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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  Dont overlook the Jetta TDI - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Impressive Car! - January 6 - 6:40 pm

  Ive driven a TDI for the past three years and have loved the reliability, long maintence intervals, and efficiency of this engine. I traded my Beetle TDI in for the New 06 Jetta TDI. So far, I have loved the experience. This new design is much improved! Its not whisper quiet (much improved though)...but i can say its a night and day difference when comparing with the Beetle.

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  Passat GLX 4Motion - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By DocRock - January 6 - 8:36 am

  This is an excellent car. It is fun to drive. The 4Motion makes the car a little thirstier for gas, but overall it has been a good car thus far.

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  Unreliable & Expensive to Repair - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By skiebo - January 6 - 2:00 am

  Driving this car overall has been a pleasure however the maintenance and repair costs have been outrageous. In 4 years my out of pocket expenses for repairs has been about $7,000. Extensive warranty repairs have been made in addition to out of pocket expenses, including replacement of emission controls, engine electronics, and the oil pump. It would be difficult for me to considering buying another VW after this experience.

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  *groan* wish Id thought it through - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Lizzie - January 6 - 2:00 am

  Bought mine loaded just over 4 mos. ago & am already trying to sell it. Problems started immediately-grinding gears between 1st & 2nd, turn signals & intermittent wipers went out. On day 5 Emissions warning light came on. Turns out the ignition was failing & burned out the catalytic converter,which almost crashed my entire exhaust system. There went $700! This was in addition to majorly leaking sunroof, broken cupholder, broken memory seats, broken console & major gas usage. Im having terrible sellers remorse for my 95 Honda Civic with 100k on it! No problems until Id had it 6 years. And I hate Carmax for lying about this Jetta - stay away from them!!

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  I will NEVER buy another VW again !!! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Blessedmann - January 6 - 2:00 am

  I had a 1984 Jetta that was great so I thought I would try it agian. BIG mistake. I spent more $ on repairs then the car was worth. When I was told that it needs a new trans I got rid of it.

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  Love my Jetta!! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By nobby - January 6 - 2:00 am

  Cant say enough good things about my Jetta. Cool white, tinted windows, 17inch rims and still getting complements when i go out. After reading about all the major problems with other jettas makes my jetta look like a keeper. The only minor problem was the wood trim next to the radio fell off the first month. They replaced it and nothing since. Dont plan on buying another jetta soon because I plan on having this car forever.

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  Awesome Vehicle - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By FISHORCUTBAIT - January 6 - 2:00 am

  Spent the last week driving my folks new Touareg V8 and couldnt say enough to really do it justice. I ordered my own today with the V10 TDI scheduled for production early November and delivery for January. Went with the V10 TDI for better fuel economy (24 mpg on the HWY) and increased torque for pulling my boat. Besides, the V10 TDI has won several international awards for its engineering.

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  Great Fun Car - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By RobGor - January 6 - 2:00 am

  I loved this car from the moment I sat in the seat, turned on the engine and drove off the lot. The way it handled grabbed me from the start. I had not had this much fun driving a car in years. I recommend this car to anyone who loves to drive.

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  vw are nuber one.PERIOD - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By vento - January 6 - 2:00 am

  21 YEARS HAVING VW NO WONDER WHY VW IS THE 2ND BEST AUTO MAKER IN THE WORLD

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  Money Pit - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By mp - January 5 - 11:33 am

  This car drives like a dream but then it becomes a nightmare. In the past two years alone we have spent well over $2,000 in repairs ranging from CV boots to engine coils to glove compartment handles falling apart.