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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  great car, but quality issues - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By B5 passat - May 27 - 10:00 am

  Ive only had it for a year but now its developing a few issues. It seems that if these great VW ideas actually worked....it would be worthwhile The collapsing side mirrors failed to work, the door handles have always been a problem (even since the 95 passat!), the coil pack has again been a longstanding issue with problems, and the worst issue so far is an intermittent starting problem. I am forced to sell the car simply because its too costly to own. If this were an M3 then I could somewhat reationalize the cost of repairs

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  Happy with the purchase - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By PassatWagon01.5 - May 27 - 10:00 am

  We bought the GLS V6 after weeks of research on family wagons. It all came down to this car and the Volvo V70. The Volvo V70 had very cheap interior, weaker engine, less performance, and very uncomfortable seats for $7K more!! The decesion was an easy one. We feel we got a lot more car for the money we spent. This car is bordering on luxury auto for $24K. It handles great. The engine is very responsive. It has tons of room if you fold the back seats down. The only problems we have had have been minor electrical issues. The fron headlight ($50!!! at the dealer), and the remote transmitter (warranty) had to be replaced.

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  Best Luxury SUV on the road!!! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Carlos Sosa - May 27 - 10:00 am

  No words can describe this baby... VW really did it this time.

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  Fun to Drive but not to the dealer - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Don Cline - May 27 - 10:00 am

  I am on my 3rd radio. The front passenger window fell down in the door. It has been in for the yellow engine light coming on several several times. Now the red temp light comes for no reason. Needs new brakes already - very expensive plus the tires are also needing replaced and are very expensive. I am seriously considering trading in for American.

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  GLS The real thing - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By happybuyer - May 27 - 10:00 am

  I looked at several Japanese and couple of American and two german cars before buying. I never saw myself driving a Volkswagon but after driving, I have to say it is the real thing! There is definitely something to the German engineering quality. The easiest way for the layman to tell is get on the highway and listen to the nothing. It is the quietest car I test drove. The doors are solid not light panel like the Japanese models. The six airbags says something about safety. The fit and finish although not plush is very well designed and the dashboard lights at night are a cool look that no one else has.

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  Fun and sensible - 2011 Volkswagen GTI
  By GTIGR - May 27 - 8:58 am

  Coming from Acura, I dont miss a bit of luxury. Actually the GTI makes much more sense. Its extremely well-built with a logical and spartan/germanic layout. Navigation and ipod integration work smoothly and fast. The leather seats are very comfy and supportive while the interior is much more spacious than you think. I left the powertrain last. Its a blast to drive the GTI. Whether commuting or playing, it just brings a smile. I had a VW in 2003, so I was afraid of VWs reliability... But GTI has come a long way. Its not as reliable as my 2009 TSX but its quite close. Actually you wouldnt want GTI to become Japanese... you definitely want it to stay German: a toy and a commuter.

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  Perfect for ME!!! - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By kmck1083 - May 26 - 9:06 am

  I bought the car from a dealership in 2005. It had one previous owner, and that was a lease. The car had 28,000 miles from the three years of ownership. Ive taken this car on road trips and drive it mostly back and forth for work/school and I LOVE it! Im an average sized, young female and it fits well. Its easy to drive and shifting is a breeze. No sticky gears or clutch problems.

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  Coco Grey Beauty - 2005 Volkswagen Phaeton
  By Mr. Adams - May 25 - 5:33 pm

  This is a great full sized luxury car I wish that the gas milage was better. This car has more standard features than the Mercedes S-Class and the BMW 7-Series. When it comes to comfort If I am not driving I am in the back seat where I can really stretch out my legs. I like owning a car that is unique and not seen very often. Since I have had my car I have only seen 3 Phaetons on the road and this makes the car special.

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  Good Vehicle - 2017 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Chris Tafoya - May 25 - 9:32 am

  I bought mine about a week ago. I took advantage of the $5,000 in incentives on the 2017 and got the SE 1.4T for around $17,000. Great power and great value for the price. I have only put around 500 miles on this vehicle and have averaged around 30 mpg in town. I have previously owned a 2015 Cruze LTZ/RS and this vehicle is built better and has more power than the Cruze. The only complaint is the SEs audio system, its not horrible but not the best either. My wife has a 2017 Honda Civic 1.5 turbo (EX-T) trim and this one has more power and the leather seats with the same features, the civic was purchased for around $22,000 and this was comparable for $17,000. No complaints so far! Great vehicle for the price.

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  Fun to drive! - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mike - May 24 - 11:23 pm

  Traded in my 04 Jetta TDI for the 09 model. Had put 103K miles on my previous car. This one seems to be more refined, I had door rattles in my 04 model that couldnt be found by dealer. Torque on the 09 is crazy! Very fun to drive. At hwy speeds, expect ~40 Mpg. If you slow down to 55 ;), you can get 50 Mpg. The MFD display is neat, as it tells you instant and average economy. Love my TDI - and get better mileage when I use B15 BioDiesel! (Ethanol users, eat your hearts out!) -Mike