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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  Yet to be discovered value; Grab one! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Driver Found - July 3 - 4:06 pm

  This car has great performance, safety, reasonable gas mileage, fit & finish. Volkswagen has hit a homerun with this one. I had the opportunity to compare this car to a BMW 325i and a Honda Accord EX on a closed course and fell in love with the Passat. I have always appreciated Volkswagens appearance, but the car just seemed boring. With the intro of the 06 Passat FSI 2.0T this has become a thing of the past. I love the look (especially with the 18- inch Chicago wheels). The car handles amazingly, I implore you to accelerate through that next bend as the ESP dares you to push it to its limits. The interior details rise above the competition with the Multifunction computer, smart-key, to the multi-cupholders.

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  VW Passat 4 Motion - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By bogolf - July 3 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle for family and fun, powerful V6 with 4 motion traction. Make me anxious for the snow to fall. Nice interior, handles great, a bit large for my taste but I have a family so must compromise a bit.

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  2002 GLX V6 - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By vwnut - July 3 - 12:36 am

  Have had GLX V6 for a year now. Great car, fun to drive. Interior and exterior look amazing. Smooth at speeds of 130mph. The car makes you wish there was an autobahn near by. If you can buy it, buy it.

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  Full size car with small car fuel compuption - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By thedude12 - July 3 - 12:05 am

  We opted for the TDI SE with the sunroof and DSG. The DSG transmission is a must, one hand holding the coffee and no worries about shifting. Also the DSG is quicker in acceleration, the 6 speed manual have to tall gears and have a tendency to stall. The interior is very roomy, specially the rear seats, I have friends 63" tall seating in the back fitting comfortably. The fuel compsuption is simply ridiculous, I went from Tucson to San Diego with a a little over half tank(420Miles), I average 43.8mpg with the A/C and the cruise set at 83 MPH. The interior is very well made and the ride is very quiet. It does 85mph@2500 rpm. We are filling every 3 plus weeks. Free maintenance for 3 years.

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  Much Improved Over Passat - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Liz - July 1 - 8:40 pm

  This CC has caused a sensation at work and the car wash; people want to know what it is since there is no name on the car. Ive only seen one other on the road. The quality and reliability (thus far) are vastly superior to my former Passat. Standard features compare very favorably to baseline Hondas, Toyotas, Minis, other German autos, etc. Heated seats are wonderful on cold mornings. The two tone interior gets envious stares! Power memory for 3 seat settings works well for each of us in my family.

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  Its ok with a W8 - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By rough driver in MT - July 1 - 6:33 am

  Yea I read a lot of the complaints that these cars have but have you ever noticed that the complaints are only about the 1.8T? We have a 03 W8 passat and were the type that takes a car anywhere. Are passat goes through a lot of abuse because where we live has a lot of rough roads and unpredictable weather and it still runs ok. So if you are going to get one these cars get a W8 with 4motion because these cars are very heavy and do need the extra power and the 1.8T may do the job but stresses the engine to much causing parts to wear faster.

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  this car rocks - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By abirken - June 30 - 2:00 am

  I have never driven a car with more get up and go ever! I feel this car can take me around the world a few times and back, it feels so reliable. The power of this engine is incredible and hard to imagine until you are given whiplash upon entering the freeway. Buyers beware of extreme power when driving this car.

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  new car a blast! - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Eben - June 30 - 2:00 am

  Having owned a Suv and Subura wagon, its really fun to own a car that really "zips" around .The Jetta is very solid and well made. The Monsoon stereo and the lighted dash make you feel your driving a more expensive car.I added a Thule ski rack and go on many small New England roads with no problems. Great car!

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  2005 GLI 1.8 Turbo - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By SYN - June 29 - 10:53 pm

  With all the hype about the new Jettta released mid year people have skipped right past the GLI 1.8T. Its hard to find any info on it. I love this car it flys! It stops on a dime and I get looks everywhere I go in it!

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  Not your old Beetle - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By James Adams - June 29 - 9:13 am

  This is my third new Beetle. In fact there are two in the family now. I love this car. It is so fun to drive! The quality of construction is second to none. It has excellent German technology and drives great. Dont be fooled by the size of the car. A 66" man can easily be comfortable inside. I love the way it performs. It is also very comfortable for those long trips. All those nice little touches and electronic gadets make it easy and fun to operate. It has a lot of convenience features. Like I said we have two in the family and wont hesitate to buy again. Two items that Volkswagen needs to add are: 1. A digital compass. 2. A coin holder. These are only minor inconveniences though.