one! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By SEANGO18 - April 30 - 1:53 pm

  Bought the car w / 85000 miles on it, and have loved it ever since. Only problem has been an ignition coil that went out. (coil #2) Pays off to do your own work on these, and buy the Bentley manual. If you have a laptop computer and the VAGCOM software, youre set! These cars can get you in trouble if you treat them like a car from Japan, so be careful. If you want a car to get you from point A to point B without any joy, get a Toyota or Honda. You want to have some fun and be in a very safe car, get one of these. Follow the Maint. schedule, and change that oil every 3-4K with full synthetic, youll love this car.........just as I do.

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  Great car! Very fun to drive! - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By wisklw - April 30 - 9:30 am

  My last vehicle was Volvo XC90 and last 4 vehicles all were Volvos, which I loved but based on offers, looked at other options. Test drove an Accord and Passat. The Passat was more comfortable and interior was nicer and I preferred exterior look. I love the car. I really liked my XC90, but I dont find myself missing it at all because I like my Passat so much. Handles great and like the feel of the steering and braking, feels very smooth. Like the Multi Function display, esp that shows radio station so dont have to look to side. Ive received a lot of compliments. The park assist is great as is the auto hold but i forget to use it. Big car but does not feel like it when you drive it.

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  Outrageous - 2004 Volkswagen R32
  By R Schalit - April 29 - 8:30 pm

  My 2004 Volkswagen R32 does everything superbly and has extremely high performance limits. It has a silky smooth power delivery, outstanding handling, a great 6-speed shifter, amazing brakes, comfy seats, a great steering wheel, and wonderful fit and finish with luxury touches. It is a comfortable daily driver with slot car performance. This car is not a "boy racer," but a true wolf-in-sheeps clothing, a sophisticated powerhouse. Its neutral point n shoot handling lets you push hard into the turns. I recomend this car to every driver serious about getting world class performance in a user-friendly package. Im selling my BMW!

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  Amazing Hot Hatch! - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By Evo4Emperor - April 29 - 1:30 pm

  This is an amazing car for the price and offers great little features not found in normal cars! I love the FSI (fuel straight injection) because it delivers a constant torque to the wheels throughout the acceleration! Although the car looks small it is actually rather comfortable and roomy inside! Im a 6 foot guy and I still manage to get about 5 inches of headroom in the back seats! The interior is amazing as well as the blue or red LED display. The stock auto leveling xenon lights and audio controls in the steering wheel are awesome! The ride is comfortable when dealing with big dips in highways and small humps in the city streets. This is an amazing car and well worth the price I paid!

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  Love my GLI - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mike - April 29 - 4:46 am

  This is a great car. A little pricey maybe, but you get what you pay for. VW is now competing with the Acura TSX and Volvo S40.

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  The perfect car for city drivers - 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By selitos - April 29 - 4:20 am

  My fiance wanted an SUV via a lease, I wanted a CC. Knowing we couldnt afford both, the Tiguan was the perfect domestic compromise. Ive seen in many reviews how the Tiguan is a poor value and I absolutely disagree. We wanted AWD, Sunroof, Bluetooth, a peppy engine, fuel efficiency, and a reasonable payment. The Tiguan S delivered on all these save fuel efficiency (20/26 awd is passable and not a deal-breaker). The SEL may have a bloated price, but the base S is definitely a good value. The Tiguans 2.0 TSI is a great engine. The car feels sporty but also compliant over rough roads. The cargo room leaves much to be desired, but living in the city the maneuverability is quite welcome

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  Fun in the Sun! - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By qtbugg - April 27 - 5:27 am

  Love my bug! My husband purchased this used vehicle for my college graduation eight years ago and we have put very little money into her. Runs great, ok gas mileage, consider its Turbo not diesel. As shes starting to age shes not as quiet as a new ride, but do not look to replace her. In fact looking to change her paint job, red to hot pink.

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  Great car - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By supersolidasp - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Great car, have almost 8000 miles on it already and no problems. Insane fuel economy, runs great!. Real perk for anyone the likes a peppy car and good fuel economy. Car is designed very well and it fun. On a trip to New york from Montana drove for 1 and a half days almost nonstop. Did not feel stiffly sore or pained after spending almost 800 miles at a time in car. Just stretched and felt great. Was perfect for trip, and for 5000 miles only took about 80$ The diesel is also very torquey and can climb steep grades in 5th gear and even accelerate where standard gas engines cant! Love it!