Out of the top 10 most-enquired-on VW vehicles on AutoTrader, the VW Citi Chico holds its value the best.
This conclusion was reached by comparing the average pre-owned price in 2021 for the most-enquired-on VWs on AutoTrader with the prices of these vehicles when they were new.
VW is a popular brand in South Africa and its Polo Vivo hatchback has been crowned the best-selling passenger car in the country many times.
High demand for a vehicle or brand generally translates into better value retention on the second-hand market, and we set out to see if this remains true for all VWs in South Africa.
What we found
The list below shows the top 10 most-enquired-on VW vehicles on AutoTrader for the first six months of 2021.
The list features a few modern models, such as the Polo and Polo Vivo, but also shows that South Africans are actively looking at buying a variety of previous-generation VWs.
This includes the VW Citi Chico, which shows the lowest depreciation rate while being the oldest vehicle on the list.
However, a possible explanation for its perceived value retention can be attributed to inflation.
The Chico reached the bottom of its depreciation curve a while ago, meaning its average second-hand price has since risen with inflation.
The second-best value-holding VW is the Polo Vivo, the company’s most popular model and arguably the modern incarnation of the Chico.
Thanks to its popularity, the Polo Vivo retains its second-hand value better than other modern VWs on the market.
Most other models then averaged a depreciation rate of around 4% per year, while purpose-built vehicles like the Golf GTI and Kombi minibus also performed surprisingly well over the years.
2017 VW Polo Hatch 1.2 Highline
- Price when new – R276,300
- Average pre-owned price – R232,535
- Value lost – 16%
2014 VW Golf GTI Auto
- Price when new – R408,800
- Average pre-owned price – R305,679
- Value lost – 25%
2018 VW Polo Vivo Hatch 1.4 Trendline
- Price when new – R182,200
- Average pre-owned price – R176,935
- Value lost – 3%
2017 VW Amarok 2.0BiTDI Highline 4Motion Auto
- Price when new – R590,600
- Average pre-owned price – R493,067
- Value lost – 17%
2016 VW Tiguan 1.4TSI Comfortline Auto
- Price when new – R472,400
- Average pre-owned price – R348,699
- Value lost – 26%
2013 VW Jetta 1.4TSI Comfortline Auto
- Price when new – R277,200
- Average pre-owned price – R170,268
- Value lost – 39%
2005 VW Citi 1.4i Chico
- Price when new – +/-R73,000
- Average pre-owned price – R62,691
- Value lost – 14%
2018 VW Caddy 2.0TDI Crew Bus
- Price when new – +/- R330,000
- Average pre-owned price – R289,803
- Value lost – 12%
2014 VW Kombi 2.0TDI SWB Trendline
- Price when new – R415,335
- Average pre-owned price – R382,244
- Value lost – 8%
2020 VW T-Cross 1.0TSI Highline
- Price when new – R420,200
- Average pre-owned price – R402,573
- Value lost – 4%
Keyword: Polo vs Golf – Which VW cars hold their value the best