PoloDriver

The letters ‘GT’ have been associated with the Volkswagen Polo since 1979, appearing on sports models such as the original Polo GT, the Polo GT G40 of the 1980s, the Polo GT hatchback and coupé of the 1990s, various GT models in the early 2000s, and the Polo BlueGT in the 2010s. In South Africa, they adorn the model which sits atop the Polo Vivo family, and for 2023, the Polo Vivo GT gets a tidy up.

Sports-orientated styling
The second generation of Volkswagen South Africa’s entry level model, the Polo Vivo, launched in 2018, bringing with it the 109bhp/81kW Polo Vivo GT. A not-quite-GTI model, focused on more sports-orientated styling than performance, the 2023 VW Polo Vivo GT shares its 1.0 TSI engine with the car launched five years ago, but the exterior and interior have been given a few tweaks.

Externally, the freshened up car features silver mirror caps – replacing the colour-coded items of before – more subtle front door and tailgate graphics, a silver ‘GT’ front grille badge and the new ‘flatter’ Volkswagen roundel, first introduced in 2019. The black rear hatch spoiler and 17-inch ‘Mirabeau’ alloy wheels are the same as the previous car, but a new Wild Cherry Red Metallic paint shade ensures the 2023 Polo Vivo GT stands out.

Inside, silver inserts adorn the top areas of the dashboard, while the cloth seat insert stitching colour is now red rather than blue. The grey gear lever and handbrake cover stitching now match the silver exterior accents. ‘GT’-embroided floor mats complete the interior makeover. Other standard equipment of the flagship Polo Vivo model includes anthracite interior headlining, cruise control, ‘Lights and Vision’ package, as well as 15mm lowered suspension.

The Recommended Retail Price (VAT and emissions tax included) for the 2023 Volkswagen Polo Vivo GT is R332,800. A three-year/120,000km warranty and a six-year anti-corrosion warranty is standard, with a Volkswagen EasyDrive Maintenance Plan and EasyDrive Service Plan available as options. Service intervals are 15,000 km.

Most popular car in South Africa
Since the introduction of the second generation Polo Vivo, itself based on the fifth-generation Polo built from 2009-2017, almost 120,000 units have rolled off the Kariega production lines. The Polo Vivo GT first appeared in 2011 based on the first-generation Polo Vivo, which was originally a facelifted fourth-generation Polo, built from 2005-2009. First introduced in 2010, and very often South Africa’s most popular car, the Polo Vivo nameplate has since cumulatively recorded 313,620 registrations.

The 100,000th sixth-generation Polo for the South African market rolled off Volkswagen South Africa’s Kariega production line on 1 March, during the night shift. The plant has been building the current ‘AW’ model since January 2018, with production of the latest refreshed version beginning in August 2021.

Overall, of the 100,000-vehicle total, 80,644 cars were pre-facelift models, the remaining 19,356 being refreshed versions. Figures released by Volkswagen South Africa from the most recent milestone report that the most popular colour for the local market Polo is Pure White with 36,965 cars made in that shade. Second is Reflex Silver (17,607 units made), followed by Limestone Grey Metallic (10,350 units built).

The latest milestone is one of several Volkswagen South Africa has celebrated in the past few months. In May 2022, the one millionth Polo was made for export (see figures below), and the 500,000th global market ‘AW’ current generation Polo was built two months later. Destined for Germany, the 100,000th global market refreshed ‘AW’ Polo – a Pure White GTI – rolled out of Kariega in August 2022. The two-millionth unit of the Polo and Polo Vivo – a South African entry level model based on the global market fifth-generation Polo originally manufactured from 2009-2017 – was completed on 6 December 2022. The 100,000th second generation Polo Vivo was produced in January 2022.

