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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  oldtimer - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By oldtimer too - August 26 - 7:30 pm

  my second passat. wonderful overall auto.

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  Low miles, higher maintenance - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By eckert16 - August 26 - 7:06 pm

  Drove it cross country a week after purchase. Noticed excessive wind noise from front door seals. Dealership at destination changed seals, but no improvement in wind noise reduction. Less than 10K miles, and engine rotation sensor broke, again at 13k, again at 18k. Repeated issue till 22k. AC never was NEVER cool as is should be, charged AC, still not cold. AC expansion valve went bad and replaced it at 23k. AC still not cold as it should be. 24k the main AC coolant fan had to be replaced. AC still not cold Both front shocks collapsed at 24k, and needed replacing. Alternator pulley froze up at 24.5k and needed replacing. 25.5k and the engine temperature sensor went bad. It needed replacing.

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  Great car! - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By federico28 - August 26 - 4:33 pm

  bought my car in 2012 with 164k today it has 195k I went from Los Angeles to New York and came back again to L.A without any problem. When I bought the car I replaced the main things to avoid future big problems, I replaced timing belt water pump and a few other little things. After that I only replaced a few small things nothing major until today I had to replace the clutch which lasted more than I expected since I bought the car knowing that the clutch was at only 20%. For the price the year, this car was worth every penny, I use synthetic oil and this car never quit on me or let me down. I believe the key in this car if you bought it used is how the previous owner toked care of the car

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  long distance cruiser - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By john bowles - August 26 - 2:46 pm

  We bought this car after 911 primarily because we wanted to avoid airport hassles when traveling to Albuquerque and Ashland OR;ten to fourteen hour journeys by car. This car has more than filled the bill! Fast, comfortable and totally unstressed with loads of room for fishing rods, skis;you name it. At seven years it has had very few problems (CV boots, headlights) and still feels as good as the day I picked it up. Nothing in the new car market looks this good so Ill keep it till it falls apart; no sign of that yet. Only down side is fuel consumption-big torquey diesel engine would make the perfect car.

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  50k needed a new engine - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By Bwanna - August 26 - 2:18 pm

  Out of warranty, valves are shot $4700.00. Since purchasing, the low tire warning is always on VW cannot repair, acceleration horrible, don’t try to pass on the highway, engine light always on dealer can’t find the problem or were waiting for warranty to run out

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  Car turns heads - 2010 Volkswagen Passat
  By Now a car guy - August 26 - 2:00 am

  This is my first car, Ive always had large SUVs. Ive only had the Passat just under four months and Ive put 4,650 miles or so on it in that time. I love driving it. Its quick and handles the road great. The gas mileage is far superior than what I was getting so I cant complain about that at all. Theres more than enough room in the back seat for three adults comfortably. The touch screen navigation is an awesome bonus. When I keep it clean (all to rare), heads turn to check it out. My only wonder/concern is how it will handle in the snow. I live in a fairly snowy New England area so Im crossing my fingers that Ill be pleasantly surprised with only FWD.

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  02 Indigo Blue GTI 1.8T - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By rfernatt - August 26 - 2:00 am

  Great looking car, especially with the very affordable 17" wheel package, and a blast to drive. My only complaints thus far are with a few interior squeaks and rattles. I guess I was expecting a little more quality control in this area. However, materials are top notch. There are some great design features such as the way the front seats move up and away for access to the rear seat - pretty cool! Then, there are some pretty poor design features - what were they thinking when they placed the cupholder to block the radio controls and drip liquid down the center stack?

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  Great Car Bad Clutch - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By Jeff - August 26 - 2:00 am

  Test Drove Mini Cooper, VW Golf TDI, and Jetta TDI. I bought the Golf TDI with the six speed, and returned it a week later for a Jetta TDI with the DSG. Loved everything about the Golf except for the clutch. The RPMs drop so low when starting that the car is easy to stall on mild hills. Hill hold brake assist would really make the car an absolute perfect car to drive. This feature is standard in the Mini Cooper. If mini can do it for $21K, then I think VW can do it in all of their cars. Hill hold is only available in the Pasaat. Other than the clutch, the performance, comfort, and styling were amazing. Essentially it is the GTI with a diesel engine!

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  Great Car, but switched 1wk later - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
  By Jack Smith - August 26 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car with a six speed stick shift. I could not get used to the clutch, and sadly I returned it a week later. I test drove the VW and the Mini Cooper at the same time. Over all the VW had the mini beat on standard features, and comfort. The stick on the VW shifts like butter while the Mini seemed notchy. The mini cooper had a feature that the VW TDI absolutely needs! Hill Hold Brake Assist! This feature is only available on the Passat. If Mini can do this for $21000, then VW should be able to for $23K. The TDI is very easy to stall on hills due to the clutch, and low RPMs. My dealer let me trade the Golf TDI for a Jetta TDI with the dsg.

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  German performance car with SUV utility! - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ekimap - August 26 - 2:00 am

  I have a 2002 Jetta 1.8T Wagon with the 5-spd manual. Great car - its fast, quiet, comfortable, has an interior that looks and feels expensive, and handles well. PLUS it has the utility of a small SUV! What more could I want? Im the sort of person whose lifestyle would be well served by an SUV, but I wanted a real car with real performance and handling - this car fits the bill to a T.