VW has just achieved an important milestone at its factory in South Africa.
This July marks the one-year anniversary of the point when Volkswagen Group South Africa’s (VWGA) local facility became the sole producer of the Polo hatchback around the globe.
Last year, VWGA’s parent company made the decision to pull the plug on all of its other Polo factories, leaving South Africa as the final production centre of the fan-favourite hatchback.
VWGA’s factory, located in Kariega in the Eastern Cape, has been manufacturing the Polo since 1996.
It also started making the Polo Vivo in 2010, which is a more affordable version of the hatchback based on the previous-generation Polo that is exclusively sold in Africa.
Volkswagen’s decision to shut down most of its Polo assembly lines is primarily the result of the industry shift towards SUVs.
That being said, the small car still has a large following in several markets around the world, which is why Kariega produces both left-hand and right-hand-drive models for export to 38 different countries.
According to the manufacturer, the Polo accounted for 88% of exported vehicles that left the harbour in Port Elizabeth between July 2024 and 2025.
This is an incredible feat considering that VW is not the only carmaker with a factory in the region, as Isuzu and BAIC both have facilities near P.E., and Mercedes-Benz has its own site further up the coast in East London.
A globe-spanning operation
VW noted that the biggest receivers of the Polo are Germany, France, and the UK, and that the hatchback was the most exported vehicle in South Africa in 2024.
Naturally, this high demand means that Kariega is working around the clock, as it produced a staggering 167,084 units last year – a new production record for the company’s local division.
Of this sum, 131,485 units were Polo models for export, while the remaining 35,599 units were Polo and Polo Vivo models for the local market.
VW also highlighted that it had a record-breaking production month in October 2024 with 13,930 units.
Local demand for the hatchback may have diminished slightly over the past few years, yet it is still one of the top-selling cars in South Africa.
It sold a grand total of 12,253 units in 2024, making it one of the best-performing cars on the market alongside other favourites like the Ford Ranger and Toyota Corolla Cross.
“The Polo is unquestionably an icon, and we are proud to call Plant Kariega its home,” said Ulrich Schwabe, Production Director at VWGA.
“Our first year as the sole exporter of the Polo was certainly a strong one, and we plan to build on the foundation of this success continuously and consistently, with the Polo, Vivo and our upcoming third model, the Tengo.”
More to come
The Tengo is a new A-segment crossover that VW plans to build in South Africa, though it will still be a while before we get to see it in action.
The mini-SUV is scheduled to go into production in 2027 and is meant to provide a more affordable alternative to the T-Cross, which has shifted upmarket as a result of inflation and other economic factors.
The Tengo was originally developed for Brazil, where it is known as the Tera.
However, VWGA elected to use a different name for our market, which was put to an online poll.
“Tengo” emerged as the winner, beating out the names Tavi, Tiva, and Tion.
In Brazil, the crossover is sold with a 1.0-litre petrol engine, both with and without a turbocharger.
The naturally-aspirated version generates 56kW and 92Nm, while the turbo (TSI) models have a different output depending on the gearbox.
The six-speed manual Tera produces 81kW and 165Nm, while the automatic version has a slightly higher cap of 85kW and 170Nm.
More information on the new VW Tengo will be announced closer to its South African debut in 2027.
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