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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  GLX Best German Engineering value - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By whcatto - August 17 - 10:00 am

  I have had the GLX for 5 months now; it is the best car out there for the money. I look forward to getting into it each morning; the design and performance are what would be expected in a $50,000 German Sedan. All of the "extra" features that are uncovered in the first few weeks make this car truly special.

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  Love the Jetta - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By meljr - August 17 - 10:00 am

  This is my second Jetta, had a 5 speed GL for 3 years, just got an automatic Wolfsburg and I am in heaven. So easy to drive, takes turns so smoothly. A lot of pick up, no turbo drag. Wont buy anything else. Love the Jetta.

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  Best Subcompact out there - 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By BP - August 16 - 10:03 am

  Everything about this car is positive. The interior is great, the exterior is nice, and the engine is peppy.the interior is very good build quality, perhaps even upscale. The sunroof works great. Some say that it gets bad MPG, but in the real world, it only gets about 2-3 mpg less than those Japanese models that sacrifice everything to get 28 mpg in the city (real world, EPA for 2007 has been known to be inaccurate). Depending on the day, I get from 24-26 mpg in the city, and 27-32 mpg on the highway. I would rather drive a comfortable, safe, great handling, and good looking car than one that is small, uncomfortable, and one that has lackluster handling.

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  Reliable - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By mindofclay - August 16 - 2:46 am

  I love this car. Its such a gem of a car. If you simply take care of it, change the oil (full synthetic) every 3,000 miles (it does gum up fast in this car, unfortunately. Just dont go over 3,000 without changing it), put premium gas in it, and generally just take care of it and it will last you forever. I bought mine at 171,000 miles from an owner who took great care of it and it drives like its brand new! Yes, repairing a VW is generally more expensive, but you get what you pay for and you fix it far less often. Im confident I will take this car to 250,000 miles easily. It is so reliable. I wouldnt hesitate for one second to recommend this vehicle to anyone!

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  Value for the money! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Pete - August 15 - 5:10 pm

  Recently I bought a 2006 Volkswagen Passat 2.0T. It is a sweet ride, its got the power when you need it! The 200HP under the hood makes the whole difference on at traffic lights! On the road it runs swiftly, although you have to watch the speed because you dont feel it! The automatic transmission (Tiptronic) is a nice option, but if you want a sporty ride - go with the 6-speed manual, thats what I bought. Another good thing is the fuel consumption. After I put gas in it, the computer shows that I have 510-520 miles to empty! It takes premium, but its worth every penny! The roomy enterior seats four adults very comfortably. This car is made in Germany, and it makes a difference! If you want a good German car in mid the $20,000s, then thats the best choice.

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  2005 TDI New Beetle - 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By DaveG - August 15 - 4:26 pm

  This was a must have for my wife. At first I wasnt sure if we needed this car with its reputation for questionable reliability, but after owning it now for a few months and 4,000 miles or so, I like it. Especially the 42 mpg highway 38 mpg overall. There seems to be very little middle ground with the New Bettles, if you like it enough to buy it, then you most likely love your Beetle. We asked all the Beetle owners we could find prior to purchasing ours, even those who had quite a few tedious under warranty repair issues, and they still loved their New Beetle and were looking a the newer models to replace their 4 or 5 year old Beetles. So far ours has been excellent and trouble free.

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  Jeep Driver, Loves New Touareg! - 2006 Volkswagen Touareg
  By sbcs - August 14 - 7:36 am

  Ive had my 06 Volkswagen Touareg V8 about a month and love it. I originaly was going for a V6, a quick ride in the V8 however had me sold. It is smooth and fast. All the comforts I expected from the first look. I like technical stuff and this car is loaded, except for the navigation system. Every few days I find some cool new feature (like the wine cooler glv box). I highly recommend reading the manual as there are many things you need to know to get the full value of the car as well as prcautions, like; dont keep the power steering fully turned for more than five seconds. Driving on mountain roads is a dream, it sticks like glue. It is so smooth that under 25 mph you dont even feel like your moving. Use care approaching stop signs ;)

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  Still a great car after 10 years - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Dave McLaughlin - August 13 - 6:43 pm

  The VW diesel is the best, who needs a hybrid. Mileage has been 38-45 mpg over the last ten years. Car is very comfortable with 5 levels of heat for the leather seats.Car has never let our family down. With the rear seats folded you have a lot of space to haul things. If you have to drive a lot, get a diesel, your savings will add up over time. We have 145k miles and still going strong. We bought it new and still like the car.

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  All This Fun for Only $25,000 - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Lender 1 - August 13 - 5:30 am

  My wife and I decided we wanted a fun convertible as a third car. The New Beetle is wonderful! It has lots of pep in Sport mode, the seats are very comfortable and the sound system is better than the one in my $84,000 Mercedes S Class. The top boot is easy to install and the interior has plenty of room in the front. It is fun to drive and is very stable and quite for a convertible (with the top up) at 80 MPH on the freeway.

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  Nice Alternative - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Mike - August 13 - 4:06 am

  So far I would say this is an excellent automobile! I own a 2008 C350 and this is hands down just as nice. Good performance, fit and finish, and great fuel economy. So far averaging 27-29MPG mixed highway and city driving. Rides better than my MB. Very quiet ride and provides great view of the road, handles nicely. Love the turning headlights! Interior is very comfortable and functional, two tone interior gets great compliments. VW has done a great job with this entry level luxury car. I would definitely suggest taking a hard look at the CC if you are in the market for a great luxury car for thousands less then counterparts.