Why does anyone buy anything? They identify (or want to be seen to identify) with the set of values that the brand espouses. Does anyone buy a car because of actual reliability these days? Or just a perception of reliability? Most modern cars are extremely reliable, and there’s no real significant difference between brands. People do however want to be seen to be reliable.
VWs are not fast, they’re not slow, they won’t go sideways or be any fun to drive, and they aren’t exactly luxurious. But they will take several people and their things in perfectly acceptable comfort. To me, that means they’re utterly uninteresting, but other people* might consider them to be a perfect utilitarian object.
*Boring people