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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  One Fast Rabbit - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By mvaillan - March 30 - 9:10 am

  There is an unbelievable difference between the 1.8L turbo (170hp) in my Passat and the 2.0L Turbo (200hp) in this GTI. It also feels a lot stronger than the 2.0L Turbo (210hp) that I had in my 2002 WRX, and overall is a much nicer car than the WRX, quicker off the line, better quality materials throughout, and you always feel in complete control of the GTI. This GTI wants to move out fast whether you have the DSG Auto transmission in normal drive mode, sport mode or manual shift mode. It shifts silky smooth in all three modes. The paddle shifters on the steering wheel are more toys than anything else, but really fun ones!

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  Excellent choice but watch out - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Wil. - March 30 - 4:53 am

  I have owned my new Jetta 2.5 for about 3 months now. I am extremely please with it. I do prefer the old body style but I wont lose my self over that small detail. The car really is great to drive, the interior is impecable and I get looks of people always checking it out. WATCH out however. There has already been a TB put out about it. There is a fuel line insulator that needs to be replaced under the car. It makes it sound like you might have a hole in your exhaust, and my AC line came lose and sprayed the coolant everywhere under my hood. Everything has been replaced in a very timely manner so I must say I have had an excellent experience both with the car and the VW service department.

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  Refined Gem - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By vw_gti - March 30 - 12:58 am

  The GTI is easily the best combination of refinement, speed, value, and driving pleasure on the market. I cross-shopped the car with various others and the GTI was the winner with the closest runner-ups being the BMW 328i and the Mini Cooper. I honestly dont think the GTI competes against the various Japanese cars (i.e. Civic Si, WRX, Evo) because of its level of refinement. No, its not as fast as the WRX or the Evo, but it provides a level of refinement and all-around usability that both of those toys cant match. Its less isolated than the luxury cars but is still blessed with a remarkably high-class interior that should be the envy of most entry-luxury drivers.

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  Perfect balance of performance, ecomony, and practicality! - 2012 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By bjudd4 - March 29 - 10:18 pm

  I took delivery of my 12 JSW TDI in Dec. 2011, and have put over 17k miles on it in less than a year! My other vehicle is a 07 VW GTI and although the TDI of course does not match its performance, I have to say that as an automotive enthusiast I still very much enjoy driving the TDI with its generous amounts of torque. Driving it as I would drive any normal car (a little lead-footed...) I still consistently see 42mpg without a problem, and 45mpg+ if I am driving economy-minded. Had no prob starting in below zero temps in NY winter. My wife and I recently had a baby, and the car seat fits in the rear without a problem, and there is plenty of cargo room for luggage, stroller, etc.

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  Germans do it better! - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lulu - March 29 - 9:53 pm

  This was my first brand new car and Ive been completely happy with it. The base line model (GL) doesnt feel very base line with remote key less entry, power windows/locks, CD AM/FM and cassette, cruise control, chrome trim accents and those cool purple dash board lights. Its comfortable, reliable, nice to drive and gets good mileage. Servicing is reasonably priced and so is the car itself. I dont think the signal lights staying on were manufacturer default, but operator malfunction. Heres a tip, turn the lights OFF and they wont run your battery down. Good luck backing up in that ION. (thats a bad shape)

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  Who knew VW had a 10 year warranty on the paint - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By Andy - March 29 - 7:41 am

  Let me tell you that VW has a transferable body paint warranty that can be used to buff out scratches and winterize the cars exterior paint job (this is great in Ohio winters.) This EOS has not given me much problems and has never left me stranded. I bought the car used in March 2013 and aside from one issue (the panel on the hard top not opening all the way) I have never had to bring the EOS to the shop. Oil changes every 5,000 miles. The top is so versatile and fun to drive. I have gotten as high as 35 MPG when I used 93 octane gas. Average about 27-30 MPG per tank. This car is great! All the features still work, but the roof is squeaky. To solve that problem I have ordered Krytox from amazon, albeit expensive I will lubricate the seals this fall.

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  Unreliable - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jdiggity666 - March 28 - 9:30 pm

  This car gets great gas mileage and in my case the mechanical aspects are good. However, i have had numerous problems with my jetta. Both front door sensors broke, my arm rest broke, the glove box door fell off. Both front turning indicator light covers broke. Small but extremely frustrating problems.

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  Loved It! Hated It! - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By HeatherO - March 28 - 7:03 pm

  The Aquarius Blue New Beetle with the black convertible top was my dream car so you can imagine how happy I was when I finally bought one. I had the car 3 days before the headlight went out the first time. So it went into the shop...for a total of 6 times over a two year period...for the same headlight! I also had power windows that randomly went down, alarms and lights that went off for no reason and brake lights that sometimes worked, sometimes not. I cannot tell you how disappointed I was by this car. I loved the way it looked. Loved the convertible. But VW completely let me down.

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  Love It - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By 24vowner - March 28 - 10:20 am

  I love my GTI. I have one of the first 24V VR6 GTIs as it is a 2002.5 model. I agree that the suspension is a bit soft, but I had the dealer install Eibach springs within two months of owning it and that made a huge difference in the handling. I also installed a rear sway bar which helped a ton with the understeer. The car is rock stable at speeds of 85+ mph. I regularly get 30+ mpg on the highway if i stay under 80 mph. The VR6 rumble is music to my ears. After replacing the stock tires, the road noise went down and traction was less of a problem when getting on it. All the room in the back is great for carrying all sorts of stuff.

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  my experience - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By Preston - March 28 - 5:06 am

  We are very happy with our SUV. It not only does it do well off-road, it is exceptional in the city. We park it on the street and are confident in its safety and reliabilty.