The Toyota Auris has everything going for it. From the well crafted exterior to a fairly spacious interior, everything feels just right. It borrows bits and pieces from the diverse Toyota range and blends them into this dignified hatchback. It competes with the Subaru Impreza, VW Golf, Mazda Axela, Nissan Tiida, Peugeot 306 and Audi A3.

It's common knowledge that Subaru builds some of the most reliable cars globally and the Exiga is no exception. It's based on the Legacy platform from which it borrows 50% of its components. The Exiga is a 7 seater MPV that was in production from 2008 to 2018. It's demise was precipitated by the arrival of the Subaru Ascent which the company is positioning as the flagship 7 seater option. The Exiga competes with the Toyota Wish, Mazda Premacy and Nissan Lafesta

The Toyota Spade is largely the same as the Toyota Porte save for minor differences in body styling. It aims to address the exterior shortcomings of the Porte which has highly been criticized. The Spade comes with sharper headlights and an angular bumper that give it a much more respectable look. It competes with the Nissan Cube, Mazda Scrum Peugeot Partner and VW Caddy.

The Toyota Porte is a utilitarian car that would best be described as a box on wheels. It is a compact MPV that is proving to be quite a hit with businesspeople in Kenya who are drawn by its affordability and utility. It replaced the Toyota Raum which was discontinued in 2011. Thanks to its spacious interior, the Porte can be configured for multiple roles such as carrying passengers or hauling cargo. It competes with the Nissan Cube, Mazda Scrum Peugeot Partner and VW Caddy.

The Nissan Dualis is a compact SUV with a gentle demeanor that belies its true capabilities. It's one of the few cars 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 where road conditions greatly vary even within the same city. It competes with the Mitsubishi RVR, Subaru XV, Nissan Juke, Honda HR-V and Peugeot 2008.

The Toyota Vellfire is largely the same as Toyota Alphard that we recently reviewed and their differences are more cosmetic than functional. We were greatly impressed by the Toyota Alphard especially its lavish interior and we expected nothing less from its sibling. True to form, the Vellfire did not disappoint and it put on such a rousing performance that left no doubt about its claim to fame.

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 Nissan March is not a new kid on the block. It has been around since 1982 which is a testament to its success and longevity in a crowded marketplace. It's also known as the Nissan Micra(pronounced Mycra) in markets outside of Japan and Asia. In Kenya, it competes with the Toyota Passo, Mazda Verisa and Suzuki Swift