- According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) official data released on Friday, Kenya shipped in 20,324 units at a cost of Sh19 billion ($190 million) between January-March, translating to an average of Sh934, 855 per car.
- Car prices ordinarily tend to be costly in the first quarter of the year as dealers have a longer period to sell them in an economy that bars the import of vehicles older than eight years.
- Increased demand for smaller cars in Kenya is mainly driven by operators of taxi hailing firms like Uber and Bolt (previously Taxify) who are looking for fuel efficient cars.
In the first quarter of 2019, the average cost of imported cars in Kenya dropped below Sh1 million ($10,000) for the first time in more than five years, indicating a shift by buyers towards budget vehicles.