By M&M Reporter
Kenya’s leading automobile company, Toyota Kenya, has received close to 60 orders for its recently-unveiled Toyota Rush model and over 200 inquiries from buyers; outstripping initial sales forecasts less than 2 months since the new model was launched into the local market.
Speaking during the handover of 10 Toyota Rush vehicles by Avic International Holdings Corporation to the Ministry of Education, Toyota Kenya Managing Director Arvinder Reel, said that the demand by car enthusiasts for the new vehicle model points to a rising demand for affordable, brand new cars in Kenya’s Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) market segment.
“The Toyota Rush has attracted overwhelming interest from car buyers who are looking to own a zero-mileage SUV at an affordable price that is a fraction of the cost of importing a used SUV. To date, we have received orders of over 60 units and are excited about the response Toyota Rush has received since it was launched at the beginning of August,” he said.
Reel said the auto firm intention is to try and create a new market where Kenyans can start purchasing brand new vehicles from the showroom and not just a seven or eight-year-old imports.
“We actually see the demand growing and our projections are that this will grow further as more people see the Rush on the roads and start appreciating the vehicle,” he said.
With a price tag of only Sh3.05 million inclusive of taxes, the all-new Toyota Rush is an affordable full feature SUV that offers dynamic road performance, with superior features both on and off-road. It is a roomy three-row, 7-seater SUV in a compact body offering ample loading and storage space; a perfect fit for an active lifestyle. The Rush’s all-terrain performance provides nimble and powerful responses on rough roads and gradients, with a high degree of maneuverability on narrow roads that makes every day driving easy and comfortable.
The vehicles handed over to the Ministry of Education will be deployed to various technical training institutions in the country under a partnership programme between Avic International Holdings and the Ministry of Education’s State Department of Vocation and Technical Training (TVET).
Avic has previously purchased 3 Toyota Prado vehicles that were delivered to the Ministry of Education in March 2018.
“We are delighted by Avic International’s decision to purchase 10 Toyota Rush vehicles. At Toyota Kenya, we are committed to meeting our customers’ needs and believe that Avic has found great value in Toyota’s offering in keeping with our mantra that every customer will love the Toyota Experience,” said Reel.
Principal Secretary for Vocational and Technical Training, Dr. Kevit Desai said the vehicles will be used for training by students at the Technical Training institutions.
“Additionally, we are in the process of exploring a partnership with the Toyota Academy with the view of seeing how we could pre-train technical personnel so that they are able to efficiently go into the automotive industry,” said Desai.
