Best used Japanese Car for Africa: The Toyota Corolla

To say that used Japanese cars come in all shapes and sizes would be something of an understatement. Whatever the type of car that you are looking for, you can be guaranteed that there is a website out there that sells it. Now, a lot has been said about used Japanese cars on other continents. But, which car, really, is the best used Japanese car for Africa?

The Toyota Corolla (Bubble)

I have a brother who swears by Toyota, and though I am not particularly given to being loyal to one brand or the other, I have to say that I agree with him on this one. The great thing about this article is that it is actually based on fact, which cannot be said of most of the content that’s floating across the internet.

I have been driving my Corolla (Bubble) over the past three years, and I have to say this car has proven to be one of the most reliable cars that I have ever owned. Well, to be truthful, I have only ever owned one other car, the troublesome Mazda 3.

The Mazda 3

It has to be said that the Mazda 3 was a beauty. Indeed, it came with a lot more creature comforts than the Corolla, which, for all intends and purposed, is a pretty basic car. The Mazda 3 had a superb engine, and came with manual transmission which, for some reason, appears to be a big selling point in Zimbabwe.

Anyway, the only problems with the Mazda three is that it has a somewhat ill designed bumper. Look around, and you will discover that all the Mazda 3s, Mazda 6s and Mazda Atenzas that are running around have front bumpers that are held together using screws and cable ties.

The entire thing was so frustrating that it soured me on Mazda. The problem appears to be caused by the fact that the bumper on a Mazda 3 is a bit too heavy. Now, with Zimbabwe’s atrocious roads, it often gets ripped right off its clips!

The Best Used Japanese Car For Africa

Now, back to the subject of the best used Japanese car for Africa; let me mention here that my analysis excludes South Africa, which has pretty much banned the importation of used Japanese vehicles.

I know, a lot of you guys will have various opinions on the subject, but in my view, the best used Japanese car for Africa is, as I have already stated, the Toyota Corolla. Any why, you may ask, do I say so? Well, here are a few reasons why I now swear by my beloved bubble;

• It’s a huge fuel saver. I only use $10 to get to and from work on a WEEKLY basis. Okay, so I live 8km from my work place, but you get the point.
• The Corolla is the best used Japanese vehicle for Africa because of its reliability. In the 3 years that I have had it, it has never suffered mechanical problems. Indeed, even the battery that it had when I bought it is still in perfect condition. I have also only had to change the two front tires.
• The suspension remains perfect, despite the fact that most of the roads in the neighborhood are more pothole than road.

The Toyota Corolla Bubble

So, are there any negatives for the used Japanese Corollas? The only thing that I can think of is that, as mentioned earlier, the car is pretty basic. Okay, so my car is 18 years old (it was manufactured in 2000), and this may simply be a matter of expectations growing with time.

I have been in a 2017 Corolla and it had all the modern luxuries, but the Corolla, in my view, still lags behind other vehicles when it comes to creature comforts. The great thing though is that it does its job; that of carrying me around, extremely well. Now, another of my complaints is that I have lost my self taught tinkering skills over the past few years because; well, nothing ever breaks down on the Corolla Bubble!

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