The Suzuki Swift has been in production since 2004 but has somehow gone unnoticed in the Kenyan market. This is largely due to the stranglehold that Toyota has had on this market which has for a long time suppressed competition. Now the stranglehold is whittling and people are beginning to notice other alternatives such as the Suzuki Swift. It competes with the Toyota Passo, Nissan March, Mazda Verisa and Mini Cooper.
The Mazda Atenza still remains one of the most impressive Japanese cars we’ve driven. Its build quality is exceptional starting from the well crafted exterior to the tastefully furnished interior, everything feels right. It’s available in station wagon and saloon body types with a range of powerful but yet economical engines in the lineup. It competes with the BMW 3 series, Mercedes C200, Toyota Mark X, Subaru Legacy, VW Passat and Audi A4
The VW Polo is a popular mini hatchback that has been in production from 1975 and sold in markets worldwide. It enjoys considerable success in Kenya but faces stiff competition from cheaper Japanese alternatives that have dominated the market for a while. These include the Toyota Passo, Nissan March, Mazda Verisa, Toyota Vitz and Mazda Demio
The Mazda Premacy is a 7 seater minivan that was in production in Japan from 1999 to 2017. Though it enjoys some modest success in Kenya, it has perennially remained in the shadows of the more successful Toyota Wish. This is largely due to the strength of the Toyota brand and nothing else really. Read on to find out why the Mazda Premacy could offer better value for money
The Isuzu D-Max is a reliable workhorse that can clock high miles without skipping a beat. If you’re a family person with occasional need for light transport, then the D-Max has you covered. The range topping LS model is an excellent family car with capacity for light cargo. All in all, the D-Max is an excellent vehicle that is in tune with the Kenyan market.
The Mitsubishi Galant Fortis entered the market in 2007 riding on the same name as the original Galant that was discontinued in 2005 and hoping to inject the sporty appeal of the Lancer Evolution. It was initially offered as a saloon until 2008 when the hatchback version known as the Galant Fortis Sportsback was added to the lineup. It then went on a production run that ended in 2015 when the curtain fell on this respectable motor.
The Toyota Belta was an attempt to reimagine the popular Vitz in a saloon body and obviously the experiment did not work as it was scrapped in a little over 6 years. Before it, there was the Platz which was similarly built on the Vitz platform and suffered the same fate. That aside, the Belta has connected well with Kenyan buyers and is among the most popular saloons in this market. Its key selling points are affordability, fuel economy and utility. It competes with the Honda Fit Aria, Nissan Tiida, and Toyota Axio.
The Toyota Sienta is 7-seater compact minivan that is sold predominantly in Japan and select Asian markets. In Kenya, it’s popular with business people and people with large families thanks to its affordability and utility. It’s a practical car that’s not overloaded with sensors which makes it reliable and easy to maintain. It simply gets the job done in a practical and efficient way. It competes with the Honda Freed, Honda Fit Shuttle, VW Touran and Peugeot Partner