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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  Love This Car! - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By vwLUV - September 15 - 10:00 pm

  This car is so much fun to drive. I find it difficult to stay under 80 mph on the freeway. It handles great! It also is very luxurious inside. It has a very comfortable ride. I had a 99 Passat before and the changes they made are great. Especially the cup holders. The Monsoon stereo sounds amazing. I love this car. Im extremely happy and satisfied with my purchase.

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  Love this car! - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Mark - September 15 - 10:00 am

  The car has a great feel on the road. This is my first diesel and German car for that matter and I am sold! So many little features in the interior, Im amazed at how much thought went into the little things. I still discover new features I never realized were there, years later. Ive also never needed to use any fuel additives for the winter and Ive never had an issue with Michigans cold months. At 50,000 miles, all four sets of brake pads still have more than 50% pad left and the pad wear appears even across all 4 wheels. This is a great car, you will never regret the purchase.

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  German engineering - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By fisrstandlastjetta - September 14 - 11:03 am

  Not impressed by German engineering 10,000 miles car leaks oil, gas cap malfunction, interior vibrating. Fun to drive; race car feel with race car type maintenance. This car truly needs an owner who really loves it, sad to say soon to be a pre-loved? vw.

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  30000 mile report card - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By grillman - September 13 - 2:00 am

  Just hit 30000 miles. At 24000 miles passenger side power window motor replaced under warranty. Numerous squeeks and rattles. Window washer fluid resevoir leaking now.

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  Nice Car! - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Fred A. S. - September 11 - 10:00 am

  I like the Passat very much - it is a quality car. I find instrumentation difficult to read in the daylight. VW surely could have done a better job designing and lighting controls for daylight operation. It rides like a champ!

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  2001 Jetta TDI (TurboDiesel) - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jetta Owner8 - September 11 - 10:00 am

  Car is incredibly comfortable, & feels solid.My firstnice car,I bought it used & put 20k miles annually on it commuting to work.The biggest drawback(only drawback) is NO ONE with any experience works on TurboDiesels in the WV area...& turbodiesels(be they VW or otherwise) are very special little beasts,&require attention. My routine timing belt change was a fiasco (along with virtually every TDI owner who has is done),& the Ntake is constantly clogging with diesel soot(theres a way to stop it, but its not too envirofriendly).Its an incredibly nice car,&gets great mileage (45mpg pre- timing belt change),&it is much snappier than the 90HP rating shows.

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  Not bad, but a few glitches - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By ontheroadagain - September 8 - 6:36 pm

  It is a very comfortable ride. The 3rd row folds flat giving enough room for a familys week worth of luggage and a 100 lb dog with extra space left over. Mechanically, we had moisture buildup inside one of the headlights. That took an entire day for the dealership to fix and they only do it during the week. The sliding doors randomly decide when they want to close. Of course, this never happens at the dealer. We dont get notices about recalls. We find out when we take it for oil changes. So far, we are at 5 total. These surprise "campaigns", as VW calls them, add unexpected time at the dealership - and extra trips when the parts arrive.

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  Great Car Except for Service - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By johnirish - September 7 - 2:00 am

  My wife & I have very much enjoyed the 99 Passat. Weve found the 4 cylinder turbo to haveexcellent acceleration. Very good ride, comfortable seating, excellent interior space, good sound system (though the AM has failed.) Scheduled maintenance has been pricy in my estimation - $335 for the 40K checkup. The dealers service manager is obnoxious and not does not respect the customers time. A service appointment takes all day even though you are asked to arrive at 8AM. I was going to try another dealer, but have been told they are worse. Because of VWs "attitude" I doubt that I will by another Passat even though I consider it the best car Ive ever owned.

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  FAST AND FURIOUS - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Irish eyes - September 7 - 1:06 am

  I have owned my VR6 w/ A/T since July 1999.This car is designed to be DRIVEN!! and believe me I have pushed it to the limits. I love the power and the performance. I enjoy the sound system and the interior lighting. During the first five years, I replaced the battery, a couple of sensors and rear brake pads. My window parts were replaced under warranty and my cup holder is broken. No other problems after 50,000 HARD miles. Now my check engine light comes on more frequently and I have more wind noise. I just had to have a coolant leak fixed and the engine cooling fan motors replaced. So far, the fun and performance of the car has outweighed the upkeep expenses but I doubt it lasts to 100,000.

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  A great all around car - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Howie Atkinson - September 6 - 10:06 pm

  Great car Love the 5 cylinder 2.5 sad to see it gone un the newer models. A great car for my petite Daughter!