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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  Yes to 4motion - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By Bealzy - December 7 - 10:00 am

  I previously owned a 2001 FWD New Passat GLS Wagon 1.8T for 3 yrs. It was a great car. Last July I thought I would try the GLS 4motion sedan. Ive only logged 4400 miles, but I really love this car. You cant get a better value for the price. I feel like Im driving a luxury car. I get tons of comments on the exterior and the interior. I cant wait to see how the 4motion handles an Iowa winter. Im confident it will perform just fine.

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  fun car but needs few minor changes - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By dude in da bug - December 7 - 10:00 am

  vehicle extremely fun to drive,especially with top down.would be nice if they would offer v-6 but the turbo is more than adequate

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  One of the Best Cars for the Money - 2006 Volkswagen GTI
  By RJS - December 6 - 8:23 pm

  For the price, this is one of the best cars you can buy. I looked at a Civic Si and RSX Type-S, both of them had no low end power at all, both needed to be reved to the sky and you were ALWAYS shifting. The GTI has torque on tap all the time. It pulls on the highway in 6th gear with little trouble. The design on the interior is well done. The package 0 and 1 however arent as good looking as the package 2 interior, but the cloth seats are great looking. As far as sound systems go, the GTI has nothing near a killer stock system, but thats not why you buy this car. Its ride is great for the every day driver, even for the driver with the sporty side to them. The 6-speed transmission shifts are short and distinct.

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  Lemon - 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
  By cart - December 6 - 2:46 am

  From the first 100 miles when the fuel pump kicked out WHILE I was driving on the highway, to the clear coat popping off the front bumper within the first year, to a computer malfunction that shut down the car (and the consequent week it took for them to get the warrantied part back into it), this car was the worst Ive ever had. Held tight and got a great trade-in and bought a new Elantra. About the only saving grace of this bitter lemon.

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  Good Decision - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Corky Fulton - December 5 - 7:13 am

  Id done a bit of research here at Edmunds.com and decided that a Jetta diesel was the economy car for me. Ive owned Infiniti Q45s and Mercedes E-Class cars in the past. I wanted something that would get me great milage with reliability. I bought the automatic with package 1 (my wife must have heated seats) Ive had the car for 4 weeks and have averaged 38 to 40 mpg on 4 tanks of fuel, doing combo highway/city driving. The car is fun to drive and really feels tight. I love the 6 speed auto transmission. It feels much quicker than it really is because of the torque. My only complaint is that its a bit noisy on certain road surfaces at speed. The fit is good with everything feeling tight.

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  Love it!! - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ray Smith - December 5 - 2:00 am

  Perhaps Im in the minority here; but, I just love this car. Its a hoot to drive, safe as can be and has great asthetic lines. The VR6 is one peppy little engine with plenty of torque. Its mated to a 5speed manual in my case. Some times wish I had the automatic while stuck in the DC beltway traffic. There are also lots of nice little things you can do to personalize the car. I.e. Its big in the tuner world.

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  I LOVE THIS CAR - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Alianza97 - December 5 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car in January of 2001, brand new! It has the sport suspension, monsoon sound system, 5 speed, 16 inch BBS rims, recaro seats, and sunroof! IT handles like a DREAM! Its fast, fun, and very reliable! My only problem with it was the windows, but apparently ALL VWs had that problem, and it was fixed! Service was ok at the dealer i bought it at, but EXCELLENT at The Imported Car Store in Melbourne! NO mechanical problems or electrical problems! nothing what so ever! i have 26k miles on it now! and it still runs strong! the gas mileage is good and i would highly reccommend one for anyone looking for a car of this type! it is FAST

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  A Real Gem - 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Fretbuzzer - December 5 - 2:00 am

  We bought our 2000 GLS used and have enjoyed it more than any other vehicle we have ever owned. It has been very reliable as well as fun to drive (a hard mix to find). We are taking her for her 40k service this week and havent spent a dime on maintenance that wasnt a regularly scheduled service. Would buy another VW bug anyday! Have had great service at Ed Murphy VW in Schaumburg, IL!

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  One Month Old - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Mikehuntski - December 5 - 2:00 am

  So far the have been no problems (however I have only had it a month). I looked at Audi A4 and A6, BMW 330xi. Looking for a car with AWD, you options are very limited. The W8 provides plenty of power and is very comfortable to drive. I love the fact that VW decided to keep the W8 identifiers to a minimum. At a glance no one can see a difference between the W8 and the other models . . . that is until you hit the gas. The Triptonic transmission really allows you to make the most out of the W8s 270 hps. The sports suspension package is great, you can really feel the car gripping the road.

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  WONDERFUL CAR - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Ginger - December 4 - 5:16 pm

  I Love my VW Jetta- for some reason mine has not had any problems! The car has over a 100,000 miles now and is still running like a champ! Great car, affordable, and very cute!