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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  Good for 79,500 miles - 2009 Volkswagen Jetta
  By chrislongo - January 27 - 9:13 pm

  I was a good car for 79,500 miles. Did all routine maintenance plus a new intake manifold but this was not enough to keep it going. It need a whole new engine after 79,500 miles.

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  Impressed With My First SUV - 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By twelvecrows - January 27 - 1:26 pm

  I was a Volvo C30 owner and decided that I wanted to see what was going on around me while driving: It was just too low. I decided to replace it with a SUV. The XC60 was too expensive, and the CRV was too dull. I decided on the Tiguan, even though Edmunds lists the Total Cost of Ownership quite high. As to the cars quality feel, the other reviewers are spot-on. I am liking the car more and more each day. But... The transmission races to get the car into sixth gear as quickie as possible in order to save fuel at the expense of smooth, linear acceleration. This is somewhat remedied by using sport mode but at the cost of greater fuel consumption. I wish VW had sought the middle road.

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  Too good to trade in - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By fs - January 27 - 12:46 pm

  Traded in an SUV for this car when it was 3 years old and had about 30,000 miles. After getting over the initial shock of how tiny the vehicle was, almost everything has been positive since. This is the second-best car my family has owned (the first was a 98 Cabrio). Weve had GM, Honda, Toyota, and Mitsubishi, but nothing like the tight handling of the VW. At 135k, still a quiet, smooth ride. Weve been through two minivans in the time weve had the Jetta, and it might be time to replace the Jetta next, though its showing no signs of quitting. Dealt with the CEL for the O2 sensor issue for about 4 years-- but not too much just to ignore. Also had some engine fan issues after 100k.

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  perfect so far - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By reverseswing - January 27 - 12:08 am

  Absolutely love this car. I had a 2008 Passat that I returned (lease) and purchased a 2012 CC. It really does feel expensive than it is and the build quality seems to be outstanding so far.

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  Looks arent everything. - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By CCgirl - January 26 - 4:16 pm

  I bought this car simply cuz I loved the sleek shape. I also wanted a German car, but couldnt afford the luxury makes. Im still very happy with the car, two months after the purchase, but dont like a few things about it. The ride is bumpy (suspension too firm for my taste), wind noise is strong on windy days, maybe because the frameless windows dont seal very tightly. Seating is low like a sports car. I hear a few rattling sounds when driven over potholes. Brake pedal is soft. Transmission upshifts are seamless, but downshifts not as quick. Rear visibility while backing up is poor because of the high trunk and the angle of the back window, so camera option is a must.

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  Great - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
  By gtv6 - January 26 - 1:00 pm

  This car has been perfect through 36000 miles following up on the near perfection of our previous 04 jetta wagon over 93000 miles. It is a surprisingly competent, long-legged tourer.

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  Jetta GLI - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Robert - January 26 - 11:20 am

  I purchased my car used with 31,000 miles. Kudos to VW for adding the 6-seepd tranny, larger brakes, stiffer springs, body kit and Recaro seats! This Jetta is definitely worthy of the GLI badge. The suspension is on the firm side, but its great fun to drive. It is very comfortable on my commutes. As a previous reviewer also mentioned, the front lip hangs fairly low, so you need to exercise caution when parking or when going up ramps. I love the car so far.

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  Stay away - 2011 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN
  By tim208 - January 26 - 10:10 am

  I work for a company with 24 vehicles of this Jetta model. We drive about 100 miles a day and most of the cars are now close to 100k miles. Two cars so far has been taken out of service due to costly repairs. I drove most of the cars and they all had the diesel injector problem before 35k miles which was covered by warranty ($9k estimate repair and a week at the shop) BUT a lot more problems will occur afterward including turbo replacement. I had to change the whole A/C kit twice (at 50k and 90k) the cost to repair is over $2k. The dealership was a great help but I would suggest to stay away. Oh, and you will change the front tires many times due to the vain spinning at take off

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  3 year lease end love it/hate it still pt. 1 - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By vincef329 - January 26 - 8:18 am

  I have leased my salsa red Jetta SE for almost 3 years now, mileage up to 32,000. I originally wrote the love it/hate it review and want to expand on that. Styling is still modern after 3 years, still a good looking car inside and out. The leatherette still looks great as all other interior components do also, even the carpet. I live in the NE so the carpet sees its fair share of wet and snowy shoes, still cleans up well. No problems with any interior components, all are like new. Exterior paint has chipped considerably, how very sad. Seems only the red paint suffered this as I have "red" about it on the internet. Above the rear license plate the paint has completely come off and rust has

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  Satisfied and Secure Jetta Owner - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By nywvblue - January 25 - 2:04 am

  I bought my car from its original owner, a retired couple, with 75,000 miles on it and at 6 years old. It had some strange wear in the interior (the arm rests on the doors in the front were half peeled away), but otherwise it was in perfect condition. It lived with me in NYC for the next 2+ years and, aside from a nagging CEL situation due to the MAF sensor failing every 8 months or so as well the mechanism in one side window suddenly failing, it has been a super, reliable car.