Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) says it has informed the National Consumer Commission (NCC) of an issue affecting the handbrakes of Polo Vivos built during last year.

The issue has been detected in some Vivos built between February 2025 and February 2026. As a result of the issue affecting handbrake levers, the risk exists that handbrakes may not engage correctly or may disengage; as such, Volkswagen proactively reported the safety risk to its customers.

Customers who purchased their Vivos in the limited window affected, are advised to visit their nearest Volkswagen dealership for inspection of the vehicle and if necessary, for repairs at no cost.

Volkswagen will contact the owners of the affected vehicles. Alternatively, customers can contact the Customer Interaction Centre at 0860 434 737 or support@vwconnect.co.za .

Based on records from the National Consumer Commission (NCC) in South Africa, over 27 000 vehicles have been formally recalled between January 1, 2026, and early March 2026 according to reports.

The vast majority of these recalls are concentrated in a few major campaigns the NCC says:

• Renault (Kwid): Around 1 393 Renault Kwid units were recalled in February 2026 for a software update related to velocity calculation errors.
• MG (MG3): Roughly 209 MG3 hatchbacks were recalled in January 2026 over seat-sliding defects.
• Volvo (EX30): Approximately 372 Volvo EX30 vehicles were recalled in January 2026 for potential battery overheating
• Volkswagen (Polo Vivo): About 25 729 Polo Vivo vehicles manufactured between February 2025 and February 2026, due to a handbrake defect that may cause them to roll unexpectedly.
• Additional information from motor1.com and manufacturer websites.

Global automotive recalls in 2025 to 2026 are dominated by massive, ongoing Takata airbag safety campaigns, with major brands like Ford (12.9 million), Toyota (3.2 million), and Stellantis (2.7 million) reporting millions of affected vehicles. Other significant global recalls include Honda (1.5 million), Hyundai (1 million), and Tesla (745 000).