Volkswagen: Facelift Polo Vivo a sign of affordability commitment

Volkswagen has hit back at criticism of the price of its vehicles, saying its decision to keep the sticker of the newly facelift Polo Vivo unchanged shows it commitment to affordable motoring.

Techier and safer but no more expensive

Amidst disapproval on various social media platforms, Wolfsburg’s Product Manager for Marketing, Gina Handley, said the support of a local engineering team has been fundamental in helping to keep the Vivo’s price down despite the addition of new safety and technical features.

Besides a new nine-inch touchscreen infotainment all models come standard with, only the base Vivo misses out on the airbags integrated into the sides of the front seats as a means of offsetting the lack of curtain restraints that would have made it significantly pricier.

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Based on the fifth generation Polo that debuted in 2009, the second generation Vivo, which replaced the original in 2018, also gets Electronic Stability Control and a tyre pressure monitor as standard across the range, although a reverse camera and rear parking sensors are both optional.

“Vivo remains an affordable vehicle considering what technology and value we add in. It might not have the features in terms of certain gimmicks, but in terms of safety you get, it remains affordable,” Handley told The Citizen on the sidelines of the Vivo’s market launch in Gqeberha last week.

“We will always try and find ways to make the car affordable but at the same time making sure that safety, security and fuel consumption remain paramount.

“The car is affordable to maintain with [spare] parts being paramount and looking at the facelift, we [have managed to keep] pricing competitive by keeping it the same as the run-out Vivo, but with a lot more features,” Handley said.

Vivo’s future

At the same time, Handley also stated that the Vivo, which Volkswagen earlier this year indicated would remain in production till at least 2027, will prevail as its entry-level model with a replacement for the discontinued up! not receiving any current consideration.

“There are future plans and we are looking at opportunities [for and up! replacement] but for now, the Vivo is our entry-level model,” she said.

Speaking after the Vivo’s reveal, Volkswagen South Africa CEO Marina Biene remarked that the current sixth generation Polo would not make the transition to a Polo Vivo before the end of the decade.

A move that comes after the European Union’s relaxing of the controversial Euro 7 emissions requirements in May, which would have resulted in the Polo ceasing production this year, updates will now be applied to the keep it modern as per subsequent comments by Volkswagen Passenger Vehicle Brand boss, Thomas Schäfer.

“We will keep it fresh. The car runs well. It’s a good entry into the brand,” the former head of Volkswagen South Africa told Britain’s Autocar at the time.

Incoming trio

The ongoing production of the Polo Vivo and Polo, the latter now made exclusively at the Kariega Plant, formerly Uitenhage, for both the local and export markets, will eventually expand to the three with the much rumoured small SUV developed in conjunction with Volkswagen Brazil and India.

Teased by Czech sister brand Skoda last month, the still unnamed newcomer will be assembled at Kariega from 2027 in a capacity Biene hinted could see it replace the Polo, albeit not to the extent of it becoming a third generation Vivo.

For the moment, clearer details are only expected over the next 18 to 24 months, however, those of the new SUV could emerge sooner as evident of Skoda introducing it next year in India with Brazil following in 2026.

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