RESALE VALUE · OCTOBER 2026
Polo vs Polo Vivo vs Swift: what they’re worth after 5 years
Five years on, South Africa’s favourite small hatchbacks still ask about four-fifths of what they cost new. A 2021 Suzuki Swift keeps the biggest share, the Polo Vivo has the most cars for sale, and the Polo loses the most rand. These are the middle asking prices VEQRO found in current South African ads, checked on 7 October 2026.
After 5 years: what a 2021 car is worth today
2021 Suzuki Swift, VW Polo Vivo, Toyota Starlet and VW Polo: new price vs worth today
| Car (2021) | New | Worth now | Typical km | Kept | Ads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swift 1.2 GL | R194 900 | R164 900 | 84 000 | 85% | 4 |
| Polo Vivo 1.4 | R232 500 | R189 995 | 78 000 | 82% | 13 |
| Starlet 1.4 Xi | R225 200 | R179 900 | 86 000 | 80% | 7 |
| Polo 1.0 TSI | R311 800 | R244 900 | 90 000 | 79% | 7 |
In rand, the Swift owner is down about R30 000 after five years, the Polo Vivo owner about R42 500, the Starlet owner about R45 300 and the Polo owner about R66 900. The Polo costs the most to own, but it is also the biggest and quickest of the four (a 70 kW turbo, against 55 kW in the Vivo, 61 kW in the Swift and 68 kW in the Starlet).
Why so little loss? New prices kept climbing. A new Swift 1.2 GL listed at R194 900 in February 2021 and R227 900 in January 2026; a new Starlet (now the 1.5 Xi) lists at R268 300. When new cars cost more, good used ones hold their price.
Polo Vivo: prices by year
Used VW Polo Vivo 1.4 Trendline hatch: what it’s worth today
| Year | Version | Middle price | Most ads ask | Ads | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1.4 Trendline | R106 900 | R89 999 – R132 995 | 4 | 7 Oct |
| 2018 | 1.4 Trendline | R149 995 | R119 000 – R189 950 | 6 | 7 Oct |
| 2020 | 1.4 Trendline | R169 900 | R119 900 – R214 900 | 8 | 7 Oct |
| 2021 | 1.4 Trendline | R189 995 | R149 950 – R219 500 | 13 | 7 Oct |
| 2022 | 1.4 Trendline | R199 900 | R144 990 – R224 888 | 12 | 7 Oct |
Polo: prices by year
Used VW Polo 1.0 TSI hatch: what it’s worth today
| Year | Version | Middle price | Most ads ask | Ads | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1.0 TSI Comfortline | R200 000 | R165 000 – R229 950 | 3 | 7 Oct |
| 2020 | 1.0 TSI Comfortline | R259 900 | R199 990 – R339 000 | 15 | 7 Oct |
| 2021 | 1.0 TSI (70 kW) | R244 900 | R190 000 – R289 995 | 7 | 7 Oct |
| 2022 | 1.0 TSI Life | R299 995 | R249 000 – R319 900 | 4 | 7 Oct |
| 2023 | 1.0 TSI Life | R289 900 | R285 900 – R349 950 | 6 | 24 Sep |
| 2024 | 1.0 TSI Life | R349 500 | R339 000 – R349 900 | 5 | 7 Oct |
Swift: prices by year
Used Suzuki Swift 1.2 GL: what it’s worth today
| Year | Version | Middle price | Most ads ask | Ads | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1.2 GL | R149 950 | R132 900 – R179 800 | 5 | 7 Oct |
| 2021 | 1.2 GL | R164 900 | R126 900 – R179 900 | 4 | 7 Oct |
| 2023 | 1.2 GL | R194 900 | R179 800 – R204 900 | 3 | 7 Oct |
| 2024–26 | 1.2 GL | R199 900 | R189 990 – R209 990 | 8 | 27 Sep |
What to look at before you choose
- Your budget, not the badge
Around R150 000 buys a 2019 Swift 1.2 GL or a 2018 Polo Vivo. Around R190 000 buys a 2021 Polo Vivo or a 2023 Swift. A 2021 Polo needs about R245 000.
- How much choice you’ll have
The two VWs are the easiest to find: 13 ads for a 2021 Polo Vivo 1.4 Trendline and 15 for a 2020 Polo Comfortline, against 3 to 8 per year for the Swift 1.2 GL. More ads make it easier to compare and to walk away from a bad one.
- Kilometres
The 2021 cars in these ads had done about 78 000 to 90 000 km. A car well above that should ask less; one well below deserves a look at the service book.
- The exact version
Trim changes the price more than most buyers expect: new, a 2021 Polo 1.0 TSI Life listed at R350 000 against R311 800 for the plain 1.0 TSI. Check the badge and the papers before you compare.