Volkswagen cars are made by Volkswagen AG, a German multinational automaker founded in 1937 and headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany.
VW is the flagship brand of the Volkswagen Group, the largest automotive group in Europe and one of the biggest in the world by annual vehicle sales.
The company produces vehicles at over 100 manufacturing facilities spread across 27 countries on five continents, making it one of the most globally distributed car manufacturers in history.
In the United States, Volkswagen builds the Atlas SUV, the Atlas Cross Sport, and the ID.4 electric vehicle at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant, which opened in 2011 and employs around 5,500 workers.
The Wolfsburg plant in Germany remains VW’s largest single factory in the world, covering 6.5 million square meters and producing vehicles including the Golf and Tiguan for global markets.
In February 2026, Volkswagen Chattanooga reached a historic UAW labor agreement, delivering a 20% wage increase to its Tennessee workforce after years of organizing efforts.
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Who Owns Volkswagen and What Brands Does VW Group Control?
Volkswagen AG is a publicly listed German company headquartered in Wolfsburg. Its largest shareholder is Porsche SE, the holding company of the Porsche and Piech families, which controls approximately 31% of VW’s ordinary shares and around 53% of voting rights.
The state of Lower Saxony holds around 12% and retains significant governance rights under a special law.
The Volkswagen Group is much larger than just the VW brand. It owns Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti, SEAT, Skoda, Cupra, and the commercial vehicle brands Scania and MAN.
Each brand operates with its own design identity, dealer network, and engineering focus, but they share platforms, components, and research investment across the group.
Volkswagen Group of America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG that serves as the U.S. operational headquarters.
It oversees the Chattanooga manufacturing plant, manages all VW, Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Bugatti brand operations in North America, and runs Electrify America, the national electric vehicle charging network.
Where Are VW Cars Made in the United States?
The Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee is the only VW manufacturing facility in the United States.
The plant opened in May 2011 and was the first new automotive assembly plant built in the American South in nearly two decades at the time.
It initially produced the VW Passat, a version designed specifically for the American market with a wider body than the European Passat.
Passat production ended in 2022, after which the plant shifted focus to the Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and the ID.4 electric SUV.
The Atlas is the most important vehicle for VW’s American business, consistently ranking as the brand’s top-selling model in the U.S. The three-row Atlas appeals directly to American family buyers in a way few European VW models have historically done.
ID.4 production at Chattanooga started in July 2022, making it one of the few electric vehicles built in the American South.
The plant invested around $800 million to add EV manufacturing capability, part of VW’s broader push to compete in the U.S. electric vehicle market.
Where Are Volkswagen Cars Made in Germany?
Germany remains the heart of Volkswagen manufacturing. The Wolfsburg plant is VW’s largest and most historic facility, producing the Golf, Tiguan, and other high-volume models for global markets.
Wolfsburg is a city that exists almost entirely because of Volkswagen, having been built around the factory in the late 1930s.
The Emden plant produces the Passat estate for European markets. The Hanover plant handles Transporter and Multivan commercial vehicles.
The Zwickau plant in Saxony, once the home of East Germany’s Trabant, was fully converted to all-electric vehicle production and now builds the ID.3, ID.4, and ID.5 exclusively.
Volkswagen’s German facilities together represent the company’s highest-cost and highest-prestige production locations.
The company has faced significant pressure since 2023 to reduce costs at German plants in response to falling demand and electric vehicle transition expenses.
What Countries Make Volkswagen Cars Outside Germany and the USA?
Mexico is one of VW’s most important production countries outside Germany. The Puebla plant has been building Volkswagens since 1967 and is one of the largest VW factories in the world.
It produces the Jetta and Taos for the North American market, meaning most Jettas sold in America come from Mexico, not Germany or Tennessee.
China is another massive production country for VW. The company has numerous joint ventures with Chinese manufacturers and produces millions of vehicles per year for the Chinese domestic market.
Models like the Lavida and Sagitar are built specifically for Chinese buyers and are never sold in Western markets.
Slovakia, Czech Republic, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Poland, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, and India all have VW or VW Group production facilities serving their respective regional markets. The brand’s global production network is one of the most extensive of any automaker on earth.
Is the Volkswagen Jetta Made in the USA?
No. The Volkswagen Jetta sold in the United States is made in Puebla, Mexico, not in the U.S. or Germany. The Puebla plant has produced VW vehicles for the American market for decades, and the Jetta is one of its core products.
If you specifically want a Volkswagen built in America, the models to look for are the Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and ID.4, all of which are assembled at the Chattanooga, Tennessee plant. The Taos crossover, another popular model in the U.S. lineup, is also built in Puebla, Mexico.
Volkswagen vs. Toyota: Which Is Made More in America?
Volkswagen produces three models in the United States from a single plant in Tennessee. Toyota, by comparison, operates multiple U.S. assembly plants including facilities in Kentucky, Indiana, Texas, Alabama, and West Virginia, building vehicles including the Camry, Corolla, Sienna, Tundra, and RAV4 Hybrid on American soil.
On overall American manufacturing footprint, Toyota has a significantly larger domestic presence than Volkswagen.
However, the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport produced in Chattanooga score well on the annual Cars.com American-Made Index, meaning they have strong American parts content alongside their American assembly.
Volkswagen Chattanooga UAW Contract: What It Means for Workers
In February 2026, Volkswagen Chattanooga workers and the UAW reached a tentative agreement that unionized roughly 3,200 plant workers. The deal included a 20% across-the-board wage increase, an immediate ratification bonus of $6,550, and annual bonuses of $2,550 for the life of the contract.
The agreement was historically significant because it marked one of the first successful UAW organizing efforts at a foreign-owned auto plant in the American South, a region that has resisted union organizing for decades.
For Volkswagen, it adds labor costs to its American operation but also brings stability to a workforce that had experienced years of organizing tension.
Frequently Asked Questions About Where Volkswagen Is Made
Is Volkswagen a German company?
Yes. Volkswagen AG is a German corporation founded in 1937 and headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. It is the flagship brand of the Volkswagen Group, Europe’s largest automaker. While it assembles vehicles in dozens of countries, its corporate identity, engineering headquarters, and most premium production remain in Germany.
Which VW models are made in the USA?
The Volkswagen Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and ID.4 are currently the only VW models assembled in the United States, all at the Chattanooga, Tennessee plant. The Jetta, Taos, and Tiguan sold in the U.S. are made in Mexico or Europe.
Does Volkswagen own Audi?
Yes. Audi is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. Audi itself also owns Lamborghini. The full VW Group portfolio includes Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti, SEAT, Cupra, Skoda, Scania, and MAN. See also Who Makes Audi and Who Makes Bentley.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.