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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  Reliable, Great Value All-Rounder - 2007 Volkswagen GTI
  By boba380 - May 30 - 6:23 am

  Bought my 2007 4-door GTI as a CPO in 2009 with 35k miles. Have put about 20k miles on it in approx 2 years. Havent had any issues with the car since owning it other than expected maintenance, also not with higher-than-normal tire-wear (even with an occasionally heavy right foot...). Car has leather, sat-nav, sunroof, DSG, sport steering wheel with controls, factory 18" wheels. Even now, the cars very nimble, snug seats and the direct steering feedback make it exceptionally great fun to drive! The folding rear seats make it roomier than expected (hello Ikea). The DSG shifts super-fast when accelerating, but displays lag during kick-down.Bad: old nav is slow, road noise, occasional rattle.

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  Silver 5 speed in VA - 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By phylnurs - May 29 - 2:00 am

  I have had my vehicle for about 1 1/2 years. It only had 14000 miles on it at the time so I have spent alot of time in it. I am considering upgrading to a newer one of the same type. I bought for the fel efficiency and it has been great! People smile when they see on of these cars pull in near them. Kids love "punch buggies" too :)

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  Nice Car. Needs a better engine - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By BPL - May 29 - 2:00 am

  This is a nice chassis and excellent interior. The oil leaking underpowered 1.8T is the weak point. Ive known the original owner since she purchased it brand new. She took excellent care of it and kept up on regular services yet at 60000 miles it is leaking oil like the exxon valdez from almost every gasket and seal. I would expect better from a company like VW/Audi.

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  Love my VW - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Rich Almeida - May 29 - 2:00 am

  Excellent car, Im now a VW owner for life. Only problem was a bad mass airflow sensor, which is pretty common on these cars, good thing i got a warantee. the new sensor is almost $400! Would reccomend this car to anyone, the ride is as good as any audi ive been in, exceptionally smooth and quiet.

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  ITS OK! - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By CJ 1 - May 29 - 2:00 am

  CD player skips, even on brand new CDs. Heat does not work consistently.

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  I Hate My Car - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By cd - May 28 - 8:33 pm

  I will never buy another Volkswagen again. I cant wait to get rid of my lemon. It is one problem after another. Not just with the car, but with my Volkswagen dealership. Im tired of taking my car back to get the same things fixed over and over. Not to mention the time the mechanic at the dealership told me my car was fine and let me drive away with an overheating car. The problems never end. In my 1998 Beetle, it was the air conditioning, which broke three years in a row. There were many other things wrong with that year, but I decided to give VW another chance and got a 2000 model. Stupid me, this car is a mess. My independant mechanic told me he wanted to shoot my car, I feel the same :(

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  First German Car - 2010 Volkswagen Passat
  By HSB - May 28 - 6:30 pm

  I had always owned/driven Honda and Toyota. This is my very first non- Japanese car. AND I AM IMPRESSED! The 2 weeks that have owned it, it certainly has been a great suprise. I got more for my money over Honda/Toyota.

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  Great Car, Great Value - 2007 Volkswagen Jetta
  By LuvTheJetta - May 28 - 12:33 pm

  I researched other cars for about 3 months before I bought the Jetta Wolfsburg Edition. No other car could match the performance, safety, and features with the price of the Jetta. I love the standard options on the Wolfsburg. It is sporty but very comfortable inside. Its fun to drive and Ive been happy with how powerful it is while maintaining decent gas mileage.

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  Great Sporty and Fun to Drive Car - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By websiege - May 28 - 10:40 am

  Had my 2001 Volkswagen Jetta GLS Wolfsburg for just over three months now. It is execptionaly agile and quick of the start. Its very fun to drive. I love the turbo engine. I have had no major problems with this car yet. Of course, the engine light came on the day I bought it, I just took it back and replaced sensor and it has been great ever since. I had a Honda Civic before and thought this would use lot more gas but can get 32 mpg highway if I dont push it over 80 mph. This is one of the best cars that Ive owned

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  GTI hard to beat in its class! - 2000 Volkswagen GTI
  By Colby - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Basically flawless. What a great little car with surprising amount of room. Amazes others with its quality feel and performance. Like so many of the car mags have said, "feels like a car costing $10,000 more." and "rivals BMW for its fit and finish." Embarrasses its competition for safety, amenities, fit and finish, standard equipment, and the like. The VW GTI is simply hard to beat.