VW's Kariega plant gears up for new budget SUV production

Volkswagen Group Africa is preparing its Kariega plant for the introduction of a third locally built model, scheduled to enter production in 2027. As part of this transition, the facility will pause Polo and Polo Vivo production for four weeks, from April 14 to May 12.

The carmaker said this temporary shutdown would allow its teams to complete upgrades across the body shop, paint shop and final assembly areas. These updates form part of a broader project to ready the production facility for the upcoming A0 SUV Entry model. Known as the Tera in Brazil, it's based on the Polo chassis and slots in under the T-Cross.

The work builds on changes made during the December 2024 shutdown, when about 60% of the required modifications were carried out. That phase included installing 38 new fixtures and seven robots, among other updates critical to the production line.

The next stage will finalise the remaining 40% of changes. Tasks include completing installations in the body shop, reprogramming and modifying stations in the paint shop and adjusting conveyor systems in final assembly. Once completed, the commissioning phase for the new budget-friendly SUV will begin.

This model rollout follows a R4bn investment confirmed at the VW Indaba in February 2024. In addition to plant upgrades, preparations have included supply chain localisation and international collaboration. The procurement team has completed supplier nominations in line with local content targets, while product development is under way with support from Volkswagen do Brasil. A VWGA project lead is now embedded at the São Bernardo do Campo facility to oversee technical co-ordination.

Production teams from South Africa and Brazil are also working closely on the entry-level SUV's launch. As part of its customer engagement strategy, Volkswagen plans to open a naming campaign across the African continent in the coming months.

“This project is understandably a very exciting one for us,” said VWGA production director, Ulrich Schwabe.

“When the first unit of this new vehicle rolls off our production line, it will be a proud moment for the entire Volkswagen Group Africa family, and I firmly believe this new vehicle will be just as iconic as the beloved Polo and Vivo we are already building.”