VW's Kariega plant celebrates a strong year as the ‘Home of Polo'
The hatchback has been built at the Kariega plant since 1996 and the Polo Vivo since 2010, but the Eastern Cape factory only became the self-proclaimed 'home of Polo' on July 1 2024, said Ulrich Schwabe, production director at VWGA.
'The Polo is unquestionably an icon, and we are proud to call Plant Kariega its home,' said Schwabe.
'Our first year as the sole exporter of the Polo was certainly strong, and we plan to build on the foundation of the success continuously and consistently with the Polo, Vivo and our upcoming third model, the Tengo.'
The Polo was South Africa's most exported vehicle in 2024 and accounts for 88% of exported vehicles through the Gqeberha port, said VW.
Between July 2024 and June 2025, 119,336 Polos were exported from Kariega to Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Of these, the biggest receivers of Polos are Germany, France and the UK.
A record 167,084 vehicles were built in Kariega in 2024, of which 131,485 units were Polos for export, and 35,599 vehicles were Polos and Polo Vivos for the local market. A record-breaking 13,930 Polos were built in October 2024 alone.
The Polo was the seventh best-selling passenger car in the local market last year, with 12,253 units.
In April-May, VWGA shut the Kariega plant for four weeks in preparation for the Tengo model that will be assembled and sold in SA from 2027. Volkswagen announced in early 2024 it would build the small SUV as a third model at the factory alongside the Polo and Polo Vivo in a R4bn investment.
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