- The Tengo will be the third model built at Plant Kariega alongside Polo and Polo Vivo
- This new SUV has been developed specifically for African markets
Making history in more ways than one, the first Volkswagen Tengo destined for an African customer rolled off the production line at Plant Kariega on 9 November 2026.
The Volkswagen plant is officially in full series production of the Tengo, ahead of its South African market introduction in early 2027.
This milestone, which is the culmination of a R4-billion investment first announced in 2024, marks a key moment in Volkswagen history in several ways. The Tengo, which will be built alongside the popular Polo and Polo Vivo, is the first new model to be added to the plant’s production line-up since these two vehicles were first introduced in 2010. It is also the first Volkswagen SUV manufactured at Plant Kariega, where the brand has been building its iconic vehicles for the past 75 years.
Based on its Brazilian sibling the Volkswagen Tera, the Tengo has been developed specifically for African markets, as the Volkswagen brand continues its plans to expand their presence across the African continent. Even the name for the Tengo is truly African, chosen by Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) employees and customers in various African countries during a naming competition run in 2025. The name means strength, resilience and purpose in many African languages.
Collaborating closely with colleagues at Volkswagen do Brasil, VWGA benefited from the knowledge gleaned from the Tera in order to develop their own, right-hand-drive version of the compact SUV. In keeping with its proudly African identity, roughly 45% of the components that make up the Tengo, are supplied by local companies.
A recent visit at the end of October – which included the Volkswagen Brand’s Board Member for Production and Logistics, Dr Christian Vollmer, Miguel Sanches, Head of Production for the Southern Hemisphere region, and Thomas Mehringer, Executive Director for Corporate Quality in the Southern Hemisphere – served as the final green light to start building the Tengo.
“I am grateful to all the colleagues who made this milestone possible,” said Marc Stephan, VWGA’s Director for Production and Logistics. “Soon the first Tengos will go to our customers across Africa, and I do not doubt they will love this vehicle as much as our employees already do.”
“The VWGA team has showed exactly what we are capable of, and they can be incredibly proud of this phenomenal achievement,” said Christiane Zorn, VWGA Chairperson and Managing Director. “I also want to thank our suppliers, dealers, stakeholders and loyal fans who are part of this journey. I hope our customers are ready for this iconic vehicle, built in Africa and for Africa.”
