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 ride, a few things to be aware of... - 2008 Volkswagen R32
  By Andy - November 19 - 4:10 pm

  Absolutely love my new R32 but a few things to know during test drives. Note that the door speakers do rattle with moderate to high bass music. Also, there is a electric buzzing noise produced by the fuel pump coming from passenger side rear (listen for it at idle). If you can get over those two, and the 19 mpg fuel economy...this is a fun car. The note on the exhaust sounds similar to the BMW 330 at idle and M3 with full throttle. I got mine for $31,995 (with no Nav) but Im sure you could do much better.

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  First Volkswagen - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By First Volkswagen - November 17 - 9:21 am

  Great car for the money. I am 6 foot 3 inches tall and still have plenty of leg room.Love the way it drives and handles the road.Very quiet inside the car to me.I have only had it for year and half .Use back and forth to work. Been on short trips 160 miles but nothing longer.I have no mechanical problems.Still would recommend buying.

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  Teutonic Solidity - Fun To Drive! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By m-photo - November 17 - 3:23 am

  Ive had the car for seven months now. Its had zero problems so far, no defects. The 2.0T engine is very quick! The car is nimble and crispy. The platform is really rigid. Im an auto enthusist so I drive the car hard. The brakes are excellent. I love the "brake assist". The steering is pretty good, but its a little light. Under hard acceleration theres quite a bit of torque steer - meaning the car veers to the right somewhat. Most people wont notice it, but I really dig into the accelerator. This is normal w/ Front Wheel Drive cars. The transmission is pretty good. It downshifts quickly for passing. I would prefer the Tiptronic function to be adjacent to the Sport setting though.

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  I love this car - 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By sammyjack - November 17 - 2:00 am

  This is the best car I have ever driven for the money. Mine even has heated leather seats, which are so nice. I even bought the car used, and it is in great condition.

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  I love it - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By rocketdiesel - November 17 - 2:00 am

  I picked up my new car on January 3rd. I have 1600 miles on it already. I am getting between 500 and 600 miles out of a tank of fuel, combination city/hwy. This is a great car I plan to keep a long time. And you can even make our own fuel.

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  My Fast - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By Joe - November 16 - 10:16 am

  This car is awesome. It has 200 hp and 207 lb. feet of torque! It gets up and goes. For those of you who are worried about reliability consider this: previous models where built in Mexico, this GTI is built in Wolfsburg, Germany. Its handling is top notch for a car that weighs 3,000 lbs. It is faster than its main competitor, the Honda Civic Si.

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  2009 Wolfsburg 2.0T 6sp Auto - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By doit - November 15 - 1:23 am

  I picked up a new 2009 Wolfsburg 2.0T with the 6sp automatic a about 5 days ago and still have nothing to say about the car other than its great. The interior design is well laidd out and comfortable. The red led lighting from the overhead console is a nice touch for driving at night. Outside the car design just looks sharp, love the unique wheels. Performance is great, trading in a 2006 GTI 1.8T 5 sp manual, I was not expecting the power this car has, but it does put a smile on your face. So far the first couple tanks of gas has given me an average of 30.1 mpg that too was a great surprise as well. The mpg should get a little better when things break in a little more.

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  Love/Hate Relationship - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Adriver - November 14 - 1:46 pm

  Bought 3.6 Luxury model with less than 7K miles. Absolute pleasure to drive, when its not in the shop. I love this car but it has been at the dealer at least once every month for a repair - usually electrical stuff in the past. Now with 31K miles they are installing a new engine! Oil pump bolt came loose. My wife wants to sell it and get another Subaru. I cant argue too much - weve had 4 Subs, all went over 200K without a problem. Last VW, 01 Jetta TDI, replaced Turbo at 118K miles, glow plug problems often, check engine light on often - it too was fun to drive but I want to give the Passat one more chance to stay out of the shop, but I think Ill have to face reality & sell it.

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  2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jamesp - November 14 - 12:23 am

  I was told by the dealer not to expect great mileage until I had reached 5,000 miles, to my delight I have been getting anywhere from 40 to 52 mpg. Not bad for a car this size.....

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  Amazing truck - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By tocoron - November 13 - 9:03 am

  This is truly an amazing vehicle. Rides like a car, pulls more than all full size SUVs and the design is nice.