Demand for light trucks drives new car sales up 12.8pc

General Motors Managing Director Rita Kavashe and the firm's service manager Daniel Gitau for sub- Saharan Africa during the unveil of the new Chevrolet Trailblazer into the Kenyan market {Photo: File}

Kenya’s new car sales increased by 12.8 per cent in 2015, despite a weak shilling and high interest rates.

According to data from the Kenya Motor Industry Association (KMI), a total of 19,524 new vehicles were sold last year, up from 17,296 vehicles in 2014.

The association has previously noted that the sector’s growth is largely driven by the demand for light trucks used to transport consumer goods and construction materials — indicative of wage growth and increased consumption.

General Motors maintained its lead over its competitors, moving a total of 6,575 units led by its best selling brand, Isuzu, with 6,321 units sold.

Simba Colt Motors managed to move 3,153 units of Mitsubishi vehicles across passenger and non-passenger classes last year, up from 2,774 units in 2014.

DT Dobie, which holds the distributor rights to the lucrative Mercedes Benz franchise, saw the sale of this brand jump 75 per cent to 598 units up from 342 units sold last year.

New entrant Crown Motors, which wrestled the Nissan franchise from DT Dobie in 2014, saw its sales for the Japanese brand jump 475 per cent to 604 units last year from 105 units in 2014.

Japanese car maker Toyota, however, took a beating in the Kenyan market, with sales of Toyota vehicles and its new Hino brand of trucks and buses shrinking by 15 and 13 per cent to stand at 3,442 and 594 units, respectively.