For years, the Toyota Premio has been one of the most sought-after vehicles in the Kenyan second hand cars market. The vehicle has been a favourite among Kenyans due to its high reliability – a characteristic that is often found in Toyota cars.

In addition, the vehicle has been widely seen as practical, decent, and easy to fix and get parts for in the event of mechanical problems.

These attributes and the high demand for the vehicle have seen its price increase to shocking levels. Just a few years ago, the price of a freshly imported second hand Toyota Premio was between Sh1.3 million and Sh1.6 million.

Today, this is almost the price tag for a freshly imported second hand Toyota Vitz. The second hand Toyota Premio is now being sold at highs of Sh2.3 million to Sh2.5 million, which means that in less than five years, the price of this vehicle has been increased by nearly Sh1 million.

The ripple effect from this has been sluggish sales as demand for the vehicle dwindles. More and buyers seeking to acquire decent second hand sedans are opting to go for cheaper alternatives, ignoring the higher resale value that has traditionally been associated with the pricy Premio.

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These alternatives include the Mazda Atenza. There are also potential buyers who feel that they can get better options in the market at the same price. These are buyers looking to take on German cars including the C class Mercedes Benz sedans and the Volkswagen Passat.

At the same time, the Premio was also seen as economical and easy on fuel.

Apart from their affordability, the Atenzas ate coming out as visually more appealing, with better designs in both the exterior and the interior.

“These vehicles have suddenly made the Premio look very ordinary and boring,” remarks motoring expert Erick Wokabi who runs the Auto Konnect Kenyan vehicles platform on YouTube.

For many potential buyers, apart from the reliability, the price of the Premio does not match the accessories in the vehicle. For example, the vehicle has low security features with only two airbags.

“I have seen a Toyota Premio on sale at Sh2.7 million. At that price, I would rather top up the difference and acquire a Toyota Harrier which has more features,” says Devan who is shopping for a vehicle.

For others though, the pricing of the Premio is rational given the number of years the vehicle can serve without breaking apart.

“I can run the Premio for eight to ten years without breaking down and still get good resale value. Can the same be said about the Mazda Atenza?” a motorist posed.