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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  Great Car, If You Can Get Over the Name - 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By MB - February 24 - 9:13 pm

  We love the the Tiguan we purchased last May, so we have another on order for my wife (White Gold with the tan leather. Gorgeous!) We spent months driving other cars in the small sports ute category (RAV 4, CR-V, the new 09 Forester XT, we found the category to be pretty bland. Fortunately, I drove a Tiguan when I was on a business trip in Europe, and wow! It had me after the first 2 miles of drive time. The interior has been thoughtfully put through finishing school. Elegant design, well-placed instrument clusters. The inside actually has more front/rear leg room and head room than our mid- sized Jeep Grand Cherokee. Plenty of pep, and were averaging 28.5 mpg!

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  BEWARE: DO NOT BUY THIS SUV - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By shena - February 24 - 7:36 pm

  I have had so many problems with this SUV. I had it for 8hrs and had to take it back into the shop. Since I bought it, it has been back to the shop 21 times. Now it is in the shop having the transmission replaced. Anything and everything that can break or go wrong with a vehicle has! The dealership refused to even try to fix it, saying that my imagination was running wild, that they could not find any problems. If you buy this SUV be prepared to fork out alot of cash for repairs because once the warranty goes out, then they will find enormous amounts of damage that you have to pay for, even if you have told them about the problems numerous times before. Please dont get suckered in like me!

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  Cant beat it! - 2008 Volkswagen Passat
  By Josh Hughes - February 24 - 2:03 pm

  The Passat has been a very fun and stylish car to drive. When I was looking to lease a sedan, I could not find anything that came close to the amount of features and quality you get at such a fair price. I have only driven the car about 5500 miles, but I have had zero problems thus far. I am continually amazed at the excellent gas mileage. I dont miss anything with a 4 cyl - the turbo engine is just enough.

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  Mixed Feelings - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By eeyoremc - February 24 - 4:44 am

  I bought the car used from the VW dealer in Manchester NH. Started off ok. But last week had to replace the coolant system which was about $500. Now THIS week car disengaged from gear while driving (clutch not pushed in) and first mechanic (not dealer) says I need a NEW transmission? Its only got 85K on it and I have never, ever needed a clutch or transmission in an of my manual trans cars. And I drive - often. Now at the dealer but Ive now been without a car for almost a week and Im disillusioned. This is my 2nd Bug, I do love them, but if its the transmission it was a build issue for sure. Be wary.

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  Pretty, fun - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By SpaceDude - February 23 - 2:53 pm

  Got this 2001.5 model (2001 base with updated looks of 2002) = driving older car that looks like newer. Overall quality of the car was pretty good, no dingelingding during driving, doors closed with a good, Mercedes like smack. Engine was so-so: The turbo kicked in a bit late, which created interesting situations as 4 way Stops: You step on the gas, nothing happens, so you step more into it, and all of the sudden the care takes off (rubber donuts, squeeking wheels, the whole show). Once moving, car was fun to drive. The mirror-adjustment joysticks position is inadequate when youre 6"+ tall: your knee will rip that thing right off while getting in. Had quite a few electrical issues though.

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  Very Happy... - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By justin - February 23 - 10:00 am

  First off, I looked at quite a few cars before deciding on the Passat. I have to say that this is a very fun car, and is quiet at highway speeds, and surprisingly quick and powerful for such a small engine. Make sure you test drive the 1.8t and the V6, as these are two different cars entirely. Both have their strong points and personalities.

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  Very Happy... - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Justin - February 23 - 10:00 am

  First off, I looked at quite a few cars before deciding on the Passat. I have to say that this is a very fun car, and is quiet at highway speeds, and surprisingly quick and powerful for such a small engine. Make sure you test drive the 1.8t and the V6, as these are two different cars entirely. Both have their strong points and personalities.

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  Stylish and Sophisticated - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By manlyman - February 23 - 10:00 am

  Just bought by GLX on 8-31-02--paid $29680.00 lock, stock, and barrel. Compared car to BMW 3-series, Acura 3.2T, Honda Accord EX V-6, and Volvo S60. Bottom line: No comparison. This cars ride comfort is incredible, the handling is good, and the styling, both exterior and interior, is very classy and somewhat understated. For the money, in this class, I dont think any other manufacturer comes close to the complete package that VW offers in the Passat GLX. Dont forget to take into consideration this cars residual value in 3 years--tops in its class also.

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  Great idea not realized - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Bitter Sweet - February 23 - 10:00 am

  The excitment of owning my Jetta was short lived. In the 1.5 years that Ive owned my Jetta it has blown 2 fuses, the secondary air pump has gone out on it, the window brackets have broken 4 times and the windows have fallen inside the doors, the soft finish on the door handles and console inside the car have peeled off, the antenna had to be replaced, I had a braking malfunction, the sunroof wasnt working properly, the rear brakes went out within 24000 miles, electrical problems causing the brake lights not to work, sputtering upon starting the car, rough power surges while accelerating, and the interior shows every stain and picks up everything.

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  Jetta is a lemon. - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VWowner - February 23 - 10:00 am

  The 2000 Jetta we have has been in the shop about every six to eight weeks for something. The engine is noisy, the ride is harsh, the radio is tinny sounding. A real disappointment.