The VW Passat is popular in Europe especially in the UK where it ranks among the most popular family cars. In Kenya, its mildly popular having been overshadowed by the cheaper Japanese alternatives. It was at one time a government standard before it fell out of favor with the powers that be. It competes with the Toyota Avensis, Subaru Legacy, BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 and Toyota Mark X.
The Toyota Mark X was developed to attract a younger generation of buyers and it has become quite popular in Kenya for a number of reasons. First, it’s a worthy competitor to the more expensive German cars and secondly, it has a good quality build borrowing its body styling, chassis and interior from the Lexus GS. Additionally. it offers great performance, comfort and reliability. It competes with the BMW 5 Series, Subaru Legacy, Mercedes Benz C200, BMW 320i and Nissan Fuga.
The Mitsubishi Pajero has had a long and illustrious tenure in the 4×4 club spanning 37 years in which there have been only four major iterations. This is not only a demonstration of its timeless appeal but also its ability to thrive in the ever changing automotive landscape. In Kenya, it reigned supreme in the 80s and 90s before it was dethroned by the Toyota Prado. Other competitors include the Land Rover Discovery, the Ford Everest and the Nissan Pathfinder.
The VW Touareg is a capable mid-sized SUV that entered production in 2002 to serve a niche market that was initially dominated by BMW and Mercedes. In Kenya it received a lukewarm reception thanks to concerns about reliability and maintenance costs that accompany European cars. While there’s merit in these concerns, which we will delve into later, the reality is that the VW Touareg is an outstanding car that boasts of top safety ratings, excellent build quality, off-road capability and sports-like performance. It competes with the BMW X5, Mercedes M-Class, Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7, Range Rover Sport and Volvo XC90.
The Mercedes A Class was perennially outclassed by the Audi A3 and the BMW 1 Series until the arrival of the third generation model in 2013 that changed things drastically and sent the competition back to the drawing board. Without question, the A-Class is a leader in the hatchback category and is dominant across many aspects such as design, space, comfort and performance. It competes with the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series, Volvo V40, VW Golf and Peugeot 308.
The VW Golf has a long history in Kenya that stretches back to the 70s and initially it was regarded as a reliable car before it took a hit with the arrival of the often misunderstood DSG gearbox. The problem itself is not with the gearbox but rather a user issue that starts from ignorant owners who don’t bother to read the Owner’s Manual to unqualified road-side mechanics who don’t have the right skills to service the car. In summary, the VW Golf is a reliable car and with proper maintenance, it can run for many years without a problem. It competes with the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series, Mercedes A-Class, Mazda Axela, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Auris and the Mitsubishi Galant Fortis Sportback
The 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander is a 5 or 7 seater SUV that is offered in both 2WD and 4WD. It competes with the Nissan Xtrail, Toyota Vanguard, Toyota Rav4, Subaru Forester and the VW Tiguan. In this category, the Outlander and the Vanguard are the only 7 seaters.
Lexus is pushing the boundaries of luxury with the NX and it’s sparing no effort in its first attempt at the lucrative compact SUV category which it neglected in folly to chase the now declining full-sized category. The NX is fielding some of the latest technologies and finest accessories in the Lexus stable and this gamble is paying off big time going by latest sales numbers. It’s directly competing with established luxury brands such as the BMW X3, Mercedes Benz GLC, Audi Q3, VW Tiguan and the Range Rover Evoque. It also competes to a lesser extent with the Mazda CX-5, Nissan X-Trail, Subaru Forester, Toyota Rav-4, Honda CR-V, and Mitsubishi Outlander.