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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  Turbo Jetta - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By chemtw - June 1 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for almost two years. It has been great. Its fast, passing power is there when needed. Great handling.

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  Dont Hesitate - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Car Junkie - May 31 - 11:43 am

  I have been absolutely pleased with my new R-line VW CC!! I didnt know about the R-line until I went and test drove the CC. I was very slow and meticulous in my recent car buying decision. I test drove the Audi A4, Mercedes C class, I also drove the Honda Accord V6 Coupe, as well as the Hyundai Genesis V6 Coupe. I walked into the show room and there she was...Black on Black, VW CC- R line. The R line is a package with extra base and body molding around the vehicles exterior to enhance the look-Not that it needs help. As soon as the wheels hit the road I was in love with it, especially when kicking in the Sports mode on the highway. this car was the best Overall that I test drove!!

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  Easily the best car in its class - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By homerkc - May 30 - 11:09 pm

  Just turned 75K miles; a GREAT car for the past 5 yrs. Its economical (23-31mpg), sufficiently fast, rides better on the highway than cars costing much more, big trunk, and top safety ratings. Its a pleasure to drive every day, and its just a base model car with the 150 HP engine. I had the rear brake problem, but my dealer put new rotors on under warranty and everything seems to be OK. Ive put little else into the car - I do much of the routine maintenance myself, and without the dealer labor, the upkeep is reasonable. I enjoy the little luxuries on the base car, like soft touch plastics, lighted switches, climate control, 1 touch windows, etc. A great deal and reliable, too.

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  Love my Jetta - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VW Jetta Lvr - May 30 - 6:23 am

  I have now owned my Jetta for over a year now and have absolutely loved every single minute of owning it AND driving it! I waiting until the body style changed in 2005 to purchase the Jetta since I felt the other style was a little small. The handling is wonderful, the ride is smooth, and I love all of the little extras the VW has put in the car to play with!

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  Has It All - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Marty - May 29 - 9:13 pm

  I have been researching the hatchback market for awhile and finally settled into a 4-door Rabbit. Its superior in so many ways to the Dodge Caliber, Toyota Matrix, Honda Civic and Mazda 3. I love its looks, refined interior, long list of standard features, performance, ride, fit & finish and how it is so quiet. It has everything Id want in a car at a very reasonable price. It is a small economical car with NO compromises.

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  Our first VeeDub - 2011 Volkswagen Touareg
  By ec374897 - May 29 - 2:41 pm

  Our Touareg was our first VW, but not our first SUV. Previously we had a Ford Explorer and a Toyota Highlander. When looking for our new car, we looked and drove several, including the 4runner, Q5 and X5. The Touareg, hands-down trounced our previous suvs when it came to handling, performance and comfort. Our 06 Highlander drove like a minivan compared to the tight feel and zippy performance from the T-reg. When it came time to choose, the VW experience, and price/feature ratio won out over our other options. 4runner - too much like a truck, and the price point when compared to Audi/BMW was perfect. Overall, this vehicle is fun to drive and gets good mpg for its class.

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  Get Up-N-Go - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By Craig Vedder - May 29 - 12:16 pm

  I am very impressed with the pick up of the 2.5L Rabbit. This is also matched with a great feel of the road and the perfect amount of engine noise. It handles great and the seats are nice and snug to your body. The interior has a better fit and finish then a lot of the high end lines out there. Detail is key for me - they even put little VW logos on the headlight assembly.

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  GTI IS A SICK CAR. - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By Super Steve - May 29 - 10:00 am

  This is a beautiful car. After driving around in an 84 caprice classic for a while, you really appreciate the nuances put into the GTI; great handling, quick acceleration, amazing fuel effeciency... its a complete chic magnet. Glad I didnt get the 337 edition, 18" rims would get eaten up in 6 months w/ all the potholes in Jersey. And Im glad I wasnt a sucker to spend an extra $2000 on special badging and an inch lower suspension. I gladly took that money and put on a new exhaust & ECU so my car has 240 HP, and flies by any stock 337 on the road. Do yourself a favor and take one for a testdrive. Its worth it.

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  German Engineered Marvel - 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan
  By peterkim1999 - May 29 - 10:00 am

  Excellent Performance VAN? Makes Japaneses Mini VANS hide in the corner with a big scare!

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  Nice Test Drive - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By First_Time_VW - May 29 - 10:00 am

  I just took a test drive in a new Jetta tonight. I was impressed with how many features come standard; it took while for the saleperson to show me all the controls and how to use them. The one I drove had leather, sunroof, and the Monsoon system, as well as the Cold Weather Package. The ride was much better than I expected. The 6-speed manual was very smooth to shift, and the engine had decent power. Overall, it was a much better ride than my current vehicle (an old Pontiac Grand Prix). Although Im primarily interested in the GTI VR6, Id seriously consider a Jetta now.