In addition to local market Polos and Polo Vivos, Volkswagen South Africa builds the Polo for all right-hand drive markets, as well as selected left-hand drive territories. The Kariega (formerly Uitenhage) factory is also the sole manufacturing plant for the current ‘AW’ Polo GTI. The plant first started building Polos in 1996, with the first exports leaving the factory in 2002 for Japan. Polos are currently exported to over 38 countries. In May Volkswagen South Africa employed 3,619 people, including 2,233 production employees, with the capacity to build 680 vehicles per day.

‘Though the majority of our Polos are built for export markets, we are incredibly proud of how popular this vehicle is among South African customers,’ said Ulrich Schwabe, production director, Volkswagen South Africa (pictured above with sales and marketing director Thomas Milz). ‘This includes our employees, who build these high quality cars with pride, and whose dedication and love for our vehicles has made this milestone possible.’

Volkswagen South Africa has reason to celebrate. The Polo Vivo, Polo and Polo-based T-Cross small SUV have been named the most popular Volkswagens in South Africa during 2022. The small VW trio accounted for 74 per cent of all Volkswagen South Africa registrations last year.

The fifth-generation Polo-based Polo Vivo led Volkswagen South Africa’s small car charge, with 20,866 examples registered. The sixth-generation Polo was runner-up with 15,697 units finding new owners. The T-Cross SUV enjoyed 10,384 registrations. Overall, Volkswagen South Africa registered 58,447 passenger cars in 2022, giving the brand a market share of 16.4 per cent. An additional 5,154 commercial vehicle registrations were led by the Amarok, of which 1,896 units found new homes.

Other popular 2022 South African Volkswagens included the brand’s T-SUV range, which includes the Tiguan (2,613 units), T-Roc (2,407) and the recently launched Taigo (1,885 units). The Touareg also enjoyed an uplift in registrations by 9 per cent when compared to 2021, and despite stock and parts shortages, the Golf was also more popular – an increase to 639 units meant an increase in registrations by 109 per cent.

Polo Vivo GT upgrade
There’s little reason for Volkswagen South Africa not to continue its success in 2023. An upgrade to the range-topping Polo Vivo GT is set to arrive, along with a TSI version of the new Polo Sedan. There is also the impending introduction of the T-Cross Trendline, new Golf 8 R, Tiguan TDI, and a facelift for the Touareg.

Continuing the Polo’s South African popularity, Volkswagen South Africa exported 98,315 Polos from its Kariega manufacturing plant to 38 international countries last year, and overall, exported 8,942 more vehicles in 2022 when compared to 2021. The two-millionth unit of the Polo and Polo Vivo rolled off the factory lines on 6 December 2022, the milestone model being a left-hand drive Ascot Grey car destined for Germany.

Sole Polo GTI manufacturer
The Kariega factory builds the Polo for all right-hand-drive markets and supplements production for left-hand-drive territories. The plant is also the sole manufacturer worldwide of the Polo GTI, and builds the Polo Vivo for the local market.

Kariega also celebrated the manufacture of its 500,000th example of the current Polo in July 2022, the car – a white left-hand-drive Polo GTI destined for France – produced four-and-a-half years after the introduction of the sixth-generation model, and a few months after the arrival of the refreshed model at the start of 2022. Of the 500,000 ‘AW’ Polos made, 90,004 were built for the local market and 409,996 were exported, 77,397 units of those being the facelifted model.

Volkswagen South Africa also celebrated the one-millionth Polo built for export in May 2022, the landmark car heading to the UK. The Kariega plant has been building Polos since 1996, and the Polo Vivo since 2010. At the time the two-millionth vehicle was built, the plant had manufactured 1,626,816 Polos (1,065,718 for export and 561,098 for the local market), along with 373,184 Polo Vivos.

Viva la Vivo (as Coldplay very probably wouldn’t sing)! Volkswagen South Africa has a reason to celebrate, as the 100,000th example of the current Polo Vivo rolled off the production lines at its Kariega (formerly Uitenhage) factory. Based on the Series 5 Polo, the milestone car was a 108bhp Polo Vivo GT finished in Flash Red.

