Volkswagen (24)
The Beetle is a resilient little bug … and yes, I'm talking about the 2-door hatchback car legend first introduced in the U.S. in 1949.
Still around almost seven decades after its introduction, the Beetle remains a unique vehicle that's so well-known it's even got its own road game that involves punching your siblings.
I recently tested a 2018 VW Beetle, and I'm back with a full report on how the latest version of this iconic ride fits into today's automotive world.
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While there are some adjustments to the look, including a lower roof profile, in the end the 2018 Beetle is what a Beetle has always been -- a small, two-door vehicle that is shaped, well, like a Beetle.
There are technically a couple competitors in the segment (MINI Cooper and Fiat 500), but no one is ever going to confuse those little rides for the Beetle. No other car looks like this, and it’s a very stylish design from the headlights and taillights, to the interior wood design and the sunroof. The exterior design overall was very snazzy, right down to the red trim on the rims to match the paint job.
While visually attractive, the design of the Beetle does lend to poor visibility out of the rear.
Perhaps the biggest flaw in the Beetle is that the back seat of the 2018 Beetle is basically nonexistent. It’s there, but no adult wants to sit there. Consider it a storage area unless kids are going in the rear.
The Beetle comes in four trim levels: S, SE, Coast and Dune: Cloth seats come standard on S models, SE comes with leatherette seating. Coast features two-tone beige and black cloth seats, and the Dune features sport cloth seats with leatherette accents.
Sometimes you’ve got to start over, especially if what’s been hanging around for a while is getting outdated.
Such is the case with the Volkswagen Jetta, which gets a much-needed redesign for the 2019 model year that steps up its presence in the compact car segment. I recently spent some time in a 2019 Jetta, and I’m back with a full report on the improvements and how the updated model measures up.
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The Jetta remains a compact car, so don’t expect massive amounts of room. But things are improved in terms of driver and passenger comfort from previous models, and both front and rear passengers will feel comfortable in terms of legroom and headroom. That’s because the 2019 Jetta is longer, wider and taller than the previous version.
The leatherette seating materials in the sporty R Line version of the Jetta I tested were quite comfortable (leather is offered on top trim level), but some of the interior featured hard plastics generally associated with vehicles in this price range. Attractive two-tone seating is also offered.
Discussions of exciting rides in the sedan segment generally don’t involve vehicles like the Volkswagen Passat, which tend to be more safe and family-friendly choices.
But hold on a second, because a new version of the Passat (the 2018 Passat GT) is looking to change that perception.
I recently tested a 2018 Passat GT, and I’m back with a full report on how it spices up a normally tame segment.
The auto world has been buzzing with electricity in recent years … literally.
With nearly all major automakers heavily committing to moving away from internal-combustion engines, some entirely and some in phases, over the next several years, the battle for best electric vehicle is already heating up
I recently spent a little time with one of Volkswagen’s entries into the fray, the Volkswagen e-Golf -- an electric version of it’s perennial top-ranked vehicle -- and I’m back with a full report on what the buzz is all about on this particular plug-in ride.
As Volkswagen rethinks their SUV lineup, the Tiguan was bound for a shakeup.
Having introduced the large three-row VW Atlas SUV last year as the top dog in the lineup, that left the Touarag and the Tiguan. And the Touareg got the boot.
The Tiguan, a compact SUV, gets an extension (10.6 inches longer) for its 2018 model, so it’s basically become a midsize SUV to replace the Touareg (and even offers a third-row option).
I recently spent some time in the 2018 Tiguan, and I’m back with a full report on how it holds up.
You know the demand for SUVs is exploding when basically every brand is trying to expand their lineup of large family vehicles as quickly as possible.
VW is no exception to this rule, having finally come around to launching a three-row SUV, dubbed the Volkswagen Atlas. Watching everyone else in the industry cash in on these larger SUVs wasn’t something they wanted to continue doing (it took roughly five years for the Atlas to come into existence, as it started from a concept vehicle in 2013).
This behemoth will never be confused with a Beetle (A Beetle could almost fit inside it, actually), but it’s the latest and best attempt yet by Volkswagen to figure out how to break more forcefully into the SUV sales charts in the U.S.
Volkswagen has announced that it will offer the R-Line package on the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. The new trim package augments the all-new SUV’s sportiness with interior and exterior design elements that give it an even more dynamic appearance. The Tiguan R-Line package will be introduced at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show.
The R-Line package enhances the robust list of equipment in the Tiguan SEL and SEL Premium trims with performance-inspired treatments. The sporty exterior styling details include 19-inch “Trenton” aluminum-alloy wheels for SEL trims and 20-inch “Braselton” aluminum-alloy wheels on SEL Premium trims. Also included are R-Line badging; unique front and rear bumpers that incorporate stylish air intakes at the front and a diffusor in glossy black paint at the rear; and body color wheelarch extensions and side skirts.
Most people who grew up in the 70s and the 80s have fond memories of the station wagon as a family vehicle of choice. Before minivans and then SUVs/crossovers took over, these vehicles were the places where long trips were enjoyed and families got their quality time in.
