Bucket Seat: VWSA Indaba 2025

This week saw Volkswagen SA host their annual Indaba at their plant in Kariega in the Eastern Cape, after a successful 2024 for the plant which saw them become the sole exporter of the popular Polo in Europe and Asia Pacific, this aided for a new record of 131 485 units exported from for the year. This couple with the enhancements done to the Polo Vivo put the plant in a strong position in the global Volkswagen plants. While facts and figures are always important to punt the companies local presence, we were more interested in seeing that new vehicles were in store for our shores for the 2025 year, and we were not disappointed. 

Starting off with a question most journalists have been asked for the past 2 years, will we see a non performance version of the Golf 8? Well, no but we will see the introduction of the entry level Golf 8.5! Yes, VWSA are finally bringing the 1.4TSI 110kW TSI engine version of its popular Golf model to the country. The new Golf generation being with it a large infotainment system, more intuitive operating concept, a sharper front and rear end design as well as efficient drive systems. The revamp in design make it stand out more than the Golf 8 and with options of packages ranging from Life, Life+, R-Line and R-line+, there is enough variety to spec your Golf 8.5 TSI to your preferences. While VWSA did have an 8.5 GTI on display, there was no indication on whether that would be hitting the roads as well. 

Next up is an SUV which borrows a lot from the newly introduced Tiguan, is the VW Tayron, which essentially is the Tiguan All-Space which has been given a new name. The model will be introduced in the second half of the year and is a 7-seater sport utility vehicle that is positioned between the Touareg and Tiguan. The car is engineered and built in the Wolfsburg plant in Germany and features technology from the premium level Touareg including IQ.Light HD Matrix headlights, massage seat functions, adaptive cruise control and ambient lighting. It also has advanced safety features like exit warning system, travel assist for a safer, more convenient driving experience and lane change and keep assist. Apart from being just a longer version of the Tiguan, the Tayron has different design characteristics with slightly different shaped headlights, with a illuminated VW badge in front, and a different lighting pattern on the rear lights. It also has sporty elements on the R-Line like 19-inch alloy wheels, R-Line bumpers and 30-colour ambient lighting. 

Another SUV that got introduced is the much loved T-Cross which has been the best selling in the T segment for the company, with over 36,000 units sold since its launch in 2019, it only makes sense that they expand the offerings to capatilise on its success with two new derivatives. These are the 1.0TSI 70kW manual and the 1.0 TSI 85kW DSG, these form the perfect base onto build a perfect SUV that has a blend of performance, style and advanced features. Like the model which is currently on sale, the T-Cross comes standard with an 8" Digital Cockpit, App-Connect, Multi-function steering wheel, 2 USB port in front and a tyre pressure monitoring system. 

Other models showcased included the Polo 15th Edition that celebrates 15 years of Polo Vivo, these will be limited to 1500 units and available in the third quarter of the year. A Polo GTI Black Style which features all the black treatment on the alloys, mirrors, diffuses and seats. The VW Transporter will also make its way in the country in the second quarter. The new Transporter features larger dimensions, including a 146mm increased length and wider body, it comes with LED headlights, 12-inch Digital cockpit and advanced infotainment system with mobile app connectivity. It will only be available in the 2.0 TDI engine but with a choice of a 6-speed manual gearbox or an 8-speed automatic.

 Another announcement at the Indaba saw the Volkswagen Group take over the retail operations of Ducati in South Africa. This taking the tally up to 4 offerings from the Group which already includes VW passenger Cars, Audi and VW Commercial.