The 100,000th Polo Vivo arrives just four years after production of the second-generation model began in 2018. Over 354,000 examples have now been made at Kariega, the first-generation Polo Vivo made from 2017-2017, based on the fourth-generation Volkswagen Polo built from 2005-2009. A unique model only sold in South Africa, the Vivo replaced the Mk 1 Golf-based Citi Golf, introduced in 1984 as a cost-conscious and fun entry-level car.

Sales chart topper
It’s very safe to say that the Polo Vivo is popular: the best-selling car in South Africa since its introduction in 2010, over 350,289 Polo Vivos have been sold up until December 2021, Its most popular year was 2019, when Volkswagen South Africa sold 29,618 Polo Vivos in a single year. October 2018 was the car’s most popular month, when 3,009 examples were registered.

Alongside the Polo Vivo, the current sixth-generation Polo is produced at Kariega. The latest model not only joins the Polo Vivo in its production home – it often appears below the Vivo in the sales charts taking second place. Kariegan-built Polos are exported to all global right-hand-drive markets, and Volkswagen South Africa additionally supplements production for left-hand-drive markets.

‘A proud moment’
‘This milestone means a lot to our team, both in production and in the rest of the company,’ said Ulrich Schwabe, Production Director at Volkswagen South Africa. ‘Given the challenges of our industry and of the Covid-19 pandemic, this achievement is a proud moment that sets the tone for a successful year ahead. I am grateful to every Volkswagen South Africa employee for their dedication, and the part they played in making this milestone a reality.’

As well as a road car aimed at younger and more cost-conscious buyers, the Polo Vivo has also taken to race tracks as the star of the one-make Engen Volkswagen Cup racing series, and has pounded rally routes in S2000 guise, contesting the South African National Rally Championship. A phenomenally successful model for Volkswagen South Africa, the Polo Vivo’s appeal shows no signs of dimming yet. 

For 2022, Volkswagen Polo Vivo prices start at R232,500 for the 1.4-litre Trendline, rising through Comfortline and Highline trims to the range-topping 108bhp GT, which costs from R314,300.

POLO VIVO: A POTTED HISTORY

2010 Polo Vivo hatch and saloon launched in South Africa, replacing the Citi Golf.

2011 Polo Vivo S2000 rally car takes on 2011 South African National Rally Championship.

2011-2014 Polo Vivo circuit racing cars star in Engen Volkswagen Cup race series.

2011 103bhp Polo Vivo GT launched.

2011 More fuel efficient Polo Vivo Blueline introduced.

2012 Polo Vivo Zest added to the range.

2013 Polo Vivo Maxx launched with off-road styling and 103bhp 1.6-litre engine.

2014 Refreshed and updated Polo Vivo introduced.

2015 Special edition Polo Vivo Eclipse introduced.

2015 Style-conscious Polo Vivo Street hatchback launched.

2016 Polo Vivo Xpress light commercial launched.

2016 Polo Vivo GTS replaces Polo Vivo GT.

2016 Polo Vivo production boosted by additional Kenyan manufacture factory.

2016 Polo Vivo Storm introduced based on 1.4-litre 84bhp Polo Vivo Trendline.

2017 New Polo Citi Vivo revives Citi Golf colour schemes and spirit.

2018 Second-generation Polo Vivo launched based on Series 5 Volkswagen Polo.

2018 New Polo Vivo Maxx revealed.

2019 Polo Beats-like Polo Vivo Sound Edition introduced.

2019 Polo Vivo Dune concept unveiled at 2019 Festival of Motoring.

2020 Special edition Polo Vivo Mswenko goes on sale.

2021 Polo Vivo Black Style launched to offer a more distinctive appearance.

2021 was a busy year for the Volkswagen Polo. Celebrating the model’s 46th anniversary, the refreshed sixth-generation car was unveiled and arrived in the UK towards the end of the year. The second-generation Polo commemorated the 40th year since its debut in the autumn of 1981.

