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:

• 

  what a rabbit - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Wen - January 28 - 4:23 pm

  Got this car 2 yrs. ago, now its got 26,000 miles on it. It has been a great a little car, there are not problem so far, it gets 28 mpg on a 50 hwy & 50 city. Do my own oil change at every 5000 miles to save money. This car gets up and go love it.

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  Impressed With My First SUV - 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By twelvecrows - January 27 - 1:26 pm

  I was a Volvo C30 owner and decided that I wanted to see what was going on around me while driving: It was just too low. I decided to replace it with a SUV. The XC60 was too expensive, and the CRV was too dull. I decided on the Tiguan, even though Edmunds lists the Total Cost of Ownership quite high. As to the cars quality feel, the other reviewers are spot-on. I am liking the car more and more each day. But... The transmission races to get the car into sixth gear as quickie as possible in order to save fuel at the expense of smooth, linear acceleration. This is somewhat remedied by using sport mode but at the cost of greater fuel consumption. I wish VW had sought the middle road.

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  perfect so far - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By reverseswing - January 27 - 12:08 am

  Absolutely love this car. I had a 2008 Passat that I returned (lease) and purchased a 2012 CC. It really does feel expensive than it is and the build quality seems to be outstanding so far.

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  Good buy for the price - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By richoos - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Very well priced German car when compared against other like models. I have had both an auto and manual, highly recommend the manual for more pick up. Considered buying a 3-series BMW though I did not see the added value in the lower end 3-series for the extra money. The Passat has lighter handling than the BMW, due to not having sports suspension, and you pay for this with slight roll in the coners. For a 100% german car it is great value, especially now Ford have their hands on BMW.

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  Love it, love, it, love it - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By Girl Racer - January 23 - 8:23 pm

  Until a few weeks before I purchased the car, I even didnt know about the car nor seen before. I fell in love with the car right away. Its such a cute car. I get a lot of attention on the road. I really enjoy it. Small car with a lot of power and charm.

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  VR 6 the only way to go - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Justin - January 23 - 5:18 pm

  For what it is its great. Fun to drive it defiantly gets out of its own way and after you hit the apex of a corner just punch it and let the snappy vr6 with traction control launch you through. All the while riding in a rich fully loaded luxury class cockpit

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  No more ICE - 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf
  By Minka vB - January 23 - 11:17 am

  Never go back to internal combustion engine(ICE)!! Electric is here to stay and will get better every year.

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  Great Car with Minor Flaws - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By odachimaster - January 22 - 2:36 am

  The car handles, performs, is responsive, and rides smoothly on these 17" tires, just as it should for a car stickered at $27,895. It has an excellent interior design with high quality materials. It has better leather than the GLSs. The 8-way power seats have nice touch memory. One negative, mine has had a few little electrical problems. Cruise would only work intermittently or the cruise light would come on and would not go off. It has been very difficult for my service center to figure out when it is not doing it when they have and they have not been as nice as tey could be. VW moved its assembly to Mexico and I would like to see if more problems have arisen.

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  1st time vw owner - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By red devil vw - January 22 - 1:53 am

  I admit i didnt know much about the GTI,after one test drive i was very impressed.The car gets respect in the road compare to the other compact cars. I really dont have much to tell since the others reviews hit it on the nose. All i know i feel invincible in the road and the respect of other vehicle.

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  Sporty, solid, unique - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Lionel Hutz - January 21 - 6:13 pm

  I am in love with my Tiguan. For a small SUV that competes with the CR-V and Rav4, I just cannot see buying either of those others over the Tiguan. They are just so ubiquitous. The Tiguan really stands out and is a blast to drive. It is every bit as sporty as my wifes A4. Build quality rivals cars costing twice as much. Rides and drives very well. Just so much bang for the buck here I cant possibly see why anyone buys the Q5. I also chuckle a bit when people complain about the gas mileage for a 2- ton SUV with big tires and, in some cases, AWD. If you need more than 22 mpg, go get a Prius and get laughed at.