The Toyota Land Cruiser is arguably the most transcendent 4×4 in the world today. It is the longest running Toyota production vehicle, in the market since 1951. In Kenya, it’s a status symbol favored by the high and the might, simply known as the Land Cruiser V8.
The Nissan Tiida is 5 door Hatchback that has been in production since 2004. The saloon version is known as the Nissan Tiida Latio and they differ only in body style. In recent years, the Nissan Tiida has come under increased scrutiny from Kenyans who are shifting preference towards economical and affordable cars. It competes with the Toyota Auris, Subaru Impreza, VW Golf, and Mazda Axela
The Toyota Succeed was introduced to the Japanese market in mid 2002 and is closely related to the Toyota Probox. It is marketed as a 5 seater economical station wagon. Both the Toyota Succeed and the Toyota Probox are popular in the Kenyan market especially with businessmen. Its difficult to distinguish the two at casual observation.
The Nissan Dualis also known as the Nissan Qashqai is a compact SUV that strikes a perfect balance between economy and utility in one package. It’s as economical as any hatchback can be and yet as dynamic as any SUV can be. It has all the qualities that are desirable for driving in Kenya such as a good ground clearance and carrying capacity . It competes with the Mitsubishi RVR, Subaru XV, Nissan Juke, Honda HR-V and Peugeot 2008.
The Toyota Probox is a light commercial vehicle that was introduced to the Japanese market in mid 2002. A few years later, it connected well with Kenyan businessmen and it has been a best seller ever since. The name simply stands for Professional Box. It is largely the same as the Toyota Succeed save for minor differences.
The Toyota Ractis is a small sized hatchback that was introduced to the market in 2005. Locally it competes with the Nissan Note and Honda Fit. It replaced the Toyota Funcargo which was discontinued the same year. The Ractis has proven to be a big hit in the Kenyan market thanks to its excellent fuel economy, space and affordable maintenance. It can be configured to carry passengers or luggage depending on the need, thanks to its high roof and flat fold seats.
If you are a businessman looking for a light transport vehicle, then the Isuzu D-Max makes for a compelling buy. It’s 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. Its devoid of unnecessary gizmos that make most modern cars so complex to maintain. Its simple, reliable and it gets the job done.
The Subaru Outback has been an all time favorite amongst Kenyans ever since it was introduced to this market back in 2004. In essence the Subaru Outback is the same as the Subaru Legacy save for suspension and engine variations. The Subaru Outback is a very capable off-road vehicle.On the tarmac, there are few station wagons that can keep pace with the Subaru Outback and off the tarmac, it can go toe-to-toe with the best 4x4s.