Volkswagen Group Africa has hit a new manufacturing milestone, as the 500 000th sixth-generation Polo built for export rolled off the Kariega plant in the Eastern Cape.
Image: Volkswagen
Finished in Crystal Ice Blue, the 500 000th export Polo is set to be shipped to the United Kingdom, one of the key markets for South Africa-built Polos. Since 2021, this Polo generation has been produced at Plant Kariega, which has been hailed as the “Home of Polo” since 2024. The factory in SA is the only plant where this hatchback is currently made. The Polo was seventh in March 2026 among the best-selling passenger cars in South Africa and is exported to 38 markets.
This milestone comes as VW Group Africa notes the brand has produced over two million Polos in total, with 1,448,130 exported and the rest sold locally.
Kariega has also marked other milestones in 2026. This year, the plant celebrates 30 years of Polo production in South Africa, which began with the Polo Classic sedan in 1996. Since then, four generations of Polo have been built at the Eastern Cape site. In 2025, the plant celebrated the two-millionth Polo to roll off the line and the 500 000th unit of the sixth generation.
“We’re proud to reach the milestone of producing the 500 000th current-generation Polo,” said Ulrich Schwabe, VWG A Production Director. “This shows the hard work, skill, and dedication of every employee at Plant Kariega. Our people have spent three decades building and delivering this beloved vehicle to customers, and they’re the reason the Polo shines both at home and around the world.”
As a reminder, the Polo claimed top honours in the ‘Small car’ category at CAR magazine’s 2026 Top 12 Best Buys awards.
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