Volkswagen VIN Decoder

From the very beginning, Volkswagen had the noble goal of building affordable vehicles for people. They succeeded with the famous Beetle, which was sold to millions and continued to be manufactured for several decades in various countries. 

The Beetle was Volkswagen’s first bestseller, but it wasn’t the last. Later, the Passat and Sharan became bestsellers in their segments. In Europe, the Volkswagen Golf has always been the favorite car of them all, but over the recent several years, this compact hatchback has been overshadowed by the T-Cross, T-Roc, and Tiguan – a family of Volkswagen SUVs. 

Today, Volkswagen is a part of a huge multinational automotive giant. Volkswagen Group manages an extraordinary portfolio that includes Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Cupra, Ducati, Lamborghini, MAN, Porsche, RUF, Seat, Scania, Škoda, and Volkswagen.

What is a Volkswagen VIN?

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is an identity card for every Volkswagen vehicle in the world. This unique 17-digit code helps used vehicle buyers avoid scammers. 

Over the lifetime of a car, its VIN number becomes the reference code to log various events and other data about the vehicle. How many times a particular vehicle has been in an accident? Is its odometer reading correct? How many times has it been to the manufacturer’s official workshop? A VIN check can answer all this and more.

What does a Volkswagen VIN contain?

The letters and numbers of your VIN are divided into three parts: World Manufacturer Identifier, Vehicle Descriptor Section, and Vehicle Identifier Section. Combining them together, they will tell you: 

• The country of origin, manufacturer, and vehicle type. (1-3 digits)
• Vehicle’s specifications, such as engine size, body style, engine type and gearbox type. (4-9 digits)
• Assembly plant, model year, and unique serial number. (10-17 digits)

Our free VIN decoder will help you unlock this information.

Where to find the Volkswagen VIN?

There are several places where you can find the Volkswagen VIN number. By placing the VIN code in several locations, automobile manufacturers make it harder to forge vehicle identification numbers. Here’s where you’ll find the VW VIN code:

• At the lower corner of the windshield on the driver’s side (viewable from outside)
• On the driver’s door frame
• On the engine bay frame
• Behind the spare tire
• In the passenger footwell
• On the vehicle registration or insurance documents

What Volkswagen models work with our VIN decoder?

Our Volkswagen VIN Decoder is good for looking up any VW model built after the current VIN standard was introduced (in the ’80s).

Volkswagen has always offered car buyers an extensive range of models, including affordable hatchbacks (Polo, Golf), saloons (Jetta, Arteon), estates (Passat), and SUVs (Tiguan, Touareg, etc.). Today, these models are the Volkswagen core range in various parts of the world.

In addition to new VWs, our VIN decoder will also decipher older model VIN plates from cars like the Volkswagen Scirocco, Bora, Caravelle, Corrado, Eos, or Phaeton.  

The VIN decoder also works with VW’s electric cars: ID.3, ID.4, or ID.5.

Free VW VIN Decoder vs Volkswagen History Check: what can you learn with the VW VIN?

Specs and other information encoded in the vehicle identification number is just a small part of what your VIN can teach you. Some of this basic information is even available for free via our Volkswagen VIN Decoder.

However, a paid history report offers a lot more info, including data stored on police, insurance or manufacturers’ databases. A car history report can tell you if the car:

• Has been stolen or in a serious accident 
• Has outstanding manufacturer recalls or faults
• Has been subject to odometer fraud
• Has been repainted 

By combining modern technologies with contemporary styling, VW has ensured every model in the range is as good as possible. However, the used vehicle market is full of cars in poor condition. If you’re considering purchasing one, use our VIN decoder and learn more about it.