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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  Improvement since 2009! - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By applevw - January 29 - 2:13 pm

  The interior of the 2010 Jetta has improved significantly over the 09 and previous models. The SE now have a standard touch-screen radio with satellite radio. The instrument panel is now white-backlit instead of the blue lit seen in previous versions that was hard to see. You will also notice the fuel economy has improved with 24 / 30 rating. So far, I am very pleased with my purchase!

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  All good but the electronics are ???????? - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By triton11 - January 28 - 8:29 pm

  All in all I really like the car. I bought it new and have about 16,000 miles on it in around 9 months. My only complaint however, is the electronics. I have had the "Electronics replaced about 2 months ago and the new package is not much better. The "back-up camera" is so slow sometimes that I can back out of my 60 driveway and start down the street before it comes on !!!!! I have a driveway with a 90 degree turn just outside my garage. One day I waited about 10 seconds for the camera to come on, nothing happened, so I looked in my rear view mirrors and began backing out while glancing down at the screen and just as I backed into a truck in my driveway, the camera came on ... $1,000 !!!!!

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  What a Car - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ken - January 27 - 9:53 am

  With just 8000 miles on the car and two recent long trips. The mileage continues to improve. 42 to 44 combined with the AC running. 6 speed manual transmission and engine are smooth, plenty of power. A round trip of 800 miles each way average speed 70 mph. Cost less than $87 in fuel costs. Nearly 640 miles per tank full (14 gal). Car is comfortable, and responsive. Loaded with extras, like the 120 volt AC outlet. This is standard on this car. Very quiet, smooth ride. A car you feel safe in. Plenty of space in the trunk. Needs to be driven before you spend your money on a trendy Hybrid. How long will there batteries last? And how much will they cost to replace?

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  Long Road Trip - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Loyal A Miller - January 27 - 4:46 am

  In July we took a trip out to Ft. Collins, CO, then onto the Black Hills, SD, then on to The Devils Tower, over to Yellowstone, the grand Tetons, to Salt Lake City, down to the Grand Canyon and to El Paso, back to New Orleans, and then home to Daytona FL. What a car! We had always had a large car Lincoln Town Car or Cadillac . This little 100 horse power car never fails to impress. It had all the speed and comfort that you would need. In 21 days of driving we covered 7,100 miles and averaged over 38 miles to the gallon with speeds of over 90 miles per hour on the open highway. When I drive around 75 mph my mileage was over 40 mpg. I would recommend this car.

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  great value - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ScottT - January 26 - 2:00 am

  good car 4 the moey, the 2.0 is not strong, but good enough to ride around town. simple but functional, great for high mile drivers

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  Most fun I have ever had driving - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By bedecked36 - January 26 - 2:00 am

  This is flat out one fun car to drive. The V6 is really peppy! Had the car out in a snow storm and the kept up with SUVs great winter traction and handling in the front wheel drive version. Great fit & finish you can feel the quality they build into this car the first time you drive it. ROCK SOLID

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  Glad we bought the Wolfsburg - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ndmike88 - January 25 - 9:20 am

  Only have had the car for 3 weeks (500 miles). Its fun to drive, looks great, and is roomy inside. Looks like a car that costs $1,000s more than it does. We were going to buy an 08 Malibu LTZ but decided on the Wolfsburg instead. (More standard features and cheaper price.)

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  excellent car to own - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vwdude - January 24 - 8:23 am

  My wife and I have loved this car from day one. I think sometimes this car gets a bad rap but I think the build quality is just fine. We have 16,000 miles on the car and not a single problem.

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  Awesome Car, High Performance Potential - 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By BlackRabbit - January 24 - 12:16 am

  Not only are the 2006 Volkswagen Rabbits looks appealing but also the engine size and the power it delivers are great. Turbo charge this car and the GTI / R32 will be left in the dust.

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  New leftover 2009 EOS - 2009 Volkswagen EOS
  By Jeff - January 22 - 6:13 pm

  We bought this along with a new 2010 Golf tdi. So far we have about 3000 miles on it, and it has preformed well. Most surprising is the relatively good fuel economy. Overall we have posted 29.8mpg with a high of 36mpg, and this is winter and the car has a ways to go before fully broken- in. We picked up the car for $26,600 or $5700 off MSRP. Its still too early to tell how this car will turn out but so far it is good. The only drawback is the weight of 3500 lbs, but all convertibles are heavy, and this is one of the lighter ones. Cornering although acceptable is not as crisp as lighter German cars. This is our first convertible, so well have a better idea after our Wisconsin summer.