Volkswagen will lower output at its Kariega Plant as it prepares for production of the new small SUV in 2026. Image: Volkswagen
Having posted record production figures of more than 167 000 units at its Kariega Plant in the Eastern Cape last year, Volkswagen has announced a revision in offset to under 160 000 units for 2025 as it prepares for the assembly of the eagerly awaited small SUV.
Last year, a total of 167 084 Polo and Polo Vivos left the assembly plant in the town formerly known as Uitenhage, breaking the previous record of 161 954 set in 2019.
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Out of this, 131 485 were Polos bound for export markets, while the remaining 35 599, including Polo Vivos, were sold domestically.
The highest figure in the plant’s 73-year history, the revised outlook comes amid a pending shutdown in order for it to be retooled ahead of the newcomer’s arrival.
Addressing the media at its second product Indaba last week, Volkswagen South Africa Chairperson and Managing Director, Martina Biene, said the revised target of 157 476 units will be due to a stall in production between mid-April and May in order to install 100 robots meant for the newcomer.
The result of a record R4-billion invested into the plant last April, the officially dubbed A0 SUV forms part of a joint venture between India, South Africa and Brazil under both Skoda and Volkswagen names.
Unveiled towards the end of last year as the Skoda Kylaq in India, the A0 will make its debut as a Volkswagen on 2 March in Brazil as the already teased Tera positioned below the South American sibling of the Taigo, the Nivus.
For South Africa though, Biene confirmed that the Tera name won’t be used. Instead, public participation will be called on to name the newcomer by means of a dedicated portal that will go live next month after the Tera’s premiere.
Projected to be shown as a pre-production concept at the 2026 indaba ahead of production starting later that year before the commencing of sales in 2027, the A0 will, more than likely, incorporate styling from the Tera, and derive motivation from the 1.0 TSI engine.
In the Kylaq, the unit produces 85kW/178Nm directed to the front wheels through either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed Tiptronic gearbox.
For South America, the Tera is expected to use to the same engine, but revised to run on ethanol and with the same 96kW/200Nm outputs as the Virtus, known locally as the Polo Sedan.
As is stands, exact details about the A0 SUV remains unknown, however, expect a clearer picture to emerge once the wraps come off the Tera next month.
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