Cars.co.za report offers interesting insights
Cars.co.za recently launched Industry Report 2026 at its DealerCon summit, offers insight into the forces shaping South Africa’s vehicle market.
- Dealer News
- 22 September 2026
Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) has celebrated a major manufacturing achievement after producing the one millionth current-generation Polo at its Kariega facility in the Eastern Cape.
The vehicle marking the occasion is a smoky grey Polo GTI with right-hand drive, built for the South African market.
Production of the current-generation Polo began at the Kariega plant in 2017 and the model has since become a key part of VWGA’s output. Of the total produced, 86% have been exported to international destinations such as Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, while 14% have been sold locally.
Over the last 75 years, the Kariega plant has manufactured 4 803 424 vehicles, with the current-generation Polo contributing almost 21% of that total. It also makes up 48% of every Polo ever built at the plant, highlighting the model’s lasting value to the company.
VWGA first began building the Polo in 1996 and has since assembled four generations of the vehicle in Kariega.
The plant now operates as the only global production and export centre for the Polo, supplying 38 countries across Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Among these, Germany and the United Kingdom stand out as the leading export destinations for the South African-produced model.
The milestone comes at a notable time for VWGA, which is marking both 75 years of vehicle manufacturing in South Africa and 30 years of Polo production at the Kariega site.
Urich Schwabe, Production Director at Volkswagen Group Africa, said the achievement reflects the dedication of the company’s workforce and the reputation for quality built over many years. He noted that reaching one million units demonstrates the confidence placed in South African manufacturing and confirms the Polo’s status as one of the plant’s most successful models.
Cars.co.za recently launched Industry Report 2026 at its DealerCon summit, offers insight into the forces shaping South Africa’s vehicle market.
Nissan has introduced the Tekton, a new compact SUV for the South African market. The model is built on the Renault‑Nissan alliance’s CMF‑B platform and is closely related to the Renault Duster, sharing engines and mechanical components.
At the recent DealerCon 2026, hosted by Cars.co.za automotive excellence was celebrated by honouring top executives in the automotive retails industry.
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