Late in 2017, CARmag.co.za reported the seventh-generation Volkswagen (soon thereafter revealed in Detroit) would not be offered in South Africa. And now that the last of VW SA’s sixth-gen stock has been sold, the Jetta nameplate has officially exited the local market after some 39 years.

Yes, the Jetta is no longer listed on VW SA’s website, with the local arm of the Wolfsburg-based firm now offering just two options for saloon buyers: the Polo Sedan and the Arteon (although the latter could arguably be classed as a fastback rather than a conventional sedan).

The reason you won’t be seeing the seventh-generation Jetta in local dealers? Well, the Wolfsburg-based brand says it will not be producing the fresh version of the sedan in right-hand drive.

Right before its discontinuation, the local Jetta range comprised three variants (down from an eight-strong line-up in late 2014): two 1,4 TSI models and a single 1,6 TDI, all in Comfortline trim and priced from R356 400 to R386 900. Some 72 units were sold in SA in January 2019, with that figure falling to 48 in February and just 19 in March as stock ran dry.

In February 2019, of course, VW SA also confirmed the facelifted Passat would not make it to local shores. The Polo Vivo Sedan, too, left the automaker’s line-up in mid-2018.

So, what will fill the void left by these discontinued sedans? Well, the firm has plans to bolster its crossover range, with the new T-Cross expected to arrive in the third quarter of 2019 and the T-Roc at some point in 2020.

Original article from Car