Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) reaffirmed its dominance in the South African automotive industry after taking home top honours at the prestigious Naamsa Accelerator Awards, held on Friday, 3 October, during the fourth edition of SA Auto Week.

Hosted in Gqeberha for the first time, the Naamsa Accelerator Awards celebrated automotive excellence across key categories such as manufacturing, sales, exports, transformation, and empowerment. VWGA stood out as one of the night’s biggest winners, securing two major accolades in the Manufacturing category — Vehicle of the Year: Top Local Manufacturer and Top Exported Vehicle of the Year, both awarded to the legendary Volkswagen Polo.

Built exclusively at Volkswagen’s Kariega Plant, the Polo continues to be a global success story. The facility is the sole manufacturer of the Polo for the Europe and Asia-Pacific regions, exporting to more than 30 countries while maintaining a strong presence in the local market. In 2024, the Polo was South Africa’s most exported vehicle, with 131,485 units shipped abroad.

Adding to the celebration, the Volkswagen Polo Vivo was named Passenger Car of the Year in the New Vehicle Sales category. Built in Kariega since 2010, the Vivo remains a South African favourite — proudly holding the title of best-selling car in 2025 (year-to-date).

Remarkably, this marks the second consecutive year that both the Polo and Polo Vivo have received these top distinctions, cementing VWGA’s consistency in delivering world-class vehicles.

“To win these titles for our vehicles once is proof we’re doing something right; to win the same titles two years in a row shows we’re doing things right consistently,” said Ulrich Schwabe, Production Director at Volkswagen Group Africa. “I’m incredibly proud of our teams at Kariega whose dedication and craftsmanship continue to drive our success.”