Kenya rewards a very specific vehicle profile: **right-hand drive, under 8 years old, small or hybrid engine** (excise scales with displacement), and a model with parts support in Nairobi. Here is what we recommend, and why.
## 1. Haval H6 (RHD) The default Chinese SUV in East Africa. Strong dealer presence regionally, familiar shape for buyers coming out of Japanese SUVs, and the 1.5T falls into a friendlier excise band than 2.0L+ alternatives. Best all-round resale.
## 2. Changan CS35 Plus / CS55 Compact crossovers that undercut used Japanese equivalents while offering newer interiors and safety kit. Popular with first-time private buyers and small fleet operators.
## 3. Chery Tiggo 4 / Tiggo 7 Pro Chery has the widest regional after-sales footprint of any Chinese brand in Africa. If your customer''s first question is "where do I service it?", this is the answer.
## 4. MG ZS Genuinely RHD by design, good build quality, and a badge that Kenyan buyers already recognise. The petrol version clears cheaper than the EV once excise and charging concerns are factored in.
## 5. Maxus / JMC pickups and vans For matatu operators, agri buyers and logistics SMEs, single- and double-cab pickups have the strongest utilisation economics — and commercial-use duty treatment is more forgiving than large SUVs.
## 6. BYD Dolphin / Atto 3 (for Nairobi buyers) EVs attract the lowest excise band, and Nairobi''s charging network is now viable for city use. Confirm the charging plug: Chinese-market units are GB/T, so we supply an adapter or source a CCS2 variant.
## What to avoid - Anything over 8 years from first registration — it cannot be cleared. - Left-hand drive, at any price. - Large-displacement V6 SUVs: the excise band destroys the margin.
## Landed cost Every listing on CarSourceHub has a landed-cost calculator: pick **Mombasa** and it adds freight, insurance, duty, excise, VAT, IDF and RDL to the FOB price. Send us your target retail price in Nairobi and we will work backwards to a buy price that leaves you a margin.