The Auto-Tires-Trucks group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Volkswagen (VWAGY) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? One simple way to answer this question is to take a look at the year-to-date performance of VWAGY and the rest of the Auto-Tires-Trucks group's stocks.Volkswagen is one of 110 individual stocks in the Auto-Tires-Trucks sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #11 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank gauges the strength of our 16 individual sector groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups.The Zacks Rank is a proven model that highlights a variety of stocks with the right characteristics to outperform the market over the next one to three months. The system emphasizes earnings estimate revisions and favors companies with improving earnings outlooks. VWAGY is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for VWAGY's full-year earnings has moved 6.14% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.Based on the latest available data, VWAGY has gained about 58.47% so far this year. In comparison, Auto-Tires-Trucks companies have returned an average of -6.99%. This means that Volkswagen is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.Looking more specifically, VWAGY belongs to the Automotive - Foreign industry, which includes 22 individual stocks and currently sits at #80 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has gained an average of 5.86% so far this year, so VWAGY is performing better in this area.Going forward, investors interested in Auto-Tires-Trucks stocks should continue to pay close attention to VWAGY as it looks to continue its solid performance. Tech IPOs With Massive Profit Potential: Last years top IPOs surged as much as 299% within the first two months. With record amounts of cash flooding into IPOs and a record-setting stock market, this year could be even more lucrative. See Zacks’ Hottest Tech IPOs Now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Volkswagen AG (VWAGY): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research