TOP 5 Stylish Cars Under KSh 1 Million

One of the main factors that influences our choice when buying a new is car is price although increasingly, additional factors like comfort, status symbol, style, safety and maintenance costs are being considered by savvy and fashion conscious Kenyan buyers. Afterall, no one wants to spend a bank-busting amount of money/loan on a depreciating asset.

All these factors are important before making the ultimate decision but what we can all agree is that every car buyer wants to spend less and still get value at the same time. Most importantly, most Nairobians and Kenyans want a stylish car with good technical performance and still at a reasonable price. Do you want to save an extra KSh 100,000, many Kenyans opt to directly import their vehicles from the Japanese and Asian markets, cutting out dealers and middlemen. The vehicle import process has been streamlined, with all the necessary information and step by step guidelines freely available on the internet. In addition, these cars under KSh 1M will save you few extra coins when looking for car insurance quotes in Kenya . At this price, you will be paying conformtable premiums of under KSh 40,000 per year.

These are the top 5 most popular cars in Kenya if your budget is the KSh 1 million mark.

Subaru Forrester

For most speed lovers, it’s the car of choice because it’s powerful and yet still exudes confidence and style. The third generation especially is very easy to the eye, suiting the young and trendy, couples and yet still an attractive option even for small families.
The Forester was first introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1995 though the first sale of the flagship car was in 1997 and 1998 for the US market.

The Forester was one of the first emerging crossover SUVs and it was built in the style of a car, but had a taller stance, higher h-point seating, and an all-wheel drive train. Subaru advertising employed the slogan "SUV tough, Car Easy". It used the Impreza platform but with the larger 2.5-liter DOHC EJ25D four-cylinder boxer engine from the Outback, making 165 hp (123 kW) at 5600 rpm and 162 lb·ft (220 N·m) of torque at 4000 rpm.

Well you can get the Forester in Kenya for a million or even less depending on the year of manufacture. A quick check on leading Kenyan website for new and second hand cars cheki.co.ke shows a Subaru forester from 2006 goes for roughly KSh 980,000 and goes to as low as 650,000 for a 2001 version.

Toyota Mark X

The Mark X is also a favourite among many Kenyans and just like the Forester can be bought for less than a million. It has stylish exterior resembling the Mercedes Benz E class models, with a very sleek interior and low maintenance.

First manufactured in 2004 and designed for the Asian market, it is a successor to the Mark II which was first introduced in 1968 and it is available with either a 253 horsepower (189 kW) 3.0 L or 212 horsepower (158 kW) 2.5 L GR series V6 engine. Both engines offer dual VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing). The rear-wheel drive models have a 6-speed automatic transmission as standard, and the all-wheel drive models have a 5-speed automatic.

You can comfortably get the second generation of the vehicle (2007-2009) from between KSh 700,000 and KSh 900,000 on most of the online second car websites like olx.co.ke, cheki, autobazaar and most second hand dealers near you. For example, cheki features a 2007 Mark X version going for KSh 780,000 and another 2009 version going for exactly KSh 1 million.

Toyota RAV 4

Another Toyota that Kenyans adore is definitely the RAV 4. A compact crossover SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota with the first one making its debut in Japan and Europe in 1994.

The vehicle was designed for consumers wanting a vehicle that had most of the benefits of SUVs, such as increased cargo room, higher visibility, and the option of full-time four-wheel drive, along with the maneuverability and fuel economy of a compact car. Although not all RAV4s are four-wheel drive, RAV4 stands for "Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-wheel drive" because the aforementioned equipment is an option in select countries. So what if I told you it’s possible to get all this for less than a million?

To get this fantastic urban SUV vehicle on the second hand market, you will have to compromise on the mileage and age, the older versions of the RAV 4 like a 2005 model which go up to KSh 950,000 or a 2002 version which will be slightly cheaper at around the KSh 800,000 mark.

BMW 318i

Then there is the BWM 318i which is both stylish and elegant and which can be bought for less than a million Kenya shillings. This German machine exudes power and style and is a major status symbol even for those with a not so extravagant budget.

The 318i is a member of the BMW E36 series, which is the third generation of the BMW 3 Series, a range of entry-level luxury cars that commenced production in the year 1990. The E36 was the first 3 Series to be offered in a hatchback body style was also the first 3 Series to be available with a 6-speed manual transmission (in the 1996 M3), a 5-speed automatic transmission and a four-cylinder diesel engine. The multi-link rear suspension was also a significant upgrade compared with previous generations of 3 Series.

The 318i encompasses a four cylinder petrol engine and other members of its fort include the BMW 316i and the 318is.
Looking at the 318i prices online, the 2002 version of the 318i for as low as KSh 695,000 and 2004 version for KSh 800,000.

Mercedes Benz C Class

The final and perhaps most stylish vehicle on the list is the C Class. It is a line of compact executive cars produced by Daimler AG and was introduced in 1993 as a replacement for the 190 (W201). It has a range of cars like the C180, C 200, C 300 and many more but our focus will be primarily on the first two which are the most common in the country.

The C class held the top spot as the smallest model in the marque's line-up until the A-Class arrived in 1997 and it has evolved into 4 generations since its inception. The latest version was the W205 C-class which was launched at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. It is the first car to use the all-new Modular Rear Architecture (MRA) platform which is significantly lighter using aluminium and high strength steel extensively throughout the body, resulting in a 100-kilogram (220 lb) weight decrease.

The C Class is the most popular Mercedes Benz line on Kenyan roads ahead of the E Class sedans. The C200 is most popular, featuring sleek exterior, superior comfortable interiors and an elegant Mercedes body. This is a status symbol for most young urban professionals boasting of the exclusive Mercedes brand and German engineering.

Both online and offline car bazaars, most vehicles from the range go for between KSh 800,000 and 1 million for versions from 2003 to 2005, stretch your budget by a couple of hundred thousands and you could get a C Class machine from 2007 in very mint condition!