A local trademark application suggests Volkswagen might be planning to revive the high-riding Polo Vivo Maxx in South Africa. Here’s what we know so far…
- VW files to trademark “Polo Vivo Maxx” in SA
- Original Maxx derivative launched back in 2013
- 2nd high-riding version hit SA market in 2018
Remember the Volkswagen Polo Vivo Maxx, that high-riding version of South Africa’s best-selling passenger car? Well, we’ve stumbled across a trademark application that suggests the German firm’s local division might just be thinking of reviving the name.
Cars.co.za can confirm that late in September 2025, VW’s head office in Wolfsburg filed a trademark application to protect the “Polo Vivo Maxx” badge in South Africa. Around the same time, the automaker also made fresh applications for “Vivo”, “Polo Vivo” and “Polo Vivo Eclipse” (the latter familiar from another local special edition). All applications are currently listed as pending.
Interestingly, VW previously owned all 4 of these trademarks, but each had its respective status changed to “removed” after the brand seemingly failed to renew them in South Africa. Protection for the Vivo and Polo Vivo nameplates fell away in 2020, before the Maxx and Eclipse trademarks were removed in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Of course, as we always point out in reports involving trademark filings, an application by an automaker to protect a badge is by no means a guarantee the brand will use the nameplate in question. Sometimes it’s simply a case of one company preventing a rival firm from snapping up said trademark.
But there’s certainly still a chance VW Group Africa is considering a Vivo Maxx comeback. Indeed, the German firm’s local division has just officially revived another name familiar from earlier in the Kariega-built Polo Vivo nameplate’s life – the “Xpress” light-commercial vehicle – after rolling out special “Edition 15” derivatives last year.
As a reminder, the original Vivo Maxx hit the market back in February 2013, with the next-gen version following in June 2018 (before quietly exiting towards the end of 2020). Both iterations of this cross-hatchback were distinguished by raised suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels (“Budapest” rims for the original and “Canyon” items for the 2nd), silver-painted side-mirror caps, sportier tailpipe trim, aluminium roof rails and “Maxx” decals. Inside, both had sports pedals and painted centre consoles. The later model furthermore featured black-plastic body cladding.
If VW Group Africa were to revive the Maxx, we’d expect it to be powered by either the 77 kW/153 Nm naturally aspirated 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder engine (used by mid- and high-spec versions of the Polo Vivo) or perhaps even the turbocharged 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder motor (81 kW/200 Nm) currently reserved for the flagship GT derivative.
So, will we see a new Maxx-badged version of the Polo Vivo hatch in the future? Well, with nothing confirmed, we’ll simply have to wait to see whether such a model does indeed materialise…
Find a used VW Polo Vivo Maxx on Cars.co.za!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About the Potential VW Polo Vivo Maxx Revival
Q: Is the Volkswagen Polo Vivo Maxx officially returning to South Africa?
A: While VW Group Africa hasn’t formally announced its return, the company filed a fresh trademark application for “Polo Vivo Maxx” in late 2025. This move suggests the brand might be protecting the nameplate for a potential 2026 or 2027 revival.
Q: What features would a new Vivo Maxx likely include?
A: If it follows the formula of previous generations, a new Maxx would be a “cross-hatch” version of the current facelifted Vivo. We would expect raised suspension for better ground clearance, roof rails, derivative-specific alloy wheels and black-plastic body cladding to give it a more rugged, SUV-inspired look.
Q: Which engine would power the new Vivo Maxx?
A: It would most likely use the 1.6-litre naturally aspirated engine (77 kW/153 Nm) found in the Style trim. However, there is speculation that VW could use the flagship 1.0-litre TSI turbo engine (81 kW/200 Nm) from the GT to give the Maxx the extra “grunt” needed to match its adventurous styling.
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