Who is Volkswagen?
Volkswagen is a German car maker based in Wolfsburg and part of the Volkswagen Group. Its name means “people’s car”. The brand makes small hatchbacks, family cars, SUVs, vans and electric models.
The Golf is a compact hatchback and one of Volkswagen’s longest-running model names. The Polo sits below it, while the Passat is a larger family car. SUVs such as the Tiguan and T-Roc broaden the range, alongside vans including the Caddy and Transporter. Volkswagen also sells models tailored to different markets, including the Atlas and Taos in North America and the Lavida and Magotan in China.
Which Volkswagen models are most prominent?
In European Union registration figures, the Golf leads Volkswagen’s listed models, with 10,416,845 registrations from 2010 to 2025. The Polo follows with 6,694,844, then the Tiguan with 4,420,452 and Passat with 4,005,684. Together, they reflect the range’s mix of compact cars, family cars and SUVs.
Volkswagen’s range also includes the T-Roc, Touran, Caddy and Transporter. California, Caravelle and Multivan are van-based models with different passenger and travel uses. Other names include the Scirocco and Eos, as well as the larger Touareg.
How has the Volkswagen range changed over the years?
The model years represented run from 1984 to 2027. Golf and Jetta span that full period; Passat runs from 1990 to 2026, and Transporter from 1995 to 2025. Over time, Volkswagen added SUV lines such as Tiguan, T-Roc, T-Cross and Taigo alongside its established cars and vans.
Volkswagen’s ID. family brings electric models in several shapes, from the ID.3 hatchback to the ID. Buzz van. The range also includes the XL1, an efficiency-focused model, and the up!, which recorded 1,934,592 EU registrations from 2011 to 2025.
Where are Volkswagen models sold and measured?
Volkswagen models appear in official figures from the European Union, the United Kingdom, France, the United States and Canada. The line-up differs across markets, so a model available in one country may not be offered in another.
Fuel consumption and CO₂ figures depend on the market’s test procedure. European figures use WLTP or the older NEDC procedure; the United States uses EPA testing, and Canada uses its 5-cycle method. These results are not directly comparable across procedures.
Questions and answers
What is Volkswagen best known for?
Volkswagen makes cars and vans across a wide range of sizes and uses. The Golf, Polo, Passat and Tiguan are among its most prominent models in European registrations.
Does Volkswagen make electric cars?
Yes. Its electric range includes the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, ID.6 and ID.7, as well as the van-shaped ID. Buzz.
Which Volkswagen has the most EU registrations in the listed figures?
The Golf, with 10,416,845 EU registrations from 2010 to 2025.
Can I compare Volkswagen fuel figures across countries?
Compare them with care: European figures use WLTP or NEDC, the United States uses EPA testing, and Canada uses the 5-cycle method.