The most in-demand car in South Africa right now is not a bakkie or an SUV, or any of the Chinese or Indian offerings; it is the evergreen, locally-built VW Polo.
This is according to data gathered by Cars.co.za based on the most-searched models in its database.
The beloved hatchback commanded 6.1% of overall searches on Cars.co.za last year, beating out two of South Africa’s favourite bakkies in the Toyota Hilux at 5.5% and the Ford Ranger at 5.1%.
Its budget-friendly sibling, the Polo Vivo, managed to claim fourth place with 4.6% of searches, while the Suzuki Ertiga rounded out the top five with 3.1%, surprisingly ahead of the Vivo’s close rival, the Suzuki Swift.
While the Polo’s popularity is undeniable, it is surprising that it is more sought after than the Vivo.
The standard Polo is the fourth-best-selling used car, below the Vivo in third, and only 20th in terms of new car sales, way below the Vivo, which placed third once again.
What Cars.co.za’s data does indicate is that the Polo is becoming less desirable, despite remaining at the top.
In 2024, demand for the hatchback reached 7.5%, which is significantly more than its 2025 figure of 6.1%.
It must also be noted that VW’s overall popularity shrank between 2024 and 2025, dropping from a 17.8% demand to 15.3%.
By contrast, its rivals in the top three grew in popularity, as Toyota remained at the top with more than 2% growth to 22.4%, and Suzuki in third grew from 8.6% to 10.5%.
Despite this worrying trend, the Polo’s desirability remains undeniable, as one of South Africa’s favourite locally-built models, and a best seller for many years.
Value for money
Variety may be the Polo’s greatest advantage over its rivals, offering no less than eleven distinct models, following the release of the Edition 20.
The Polo line-up offers models for nearly every need, from entry-level hatchbacks to larger, family-sized sedans, and even some high-performance options.
On the cheaper side of the range is the 1.0-litre TSI hatchback, which, for R373,800, offers drivers decent power outputs of 70kW and 175Nm and a top speed of 187km/h.
Its appeal, however, is its 5.3l/100km fuel efficiency, and impressive 755km average fuel range.
For buyers in need of more boot space than a hatchback, the sedan variants range in price from R382,600 to R483,700, offering an expansive 521-litre loading capacity across the range.
The naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol models offer drivers 81kW and 152Nm at an average consumption of between 6.2 and 6.5l/100km.
The 1.0-litre TSI sedan produces a slightly higher 85kW and 178Nm, averaging 6.3l/100km over its 714km range.
On the performance end of the range is the Polo GTI, a 2.0-litre turbocharged hot hatch offering an impressive 147kW and 320Nm, and racing from 0 to 100km/h in 6.7 seconds.
The GTI is capable of reaching 238km/h and drains its fuel tank at an average of 6.4l/100km before needing a refuel after 625km.
Pricing for the entire Polo line-up is as follows:
- Polo hatch 1.0 TSI – R373,800
- Polo sedan 1.6 manual – R382,600
- Polo sedan 1.6 auto – R406,400
- Polo sedan 1.6 Life – R416,700
- Polo hatch 1.0 TSI Life manual – R420,800
- Polo hatch 1.0 TSI Life auto – R445,400
- Polo sedan 1.0 TSI Life – R447,800
- Polo sedan 1.0 TSI Style – R483,700
- Polo hatch 1.0 TSI R-Line – R499,100
- Polo GTI – R585,800
- Polo GTI Edition 20 – R605,700
All of these models come with a 3-year/120,000km warranty and a 3-year/45,000km service plan.
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