Today, with rare exception, the wagon is mostly gone in the U.S. market. Some of the higher-end automakers offer some sort of wagon version, but in the realm of affordable vehicles only the Subaru Outback jumps out as a top seller, and there have been few strong competitors for the Outback in recent years.
Enter Volkswagen, who for the 2017 model year introduced the VW Golf Alltrack, a direct attempt to take on the Outback’s market dominance in the wagon world.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the Alltrack, but I can tell you that I was surprised to find it was still pretty fun to drive. This is in part because it’s a Golf, and the Golf is one of the most well-loved brands in the auto industry due to their commitment to being a car for drivers. Read on for a full report.
Volkswagen is adding the Arteon Gran Turismo to its lineup and has revealed the vehicle to a global audience for the first time at the Geneva International Motor Show.
Volkswagen Head Designer Klaus Bischoff says: "The Arteon combines the design elements of a classic sports car with the elegance and space of a fastback. It’s an avant-garde business-class Gran Turismo that speaks to the heart and head alike."
Tobias Sühlmann, responsible for the Arteon's exterior design, further explains: “The athletic lines of the Arteon embody a highly functional overall concept. Form and function find common ground here in a progressive way. Thanks to its long wheelbase, stretched roofline, coupe-style fastback design and large rear hatch, this Gran Turismo provides more space and flexibility than conventional sedans."
The new Arteon was designed on the Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB). The architecture allows for a long, 111.9- inch wheelbase and for short overhangs on the 191.4-inch long body. With a width of 73.7 inches and a height of 56.2 inches, the Arteon delivers truly dynamic proportions and a visual starting point for the Volkswagen designers.
Volkswagen of America, Inc. is pleased to announce that the Volkswagen Golf GTI has earned Good Housekeeping magazine’s 2017 Best New Car Award in the compact vehicle category. Teaming up with experts at Car and Driver magazine, engineers from the Good Housekeeping Institute (GHI) Lab rated its top picks on value, safety, handling, interior design comfort and onboard technology after driving the vehicles more than 1,200 miles on test tracks and open roads.
“We are extremely proud that Good Housekeeping magazine has honored the Golf GTI with the 2017 Best New Car Award,” said Hendrik Muth, Senior Vice President, Product Marketing & Strategy, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “The Golf GTI packs incredible value. Its combination of power, design, space, connectivity, and fun-to-drive nature represents the best of what Volkswagen has to offer.”
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Volkswagen is primarily known for its cars -- the Jetta, Passat, Beetle, etc. -- and that’s the first image of a VW most people will get in your head.
But the folks in the front office are thinking about SUVs and how to boost their stake in that ever-growing segment of the auto industry. Later this spring, the three-row VW Atlas will debut, and will be the largest SUV in the lineup. Until the Atlas debuts, the two-row luxury-lite Touareg SUV is the largest VW has to offer, and I recently spent some time in one.
Volkswagen Chattanooga has started series production of the Volkswagen Atlas. This marks the beginning of the process of building inventory for market introduction of the Atlas in 2017.
“I am very proud of the hard work the Chattanooga team has put in to bring the Atlas to series production,” said Christian Koch, President and CEO of Volkswagen Chattanooga. “The challenge of integrating a new vehicle line while simultaneously completing a major expansion of our facility was daunting, but our team stepped up to the task and now we have taken another step towards the market introduction of the Atlas,” he said.
The Volkswagen Atlas, unveiled on the Santa Monica Pier in October of 2016, launches a new chapter in the company’s American history. The seven-passenger Atlas offers class-competitive levels of technology and room, combined with Volkswagen driving dynamics and attention to detail.
Dieselgate: Volkswagen agrees to millions in fines, and to fix or buy back over 80,000 U.S. vehicles
Volkswagen has announced that it has reached an agreement with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of California, by and through the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Attorney General, to resolve civil claims regarding approximately 83,000 affected 3.0L TDI V6 diesel engine vehicles in the United States.
The agreement, in the form of a proposed Consent Decree, is subject to the approval of Judge Charles R. Breyer of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, who presides over federal Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) proceedings related to the diesel matter in the United States. The proposed agreement would allow Volkswagen to recall more than 75 percent of affected 3.0L TDI V6 vehicles to bring them into compliance with the emissions standards to which they were certified, if appropriate modifications are approved by EPA and CARB.
The 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK award is issued to vehicles that have earned good ratings in IIHS tests evaluated in five categories: frontal impact moderate overlap; frontal impact small overlap; side impact; roof strength; and head restraints. It must also offer an autonomous emergency braking system (AEB) that earns at least an advanced rating for front crash prevention.
The 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating is issued to vehicles that have met all of the TOP SAFETY PICK criteria and must offer headlights that earn at least an acceptable rating for visibility and lack of excessive glare.
“At Volkswagen, we strongly believe that the latest advanced driver assist technologies can be delivered without being in the premium segment,” said Hendrik Muth, Senior Vice President, Product Marketing and Strategy. ”The IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK and TOP SAFETY PICK+ ratings awarded to a variety of Volkswagen models compliments our ongoing commitment to offering these features .”
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