2026 is not just another year for Volkswagen Group Africa—it is a big one. VWGA is celebrating 75 years in South Africa, and at the same time, marking 30 years of building the Polo at its Kariega plant.
Let us rewind a bit. The Polo story in South Africa kicked off in 1996 with the Polo Classic, a slick four-door sedan that bridged the gap between the Citi Golf and the bigger Jetta and Golf models. That first year, they built 5 460 units. South Africans loved it. The Polo Classic took off, and two years later, VW rolled out the hatchback, making the Polo line even more popular.
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By 2003, Volkswagen upgraded the Polo Classic, and it did not go unnoticed. The car grabbed the ‘Car of the Year’ award from the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists. Not a one-off, either—the Polo shared that title again in 2011.
Since then, the Kariega plant has produced four generations of the Polo, with the latest model hitting the production line in 2021.
Then came 2024—a game-changer. Kariega became the only factory building and exporting Polos for Europe and Asia-Pacific. We are talking 38 countries, and VW did not take its eye off the local market either. That year, the plant set a record: 167 084 vehicles built. Out of those, 131 485 Polos shipped overseas, and 35 599 Polos and Polo Vivos found new homes here in South Africa. VWGA also spiced things up with the Polo GTI, a high-performance model for those who love to drive.
By the end of 2025, the numbers spoke for themselves. Kariega had assembled more than two million Polos. Of those, 595 043 went to South African drivers, and a massive 1 421 960 exported. The UK led the pack as the top international destination.
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Building a Polo is no small feat. Each car takes about three days to assemble and involves 1 985 people working together. Every Polo is made up of around 1 400 parts, all coming together to create one of South Africa’s favourite cars.
“This year is more than just a milestone for Volkswagen Group Africa; it’s the story of our 75 years here and three decades of Polo production,” says Ulrich Schwabe, VWGA’s Production Director. “This is not about numbers—it is about our people. Their skill and passion have made the Polo a success at home and around the world. That dedication is what keeps the legacy alive.”
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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