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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  Redefines sport touring sedan - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By kevorkjan - May 22 - 2:00 am

  This is a great sport touring sedan. It is very nimble and has excellent "street habits". I would strongly recommend to anyone. The AWD system is superb. Tiptronic does the job quite well. If you are looking for a 4 dr sedan to provide "double duty" - family sedan and performance car - then this is it!

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  Great Car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By ChrisR - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Driving for three months and this car far exceeds my expectations. German engineering is far more exciting than Japanese reliability. The German build quality of this car is noncomparable to the previously built US & Mexico VWs (Rabbit/Jetta) There is always room for improvement, but they are minor in nature. This car has one small rattle that the monsoon stereo fixes.

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  Better Buy for Sedans - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By TDIman - May 21 - 2:06 pm

  After eight years of ownership both my wife and I truly enjoy driving this car. It is comfortable, economical, has more than adequate power and is stylish. It remains as tight as it was when it was new. Any problems were recall notices given us by the dealership which were cheerfully fixed in a timely fashion. Its even roomy, I brought home six foot sections of wire shelving and they fit in the sedan, with the rear seats down of course and with the trunk lid closed. This is a very versatile vehicle.

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  Love this car - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Birgit R. - May 19 - 8:36 pm

  This car is so much fun to drive. I originally wanted an A3, but found the suspension too stiff. I test drove the Passat and the GLI as well, and this one was just right. I love the interior styling. The car handles super nice in curves and when merging into traffic. I love the pick up. My 6 year old calls it the Silverbullet. I had issues with catalytic convertor, rear armrest and satellite radio. Dealership took care of it promptly. This is the best car Ive ever had so far.

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  It must be love. - 2010 Volkswagen Routan
  By unwynde - May 19 - 7:50 pm

  Whats not to love on this vehicle. It has every feature imaginable for a reasonable price. Navigation, mp3, pics, power doors, dvd w/rear ent., satellite radio, wifi, backup camera, hands free phone audio, premium leather, shades. One couldnt ask for more. Mind you, I said I would never buy a minivan. I test drove this vehicle while I waited during the paperwork process for another vehicle. I was sold. My husband, myself, +5 children, and we still have room for the in-laws.

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  Its just perfect - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dan - May 19 - 1:53 am

  Talk about a good car, hits all 3 strong points comfort, fuel economy, and reliability. Im a big guy, and i fit just right in this wonderful car, also its got that big trunk we all been looking for. Its fun to drive to, that engine torque is all what matters these days. To anyone who is skeptical about diesel cars, take it for a test drive, you will fall in love with it.

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  The overachieving underdog - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dmw26 - May 18 - 11:20 am

  Im sold to VW. Had an 01 Altima that I liked a lot, but nothing compares to the build and handling quality of the Jetta. Everything about the car is solid. Precision, quality, performance, and safety. If thats what you want in a car, youve found it. No problems in the 18-inch snowstorm of 05- with the stability control and awesome heated seats. I love its understated yet highly refined look. The two exhaust tips give the 1.8T a distinctively smart look- sportier than the 2.0L, but still very elegant and classy. The 5-speed manual is a blast, I kept pace with a Mustang GT on the I95 for 200 miles, without any struggles- youll be taken aback by its performance. Its a real sports car.

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  Awesome car for the Money - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By aws - May 18 - 11:16 am

  I had been waiting for this car to hit the US market for 3 years, when it was finally here I bought the first one I could find. 2 months later, I couldnt be any happier about my purchase. This car handles exceptionally well, is super fast, looks great, and fits into just about any parking place too! Its interior is spacious, and well laid out, with nothing goofy or cheap looking. Driving it is truly a thrill, period. Basically it puts a huge grin on my face every time I drive or even think about my GTI. Then when I think about how little I had to spend to get a car that makes me so happy, Im even more thrilled. Kudos VW! Great job, just wish I didnt have to wait so long.

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  They almost knocked it out of the park - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By CN - May 17 - 12:04 pm

  This the fourth diesel weve owned (2nd VW) and they just keep getting better. We bought this car after comparing it to the Honda Accord and Subaru Legacy. It, by far, was the most refined, quietest, smoothest, and most composed of the three. Surprisingly (to us) the Honda was a distant last. After 42,000 miles over 2 years, the car has been flawless. Mileage is consistently between 42 and 44 over a tank with 60% hwy / 40% city split. Open highway runs are typically in the mid to upper 40s. Ive seen as high as 52 mpg. The DSG transmission is the mark by which ALL other transmissions should be compared with respect to smoothness of operation. I have never driven a car with a smoother shifting transmission than this one. Even when one watches the shifts, they cannot be felt; utterly imperceptible. It has the most room of any mid-size car, especially in the back seat. It handles well, and ergonomics, while not perfect, are very good. The diesel engine does take getting used to. One of my sons says its "touchy". Its not, really; just behaves differently than most other cars. Pulling power is quite good thanks to the abundance of torque, though with only 140 hp one isnt going to win any stoplight races. Then again, thats not why one would buy this car in the first place. My quibbles with the car boil down to three items. First, the ride, while composed, can become somewhat harsh. The 50 series tires certainly dont help, but softening the ride slightly would make a big difference in my book. Second, some of the interior parts are on the cheap side. Not as bad as the crap Toyota uses, but they could be better, or at least made to "feel" better. Last, and by far the worst issue, is the infotainment system. It is unquestionably the absolute worst excuse for such a system ever put in a vehicle. While the radio sounds great, and the nav system is quite good, the system is so pathetically slow to respond to input it is maddening. Taking my time, I can back out of a parking spot and drive off before the back-up camera ever turns on. I can literally count the seconds it takes between pushing a button and the system taking action. I could go on about how bad it is, but I digress... Overall, the car had been outstanding. More reliable than a Honda we recently replaced, it has continued to be exactly what we needed.

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  1500 miles so far-very fun, lookn good - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Susansocal - May 17 - 11:06 am

  I have had my new White SE Tiguan for 1 month and I am really enjoying driving again. I sold my 9 year old Camry and do not miss it one bit (it was very reliable but BORING, yet the gas mileage was great). I cant rate the reliability yet, but so far I am very pleased, and no real quality issues to address, but I do agree that the Turbo is rather jerky at times and leaving from a stop light turning right it is jerky accelerating to get going, almost like I am driving a stick in a low gear (which I do not have the manual, and I have no need or desire to use the shifting option). The dealer really came down on the sticker price - I got the pricing below a comparable Honda CRV/or RAV4.