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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  poor volkswagen jetta - 2004 Volkswagen Jetta
  By allison - March 19 - 2:00 am

  good car until in accident - i was hurt badly , due to air bags failure to deploy. the car has been in three bad accidents air bags have never deployed

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  Solid Powertrain but Beware the ROAD Noise/build quality - 2013 Volkswagen Passat
  By mrtee52 - March 18 - 7:10 pm

  First diesel like others, can validate the fuel economy (init 2800 mi all tanks >40 MPG mixed highway-city). The experience is muted because the solid powertrain with insulation to quiet the cabin is drowned out by the unacceptable road noise coming from the inferior Hankook tires. I purchased an SEL premium as my 6th VW, just traded in a Passat Komfort and never had any road noise or issues with cabin comfort, delivered Michellin MXM The premium NAV/Fender/Bluetooth/Rear Camera is a joke. The bluetooth died on the third day of ownership during an extended road trip from NJ to GA. Rear Camera delay prevents viewing on backup. Seats lack effective lumbar pillow A bean counter delight.

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  dont buy one - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By andybecky - March 17 - 10:33 pm

  Bought our 01 Jetta new. Just traded in and lost our butts. They hold their value terribly. Why? Maintenance is very expensive and frequent. We spent about $1,500 over the last year alone, including a ignition "switch" in January 05 that ran us $580. Any repair is $300+ easy, no matter what it is. Keep in mind this car is less than 4 years old with 61K. while they may look cool, especially the interior, my advice is to steer clear. Hope this helps someone out looking but not sure.

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  Worst Car Ive owned. personally. - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By palm - March 12 - 11:36 pm

  Bought the car after wrecking my BMW. The electronic rumors are true about VWs. So many sensors breaking and problems with the car. Had to take out fuse for the horn because it would honk uncontrollably. O2 sensor went out soon after I bought it. Broke down on the highway only after 6 months of owning it because the electronic systems all failed. Plain interior but not a bad looking car. I could have just got unlucky and bought a bad one though.

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  I know you might love it, but please DONT buy it!!! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tsheanance - March 11 - 11:03 am

  Dear potential buyer of a VW Jetta, I have a 2001 VR6 GLX. I absolutely loved the looks of it, but almost as soon as it 100k miles, the car has started to fall to pieces! Everyday its like a part is needed to be repaired. In my car I have replaced the serpentine belt, air pump, back break light...my radiator is still leaking coolant and I need a transmission control module chip ($950) since it shifts hard into third gear. The bumper is WAY too low to the ground and I actually broke it off twice (once at Petsmart parking lot...talk about embarrassing). Also, the car is cheap on the inside. The radio button is currently unraveling. You touch it, it breaks. LESSON LEARNED.

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  Last VW That Ill Buy - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By cardoe - March 9 - 6:26 pm

  This is my third VW. Ive had one A3 and two A4 bodies. Both A4s have been TDIs. This one was bought certified but I noticed the cruise control light indicator didnt work and headlight was out. The past two years have been okay. It had only only one engine hiccup - the master flow air had something wrong and the car wouldnt start. The dealer fixed it, no problem. However, Ive had recent problems with thedealer (routine maintenance checkup rendered the brakes in operable - twice) and electrical issues with driver door abound! I cant get the alarm to disarm after unlocking door. So when I start car after opening door alarm goes off and then have to get out lock door and unlock it - sometimes I have to do this four times. The passenger door lock does not release, I have to manually open it.

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  sad volkswagen - 2003 Volkswagen GTI
  By Drodgers - March 7 - 11:23 pm

  The car is fun to drive. It gets good gas mileage, handles very well and has good power when its not in the shop. Ive had the car about two years and now with about 118k miles on it I have replaced the clutch, transmission, alternator, AC compressor, brakes, all 4 ignition coils, catalytic converter and now it looks like the cars computer has gone bad. The engine will only idle. The gas pedal is useless and frankly so is the car. No more junkwagens for me.

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  Passat! Leave it at the dealership! - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By ajohns - March 5 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car used from the Dealership. I bought an Volkswagen extended warranty with the car. I took the car in for maintenance every month for almost a year for various things. The second year I had the car I continued to take the car in maybe every two to three months. The oil light came on, the engine light came on and than when the brake light and ABS light came on, I decided that it was time to sell the car. I have not mention everything that has gone wrong with the car, but it appears to be a lemon.

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  Never a VW again!!!! - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By So disappointed! - March 5 - 2:00 am

  1. I heard a big noisy explosion under the hood,the fumes were coming out everywhere, it was the battery that exploded covering all the engine with acid, 2. a fuse block that started to smoke, dealership said everything was fine, came back and had to use the extinguisher to fight the flames coming out of the battery, battery case, fuse blocks and everything around it. 3. had to replace the mass flow sensor (twice) 4. Glove box replaced (twice), 5. O2 sensor, 6. Replace tail lights every three months, 7. having to clean that yellow ooze coming down from the doors,8. Now its overheating but dealer said there is no problem...

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  German Engineering? - 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By julse520 - March 4 - 12:02 pm

  I bought this as my first car thinking I was being smart by buying something with good fuel econemy and reliability. I love to drive the car when its working properly.For the first two months or so, she provided me with all of that until one day, during rush hour traffic, the car lost ALL power completely. After that, car SLAMS into gear. Now, the car likes to do that randomly in awful places. The turbo lag on a hot day is ridiculous. I feel like Im going to be killed sometime soon. And also, all the plastic finishes in the interior break. Car is made extremely cheep. Oh yea, german engineering? Its made in MEXICO if that explains the awesome reliability haha