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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  Excellent car for what it is - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By darksim905 - September 17 - 9:57 pm

  Ive owned this car for a solid 10 years & have had minimal issues. After 10 years, every car will start falling apart & showing its issues. That being said my major issues that I have had are below. The car runs great if you take care of it & maintain it. Im not sure what everyone else does with their vehicle, but I love my Jetta & will buy another as a project car once I manage to run this into the ground. 110k miles & going strong.

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  Electrical and computer malfunctions - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By R D - September 17 - 7:20 pm

  I owned the V-8 Touareg for 13 months and recently sold it due to unreliability. Had it in for service ten times. Twice the first week I owned it. Numerous electrical malfunctions. Two complete electrical failures when the vehicle would not start. It was necessary to have it towed into dealership on these two occasions. Had problems with all-wheel drive system especially transfer case. Had electrical problems with all-wheel drive system. Experienced electrical problems with doors not locking or unlocking. Before anyone considers buying a Touareg, check Technical Service Bulletins at NHTSA web site. My Touareg experienced almost all of them. BIG depreciation "hit" when I sold it.

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  Great Little Car - 2003 Volkswagen Golf
  By weebs86 - September 17 - 7:13 pm

  This car is great! I love everything about it but the main reason why Im writing this review is because of the lack of information about the audio system online. My car has the Monsoon system, and man oh man, is it awesome. I have a friend who has a Chevy Trailblazer with the Bose system and this thing is seriously just as good. Here are the specs, straight from the owners manual: 4 tweeters at 20 Watts each (Two in front, two in back), 2 Woofers (Front Doors) at 30 Watts Each and - get this - 2 Subwoofers at 30 watts each (rear doors) = 180 total watts. Sure, 60 watts for the combined subs doesnt quite match aftermarket subs of 1000s of watts, but TRUST me, youll be plenty happy.

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  reliability issues but great car besides that - 2009 Volkswagen Passat
  By jpl15 - September 17 - 5:26 pm

  The Edmunds review is spot on. The car is fun to drive, sporty and yet very comfortable. I love this car, but within two months it has broke down on me twice to include a fuel pressure regulator and a water pump. Luckily it was certified pre owned so out of pocket costs were minimal. I take great care of this car and maintenance it myself every 5000 miles with synthetic oil and have already replaced air cleaner. Hard to enjoy the car if it will keep breaking down and im only at 55000 miles. Plenty of room in the back with 2 kids and the trunk is huge. I can fit large strollers among other things.

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  FAST B5.5 - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By happygilman - September 17 - 4:50 pm

  This car is fun, fast, and financially friendly.

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  Been A Great Car over the Years - 1998 Volkswagen Jetta
  By by MLJ VR6 - September 17 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my 1998 Volkswagen Jetta for eight years now with 175,000 miles and have been very pleased. Ive had the ususal Jetta problems with the ignition, water hose, window regulator, minor electrical and body moldings. The parts manager at the dealership gave me a great tip on the moldings. Buy the pop-in plastic moldings from the 95 model. They look fine and you will never have to replace them again. I use the seat adjustment levers for my cupholders which hold big cups. I have changed the oil / filter every 5,000 miles, the air filter every 35,000 miles, and hope to keep the car for 250,000 miles. The V6 engine has been very reliable with no engine repairs whatsoever.

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  veedub all the way - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By ash - September 17 - 12:33 am

  My entire family owns Volkswagens. I find them to be amazing cars. The only issue i have with VW is the timing belt and water pump. Other than that, these cars are amazing. I have never driven a more reliable car, or a car more fun. They handle like a dream and the stock sound system is ridiculous.

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  So far so good - 2016 Volkswagen Passat
  By Happy Passat Owner - September 15 - 8:05 pm

  Recently bought a new 2016 Passat SE with Tech and Lighting Packages. I test drove many other vehicles before deciding on the Passat. The only factors causing any hesitation are the current resales values and VWs reputation of average (at best) reliability. The Passat drove and fit my needs much better than an Accord or Mazda 6. It really seems to fit between the BMW/Audi/Lexus level and the CamCord level. Great ride, incredible usable space, excellent infotainment features and functionality, strong MPG and decent engine/transmission performance. I was consistently disappointed in the Accord (interior and ride), Mazda 6 (noisy, rear seat space), Subaru Outback (power) with each test drive and was pleasantly surprised each time I drove the Passat. Either many auto critics really dont know cars or they dont appreciate the real-world transportation needs of most drivers. All cars have a few flaws so a couple criticisms - would be nice with a bit more torque in first and second gears. Seats are quite comfortable as is but throw in the seat from a CC and it would be magnificent. Yes, styling is a bit bland but I prefer a car with a bit more understated design. Put together, this car should be much higher on recommended lists.

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  My first German engineered car - its a little different - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By davidcw - September 15 - 7:35 pm

  Picked up my new Passat yesterday and have put a little over 100 miles on it. I got candy white with black interior for $30,000 including lip spoiler, mats, wheel locks, first aid kit and tinted windows. The price was much better than what Edmunds, Consumer Reports or any of the others said I should expect. I think it was a good deal?

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  Still Going Strong - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By My Red GLI - September 15 - 12:46 pm

  After 3 years, my Volkswagen Jetta GLI VR6 is still running strong and performing well. Had the recall items fixed with no hassle. Only required maintenance and a few special modifications. Best car Ive had.