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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  FUN Bug no problems - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Ivan - April 21 - 7:26 am

  I bought the 2002 Beetle Turbo S used with over 30,000 miles on it. I have about 42,000 on it now. Heard about realiability issues but have had none so far. Fun car to drive, sporty, and fast. Comfort is a little weak for 61" guy but overall not bad. I have added a sub to stock Monsoon radio and it sounds way better.

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  Fun Car - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By tincup33 - April 20 - 7:50 am

  I own a 2003 Cobra so Im used to a fast car. I was surprised by the GTIs ability to just get up and go. Its handling is awesome and the design is very eye catching. We got rid of our Xterra to save on gas but its hard not to get on it everywhere you go. I turned my wife onto this car and Im glad I did, she was going to get a Rabbit.

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  Beautiful Ride - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By B. A. - April 20 - 4:33 am

  My wife loves her Touareg. It has a great interior, is roomy and plenty of pep.

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  Nice change from X5 - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Jack C - April 19 - 8:13 pm

  The CC takes a little getting use to after driving the X5 but its a smooth transition and this car is quiet, comfortable "Classic Comfort" and fun to drive. Great touch screen media center. Great for Ipods. the blue tooth controls on the steering wheel work great with the address book illuminated on the dash board. Really happy with my decision buying the CC over another SUV.

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  Rare Find!!White w/Saddle Brown VR LUX - 2011 Volkswagen Touareg
  By bigcat56 - April 18 - 2:14 am

  This 2011 VW Touareg VR6 Lux is the BEST car I have purchased in the last 35 years. Im a big man at 63" 280lbs, hard to find any vehicle with enough space for someone my size to sit behind me, but this suv has that as well as comfort for all passengers. Looked at BMW X5, MB ML350, Nissan Murano, new Ford Edge, Volvo XC60. A complete joy to drive, plenty of power from VR6/8Spd, Classy, Luxurious interior with all the Technology you can handle. Didnt think I needed a NAV system, but this one has totally changed my mind. Standard stereo system sounds rich and full to my ears. Price point when considered with all standard equipment vs. luxury competition is within reason.

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  A Perfect Sedan For Most Consumers At A Very Good Price - 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
  By roadtester1 - April 17 - 11:46 pm

  To start with, and in full disclosure I rated my new 2014 Jetta S with the 6-speed automatic with many 5 stars as I feel the professional test drivers who put out review videos and write professional reviews for a living are not really representing the average American on what they are truly looking for in a car. Who really wants or needs a 300 horsepower four door sedan that does 0-60 in five seconds. Look to a Corvette for that. Who really wants and needs soft leather on the dash and full interior. Look to a Lexus for that. Volkswagen should not be overlooked for several reasons including build quality, safety, handling, and tons of interior room to name a few. Did I mention value.

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  Unbelieveable German Engineering - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By BigTexDoug - April 17 - 2:53 pm

  What an awesome car. We have never owned a VW before. Weve owned Honda, Toyota, Nissan and all the Americans. This car is truly a result of fine German craftsmanship at a fraction of the cost of Audi or Mercedes. It turns heads wherever we go.

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  What can I say, I love it. - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By adsell - April 17 - 2:00 am

  For the money this car is very high on my list for quality. The performance is exception for a small 4 cylinder engine. So far fuel economy is very good, especially if I keep my foot off the gas! When the turbo kicks in you can see the MPG go down but even then the average fuel consumptions stay good. Speaking of turbo: I feel confident entering the freeway getting up to speed with little effort from the willing engine.

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  A small performance sedan value - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Sheep - April 17 - 2:00 am

  Excellent performance when chipped. Also increases gas mileage if you use the greatly enhanced torque to your advantage. The styling is very Euro: conservative yet fresh. Everything works in the car well. Controls well placed. Driving position is excellent. Transmission is very smooth and very precise if upgrade the shifter, which I did. I bought the car with the intention of making it into a hardcore sporty sedan with a minimum investment and it has delivered in spades! Fit and finish is superb for a car in this class; the interior will shame any Asian or American car in this category.

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  Love to drive it! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By timtoolman - April 17 - 2:00 am

  I wanted… no needed, the diesel engine to get the estimated 49mpg. So far, after 2500 miles, it has ranged from 45 to 49mpg. Another requirement I had was to not to sacrifice performance. This baby has quite enough pep to zip around and handles the curves and corners beautifully. The only sacrifice I feel I made was with the interior room, mainly the back seat leg room.