admin
Jennifer Mufamba
Honda fit models were the most sought-after second-hand vehicles on the Harare market according to a survey done by Business Weekly.
Of all the four models of the Honda
Fit, the GD5 Hybrid has been the most bought car in the dealerships in and around Harare.
Tafadzwa Hiya of Bigame Motors said, “The Honda Fit has four models namely, GD1, GE6, GD5, and normal most common model, but the GD5 hybrid has proved to be the most preferred model on the market due to its low-cost maintenance.”
The Honda Fit model is preferred by most people because it is an affordable car and it is also said to be the most economical, that is, in terms of maintenance, service and replacement of parts which are almost always readily available.
Hillside Motors administrator Pasipamire Gwatidzo, said, “The Honda Fit models are the most preferred cars because they save fuel a lot hence helping many people to (manage) their budget and savings.”
He noted that the Honda Fit is leading the market because it is one of the cheapest cars allowed to be imported in Zimbabwe in the next 10 years.
The Honda Fit Hybrid is a fantastic compact alternative to some of the larger hybrid cars available today.
Though a class smaller than Toyota’s best-selling Prius, the Fit Hybrid achieves the same fuel economy thanks to the combination of lightweight compact electrical motors and fuel efficiency.
However, car dealers mentioned that there are two models of Toyota and Nissan which are also selling better in the local market for they are more effective for commercial purposes.
Lloyd Mufandaedza of Pazza Buster noted that the Nissan V200 and the Nissan Caravan are preferred by people and companies for business purposes, for example, many people are involved in mobile businesses so these cars are good for transporting goods mostly groceries.
He said some people use them because they have available spare parts and are also cheap to service.
Furthermore, Mufandaedza said, “The Nissan NV200 is a fuel saver and is similar to the Toyota Allion’s 1,6 litre engine while the Nissan Caravan has a high fuel
consumption level since it has a 3 litre engine.”
In addition, Hiya said, many people especially business people, farmers, and miners prefer Toyota Hilux and Toyota Hiace which some call the “Baby Quantum”, for transporting goods and materials, and their parts are also available and cheap.
He said the Toyota Hilux is strong and durable and the 4×4 is mostly bought by those who are doing business for easy and safe transportation of their products.
“Almost 50 percent of our customers are from out of Harare so most of them prefer Toyota Hilux because it is big and can travel everywhere even in rocky areas without hesitation and complications.
“The Toyota Hiace is also universal,
that is, it is both truck and private and it is also a reason why many people like it,” Hiya said.
Bongani Ndlovu