Volkswagen VIN positions in the 2026 filing
Volkswagen's model year 2026 filing covers 9 Volkswagen models (Volkswagen: Golf GTI, Golf-R, Jetta, Jetta GLI, Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan, Taos, ID.4) with 82 codes.
Model identified by positions 4 and 5 and 7-8 with the first 3 characters.
| Pos. | What it encodes | Example: Volkswagen Golf GTI |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Maker code (WMI) | 3VW = VW - Mexico (Passenger Cars), Passenger Car |
| 4 | Series | L = Golf GTI Hatchback, Golf GTI 2.0 TSI S, Automatic |
| 5 | Engine type | E = GTI Hatchback, Gasoline, 2L, 4, 241, TVGAV02.0V7B, Tier 3 BIN 70, L4 ULEV70 |
| 6 | Restraint systems | 7 = GTI Hatchback/Golf-R Hatchback/Jetta/Jetta GLI Sedan, Side Airbags Front and Side Curtain Air Bags, Active-Dr/Pass, Front Air Bag – Dr/Pass, Advanced Front Airbags |
| 7-8 | Model | CD = GTI Hatchback/Golf-R Hatchback |
| 9 | Check digit | calculated from the other 16 |
| 10 | Model year | T = 2026 |
| 11 | Assembly plant | M = Puebla, Mexico |
| 12-17 | Serial number |
Volkswagen engine codes, position 5
11 engines across 9 models; a code is valid only with the models listed next to it.
| Code | Engine as printed | Models |
|---|---|---|
| E | GTI Hatchback, Gasoline, 2L, 4, 241, TVGAV02.0V7B, Tier 3 BIN 70, L4 ULEV70 | Golf GTI |
| F | Golf-R Hatchback, Gasoline, 2L, 4, 328, TVGAV02.0V7B, Tier 3 BIN 70, L4 ULEV70 | Golf-R |
| W | Jetta Sedan, Gasoline, 1.5L, 4, 158, TVGAV01.5V2Q, Tier 3 BIN 20, L4 SULEV20 | Jetta |
| M | Jetta GLI Sedan, Gasoline, 2L, 4, 228, TVGAV02.0V3A, Tier 3 BIN 30, L4 SULEV30 | Jetta GLI |
| N | Atlas SUV / Atlas 4Motion SUV, Gasoline, 2L, 4, 269, TVGAT02.0V7A, Tier 3 BIN 70, L4 ULEV70 | Atlas |
| C | Atlas Cross Sport SUV / Atlas Cross Sport 4Motion SUV, Gasoline, 2L, 4, 269, TVGAT02.0V7A, Tier 3 BIN 70, L4 ULEV70 | Atlas Cross Sport |
| R | Tiguan SUV / Tiguan 4Motion SUV, Gasoline, 2L, 4, 201, TVGAJ02.0V3G, Tier 3 BIN 30, L4 SULEV30 | Tiguan |
| W | Tiguan 4Motion SUV, Gasoline, 2L, 4, 268, TVGAJ02.0V3G, Tier 3 BIN 30, L4 SULEV30 | Tiguan |
| C | Taos SUV / Taos 4Motion SUV, Gasoline, 1.5L, 4, 174, TVGAJ01.5V2L, Tier 3 BIN 20, L4 SULEV20 | Taos |
| R | ID.4 RWD SUV, Electric, 0L, 0, 282, TVGAV00.0VZR, Tier 3 BIN 0, Lev3 ZEV | ID.4 |
| S | ID.4 AWD SUV, Electric, 0L, 0, 335*, TVGAT00.0VZA, Tier 3 BIN 0, Lev3 ZEV | ID.4 |
Volkswagen maker codes (first 3 characters)
| Code | Manufacturer | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 3VW | VW - Mexico (Passenger Cars) | Passenger Car |
| WVW | VW - Europe (Passenger Cars) | Passenger Car |
| 1V2 | VW - USA (Multi-Purpose Vehicle (M.P.V.)) | Multi-Purpose Vehicle (M.P.V.) |
| 3VV | VW - Mexico (Multi-Purpose Vehicle (M.P.V.)) | Multi-Purpose Vehicle (M.P.V.) |
| WVG | VW - Europe (Multi-Purpose Vehicle (M.P.V.)) | Multi-Purpose Vehicle (M.P.V.) |
Volkswagen plant codes (position 11)
| Code | Assembly plant |
|---|---|
| M | Puebla, Mexico |
| W | Wolfsburg, Germany |
| C | Chattanooga, Tennessee |
| H | Hannover, Germany |
Source
"26-NHTSA-VW5.pdf" (10/8/2025) (Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., NHTSA Manufacturer Information Database, retrieved October 2, 2026). Older years and general VIN rules: VIN decoder. Not affiliated with Volkswagen Group of America, Inc..
Questions
How do I decode a Volkswagen VIN?
Enter all 17 characters. Take the made-up example 3VW5W7BU2TM100001: positions 7 to 8 (BU) give Jetta/Jetta GLI Sedan; position 4 (5) gives Jetta Sedan 1.5 TSI S, Automatic; position 5 (W) gives Jetta Sedan, Gasoline, 1.5L, 4, 158, TVGAV01.5V2Q, Tier 3 BIN 20, L4 SULEV20, so it reads as a 2026 Volkswagen Jetta.
Which VIN character is the engine code on a Volkswagen?
Position 5. On a model year 2026 Volkswagen Golf GTI, E is GTI Hatchback, Gasoline, 2L, 4, 241, TVGAV02.0V7B, Tier 3 BIN 70, L4 ULEV70. Read it together with the model: codes differ between models and years.
What does 3VW mean on a VIN?
3VW is VW - Mexico (Passenger Cars), Passenger Car.
Which plant built my Volkswagen?
Position 11 is the plant. In the model year 2026 filing: M is Puebla, Mexico; W is Wolfsburg, Germany; C is Chattanooga, Tennessee.