The Polo Harlekin (Harlequin) marked its 25th birthday in 2021, and more teams took the Polo GTI R5 rally car on global stages. New models were launched in Germany, India and the UK, and the Polo’s popularity remained strong, its sales in selected markets remaining high.

Below, we round up the Polo’s biggest achievements in 2021. (Bold entries are illustrated by the picture above that particular month’s list of events.)

January

• Niclas Grönholm and Polo GTI R5 finish sixth at the 2021 Arctic Lapland Rally
• Polo Vivo crowned 2020’s most popular car in South Africa, selling 19,750 units from Volkswagen’s total sales of 53,319 units, giving the company an all-time local market share of 21.6 per cent
• Volkswagen Netherlands creates a new version of the Polo Harlequin to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original model
• Nikolay Gryzin takes his Polo GTI R5 to fifth place in the RC2 class at the 2021 Rallye Monte-Carlo
• Polo GTI R5 of Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel wins 2021 Qatar International Rally, their 15th victory at the event
• Polo Active special edition launches in Germany.

February

• Victory for the Larsen Motorsport Polo GTI R5 of Frank Tore Larsen and Morten Abrahamsen at the 2021 Lygnasprinten (image: Larsen Motorsport)
• The Polo GTI R5 of Egon Kaur and Silver Simm takes first place in the Rally2 class at the 2021 Otepää Rally. Georg Linnamäe and Volodymyr Korsia’s Polo GTI R5 finish second.

March

• 108bhp Polo Matt Edition 1.0 TSI launches in India: special features include matt grey paint, gloss black door mirror caps and rear spoiler, cruise control, multifunction steering wheel and a colour touchscreen infotainment system
• Polo GTI R5s take first and second places at the East Safari Rally with 10 out of 10 stage wins. Reigning champions Simos Galatariotis and Antonis loannou finish first ahead of Alexandros Tsouloftas and Stelios Elia
• Luca Pedersoli and Anna Tomas win Rally del Bardolino in their Polo GTI R5 – their maiden outing in the car
• First victory for Marco Signor and Francesco Pezzoli in their Polo GTI R5 at the Rally Ronde del Canavese
• Another debut win, this time for the Polo GTI R5 of Francisco Dorado and Roi Torrente at the 2021 Rallysprint de Valdelaguna
• Nikolay Gryazin and Konstantin Aleksandrov are victorious with their Polo GTI R5 at Valasská Rally ValMez
• Jurie Swart wins both races at the opening round of the 2021 Volkswagen Polo Cup in Cape Town, South Africa – the 2021 season celebrates the 25th anniversary of the one-make series. In the first round of the 2021 GTC SupaCup series, Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa Polo SupaCup driver Jonathan Mogotsi finishes second.

April

• Polo Active joins UK model range
• Refreshed MY22 Polo revealed in digital online premiere featuring more digital technology and updated looks
• Sixth-generation Polo evaluated for possible Indian launch on MQB A0 IN platform
• Carl Flash Tundo and Tim Jessop win the FIA African Rally Championship Equator Rally Kenya in their Polo GTI R5
• Kristian Poulsen and Ole R Fredriksen win Rally Himmerland, round one of the Danish Rally Championship – the second victory for Polo GTI R5 chassis #44 in Denmark
• First place for Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel’s Polo GTI R5 at Rallye Tierras Altas de Lorca
• Tomasz Kasperczyk and Damian Syty win the 2021 Tech-Mol Rally in their Polo GTI R5. Zbigniew Gabrys and Krzysztof Janik’s Polo GTI R5 also finishes on the podium at the first rally of the year in Poland.

May

• MY22 Polo GTI revealed in official Volkswagen design sketch
• Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel win the Jordan Rally in a Polo GTI R5 – their ninth overall victory in the Volkswagen rally car
• 1-2 for the Polo GTI R5 at the Larnaca Rally – Alexandros Tsouloftas and Stelios Elia win the event, followed by Simos Galatariotis and Antonis loannou
• Jurie Stewart and Arnold Neveling victorious in the Volkswagen Polo Cup races held at Aldo Scribante, near Gqeberha. Jonathan Mogotsi drives his Polo SupaCup to a maiden win during the GTC SupaCup race
• Volkswagen Polo named the third most popular car in the UK during May 2021.

