Those who have a Toyota in Kenya should hold on to it, especially if it is somewhat dated.
In the country today, owning one of the models of Japan's most celebrated automaker is to be considered a luxury good, and the very high costs of new production from Japan combined with registration fees and not least the inflation of the shilling against the dollar, have forced many dealers to reduce the importation of various types of Toyotas.
Thus the Kenyan middle class is looking for bargains and is willing to pay much more than before for second-hand Toyotas, while on the new side, they are jumping to Nissans and Mazdas that cost much less.
Among the most popular cars among Kenyans are the Toyota Premio and the celebrated RAV4, in all its variations from series to series.

Today for a Rav4 one can go as high as 3 million shillings, and even the 20-year-old model is not sold for less than 1.2 million.

There are many Italians who have bought RAV4s and know that they are holding a cashier's check, assuming they treat it properly. Slightly different discussion for larger models and large safari off-roaders, not only because there are fewer imports but because the safari field has seen its market shrink exponentially in recent years.

Japanese vehicles have dominated the used vehicle segment in Kenya for years now with a market share of more than 80 percent.

They are preferred by buyers who say that spare parts for these cars are easier to source locally than those of other brands and cost less.

Buyers also believe that the resale value of Toyota vehicles is higher than that of brands such as Nissan. Another aspect that has seen Toyota used cars rise is the shortage of electronic chips, which new models cannot do without.

Many automakers have reduced production because of the shortage of these semiconductors used in electronic devices.