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Pick up to 3 cars to see how they stack up on score, price and specs.

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Mazda Verisa

Older compact tall hatchback praised for reliable service life and plush leather interior.

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Toyota Vitz

The gold standard subcompact daily city fuel saver with 20.0+ km/L efficiency, Magic interior flexibility, and sub-1,000 cc duty savings.

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Mazda Demio

Fuel-economy leader pairing sleek Kodo design with responsive SkyActiv.

Highest ratedBest value
Mazda VerisaToyota VitzMazda Demio
Mandai score
–
7/10
8/10
Typical price
KSh 1,100,000
KSh 1,350,000
KSh 1,250,000
Years
2014-2020
2017-2020
2017-2023
Body type
–
Compact Hatchbacks
Compact Hatchbacks
Fuel
Petrol
Petrol, Hybrid
Petrol, Diesel
Transmission
Automatic
Automatic, CVT
Automatic
Doors
5
5
5
Most popular trim
Verisa 1.5 C / L Package (e-4WD)
Vitz 1.0 F / 1.3 F / 1.5 Hybrid F / Jewela
Demio 13S Touring
Dealer listings
None listed
None listed
None listed

Fuel and running cost

Trim
Mazda Verisa 1.5L Petrol
Fuel consumption
15.5 km/L6.5 L/100km combined · about 698 km a tank
20.8 km/L4.8 L/100km combined · about 874 km a tank
20.5 km/L4.9 L/100km combined · about 902 km a tank
Running cost
KSh 1,464 / 100 kmKSh 15 a km · KSh 14,643 for 1,000 km · petrol
KSh 1,091 / 100 kmKSh 11 a km · KSh 10,912 for 1,000 km · petrol
KSh 1,107 / 100 kmKSh 11 a km · KSh 11,071 for 1,000 km · petrol

Dimensions

Length
3,975 mm
3,945 mm
4,060 mm
Width
1,695 mm
1,695 mm
1,695 mm
Height
1,530 mm
1,500 mm
1,500 mm
Wheelbase
2,490 mm
2,510 mm
2,570 mm
Ground clearance
155 mm
145 mm
145 mm
Boot space
290 L (880 L folded)
286 L (750 L folded)
280 L
Kerb weight
1,100 kg
970 kg (1,110 kg Hybrid)
1,030 kg
Seats
5
5
5

Specifications

Engine
1.5L ZY-VE DOHC 4-Cylinder Petrol
1.0L 1KR-FE / 1.3L 1NR-FKE / 1.5L 1NZ-FXE Hybrid
1.3L SkyActiv-G Inline-4
Power
113 hp @ 6,000 rpm
69 hp (1.0L) / 99 hp (1.3L) / 100 hp combined (1.5L Hybrid)
93 hp
Torque
140 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
92 Nm (1.0L) / 121 Nm (1.3L) / 111 Nm (1.5L Hybrid)
123 Nm
Drivetrain
FWD or e-4WD
Front-Wheel Drive / 4WD
Front-Wheel Drive
0–100 km/h
11.2 sec
11.5 sec (1.3L) / 12.0 sec (1.5L Hybrid) / 14.5 sec (1.0L)
10.8 s
Top speed
170 km/h
170 km/h
180 km/h

Fuel economy

Combined
15.5 km/L
20.8 km/L (1.0L) / 25.0 km/L (1.3L) / 34.4 km/L (1.5L Hybrid JC08)
22 km/L
City
13.0 km/L
17.5 km/L (1.0L) / 21.0 km/L (1.3L) / 30.0 km/L (1.5L Hybrid)
18 km/L
Highway
18.0 km/L
23.5 km/L (1.0L) / 28.0 km/L (1.3L) / 36.0 km/L (1.5L Hybrid)
25 km/L
Tank size
45 L
42 L (Petrol) / 36 L (Hybrid)
44 L
CO₂ emissions
150 g/km
110 g/km (1.0L) / 82 g/km (Hybrid)
104 g/km

At a glance

Model
Mazda Verisa (DC5W / DC5R Series)
Toyota Vitz (XP130 Series 2nd Facelift)
Mazda Demio / Mazda2
Production years
2014–2020
2017–2020
2017–2023
Body type
5-Door Compact Tall Hatchback
5-Door Subcompact Hatchback
5-Door Hatchback
Seating capacity
5
5
5
Fuel types
Petrol
Petrol, Full Hybrid (THS-II)
Petrol, Clean Diesel
Engine sizes
1,498 cc (1.5L Petrol)
996 cc (1.0L) / 1,329 cc (1.3L) / 1,496 cc (1.5L Hybrid)
1,298 cc, 1,496 cc
Transmission
4-Speed Automatic
Super CVT-i Automatic / e-CVT
6-speed Automatic
Drivetrain
FWD or e-4WD
FWD or 4WD
FWD / AWD
Ground clearance
155 mm
145 mm
145 mm
Source market
UK / Japan (RHD)
Japan (RHD)
Japan (RHD)

Pros and cons

What’s good
  • Simple, reliable ZY-VE non-turbo engine mechanicals.
  • Plush half-leather/fabric upholstery with dark wood trim.
  • Sub-1,500 cc low import duty valuation.
  • Gold standard city fuel saver: 20.0+ km/L on petrol models and up to 30.0+ km/L on 1.5L Hybrid variants.
  • Lowest KRA import duty bracket: 1.0L and 1.3L engines sit in the lowest customs tax valuation category.
  • Top-tier resale value retention: Exceptional liquidity and universal spare parts availability across Kenya.
  • Nimble 4.5-meter turning radius: Effortlessly parks and navigates tight Nairobi urban traffic.
  • Superior fuel efficiency: The SkyActiv petrol and diesel engines achieve up to 25 km/L on Kenyan highways.
  • Premium interior finish: Soft-touch materials and available MZD Connect screen rival European subcompacts.
  • Smooth torque-converter automatic: Avoids the rubber-band CVT feeling found in competitor hatchbacks.
  • Sub-1,500 cc tax advantage: Qualifies for Kenya lower customs valuation and excise duty bracket.
What’s not so good
  • Dated 4-speed automatic transmission.
  • Discontinued production limits body panel sourcing.
  • 1.0L engine can feel sluggish on steep highway climbs: 69 hp 1KR-FE labors when fully loaded ascending Limuru hills.
  • Low 145 mm ground clearance: Requires cautious driving over tall speed bumps.
  • Modest rear legroom: Tighter rear passenger seating space compared to the Honda Fit or Toyota Vitz.
  • Diesel DPF sensitivity: The 1.5L SkyActiv-D diesel requires regular long highway runs to prevent DPF clogging.
  • Low ground clearance: The 145 mm clearance requires careful driving over tall speed bumps.
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