June

• The Polo GTI R5s of Osian Pryce and Noel O’Sullivan and reigning champions Matt Edwards and Darren Garrod debut at first round of the 2021 British Rally Championship at Oulton Park
• 1-2 for the Polo GTI R5 at the Super Prime Alpasa rally in Paraguay. Miguel Zaldivar Jr and Victor Aguilera finish first, followed by Diego Dominguez Sr and Edgardo Galindo
• 2022 Volkswagen Polo order books open in Germany
• Refreshed MY22 Polo GTI revealed with updated looks, DSG and 204bhp
• Frank Tore Larsen and Morten Abrahamsen steer their Polo GTI R5 to victory at the 2021 Aurskog-Holand Rally
• Volkswagen Polo named the sixth most popular car in the UK during June 2021
• With 11,560 cars finding homes in the first six months of the year, the Polo Vivo remains the most popular new car in South Africa. In second place, the sixth-generation Polo sells 9,045 examples.

July

• RacingLine releases Polo GTI ‘AW’ sport springs and turbo muffler delete products
• Volkswagen Polo crowned the UK’s most popular car, based on official registration figures, finishing ahead of the Toyota Yaris and Kia Sportage.

August

• The second-generation Polo celebrates four decades since it was launched to the press in Sardinia
• Jurie Stewart, Arnold Neveling, and Leyton Fourie win one Volkswagen Polo Cup race each at the East London Grand Prix circuit.

September

• The new MY22 Polo goes on sale in the UK, priced from £17,885 to £23,355
• Polo Trendline MPI, Comfortline TSI, Highline Plus TSI manual, and Highline Plus TSI and GT TSI automatic models demand a five-month waiting list in India, along with the Polo saloon-based Vento Highline TSI manual
• Sixteen-year-old Leyton Fourie claims both South African Volkswagen Polo Cup wins at the Red Star Raceway.

October

• Jurie Stewart wins Volkswagen Polo Cup South Africa races at Zwartops Raceway.

November

• MY22 Polo GTI joins the UK model range with a starting price of £26,430
• Polo Vivo Black Style launches in South Africa. Special equipment includes black 16-inch ‘Portago’ alloy wheels, gloss black mirror caps, roof and B and C pillar covers, black sill covers, a body-coloured boot spoiler, privacy glass, a chrome exhaust tip as well as anthracite headlining and sun visors
• Autocar publishes its first UK drive of the new MY22 Polo.

December

• What Car? long lists Polo as a Car of the Year Awards 2022 small car entrant
• Auto Express, Carbuyer and What Car? publish the first UK drives of the new MY22 Polo
• MY22 Polo announced for sale in South Africa from January 2022
• 2022 Volkswagen Polo Cup unveils CompCare Medical Scheme as sponsor; Jurie Stewart wins Killarney races at final round of 2021 series, but Leyton Fourie crowned 2021 Volkswagen Polo Cup champion
• South African Volkswagen Polo GTC SupaCup tested during Killarney 9-Hour race ready for 2022 season
• A panel of broadcasters, car designers, engineers, motorsport legends and auto industry journalists and media professionals announces MY22 Polo as one of the Best Cars of the Year 2021/2022 award winners in tenth place.

As another year passes, we would like to thank our readers and followers old and new, and we’ve got lots more stories and features coming to the website in 2022.

[Click on the ‘Polo 2017-’, ‘Polo Vivo’, ‘Polo GTI R5’ and ‘Motorsport’ tags in the category drop-down list in the right-hand sidebar to see all entries relating to the sixth-generation Polo, Polo GTI R5, and Polo motorsport activity respectively. Choose other category or month sections for relevant entries.]