Despite weak shilling, Kenya’s new car sales increased by 12.8 percent in 2015

Nairobi, Kenya: 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.

General Motors maintained its lead over the rest moving a total of 6, 575 units led by its bestselling brand Isuzi which sold 6,321 units.

Simba Colt motors managed to move 3,153 units of Mitsubishi vehicles across the various classes last year, up from 2,774 units sold in 2014.

D. T. Dobie which holds the distributor rights to the lucrative Mercedes Benz franchise saw the sale of Mercedes Benz units jump by 75 per cent to stand at 598 units up from the 342 units sold last year.

New entrant Crown motors which wrestled the Nisan franchise from D. T. Dobie in 2014 saw its sales for Nisan jump by 475 per cent from 105 units in 2014 to 604 units sold last year.

Japanese car maker Toyota however took a beating with sales of Toyota vehicles and its new Hino brand of trucks and busses shrinking by 15 and 13 per cent to stand at 3442 and 594 respectively.