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

Peugeot 308

Sharp European hatchback and wagon featuring i-Cockpit ergonomics, 610 L boot space, and sub-1,500 cc duty savings.

Mazda Axela

Stylish compact hatchback and saloon with SkyActiv performance.

Best value

Volkswagen Golf

From efficient standard hatchbacks to lifted off-road-capable Alltrack wagons, featuring MQB chassis precision and sub-1,500 cc duty savings.

Peugeot 308Mazda AxelaVolkswagen Golf
Mandai score
7.5/10
8.5/10
8.5/10
Typical price
KSh 2,500,000
KSh 1,650,000
KSh 3,200,000
Years
2017-2023
2017-2023
2017-2023
Body type
Compact Hatchbacks
–
–
Fuel
Petrol, Diesel
Petrol, Diesel, Hybrid
Petrol, Diesel
Transmission
Automatic
Automatic
Automatic, Dual-clutch
Doors
5
5
5
Most popular trim
308 Allure / GT Line / SW Estate 1.2 PureTech / 1.5 BlueHDi
Axela 15S / 15XD L-Package
Golf 1.4 TSI / Golf Alltrack / Golf GTD / Golf GTI
Dealer listings
None listed
None listed
None listed

Dimensions

Length
4,367 mm (Hatch) / 4,636 mm (SW)
4,460 mm (Hatch) / 4,580 mm (Saloon)
4,258 mm (Hatchback) / 4,578 mm (Variant / Alltrack)
Width
1,852 mm
1,795 mm
1,799 mm
Height
1,441 mm
1,440 mm
1,492 mm (Alltrack: 1,515 mm)
Wheelbase
2,675 mm
2,700 mm
2,637 mm
Ground clearance
145 mm
145 mm
140 mm (Hatchback) / 175 mm (Alltrack)
Boot space
412 L (Hatch) / 610 L (SW Estate expanded to 1,660 L)
358 L
380 L (Hatch) / 605 L (Variant / Alltrack)
Kerb weight
1,290 kg
1,280 kg
1,280 kg (Alltrack: 1,530 kg)
Seats
5
5
5

Specifications

Engine
1.2L PureTech 130 Turbo / 1.5L BlueHDi 130 Diesel
1.5L Skyactiv-D Turbo Diesel (15XD)
1.4L TSI Petrol / 2.0L TDI Clean Diesel / 2.0L TSI Turbo GTI
Power
130 hp @ 5,500 rpm
105 hp @ 4,000 rpm
150 hp (1.4T) / 184 hp (2.0 TDI) / 245 hp (GTI)
Torque
230 Nm (Petrol) / 300 Nm (Diesel)
270 Nm @ 1,600 rpm
250 Nm (1.4T) / 380 Nm (2.0 TDI) / 370 Nm (GTI)
Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive
Front-Wheel Drive / i-ACTIV AWD
Front-Wheel Drive / 4MOTION All-Wheel Drive
0–100 km/h
9.1 sec
9.8 sec
6.2 sec (GTI) / 7.8 sec (2.0 TDI) / 8.2 sec (1.4T)
Top speed
207 km/h
188 km/h
216 km/h – 250 km/h

Fuel economy

Combined
18.0 km/L (1.2T) / 23.5 km/L (1.5 Diesel)
21.6 km/L (1.5L Diesel) / 17.2 km/L (1.5L Petrol)
18.2 km/L (1.4T Petrol) / 21.5 km/L (2.0 TDI) / 14.5 km/L (GTI)
City
15.0 km/L (1.2T) / 20.0 km/L (1.5 Diesel)
18.0 km/L (1.5L Diesel) / 14.5 km/L (1.5L Petrol)
15.0 km/L (1.4T Petrol) / 18.5 km/L (2.0 TDI) / 11.8 km/L (GTI)
Highway
21.0 km/L (1.2T) / 26.0 km/L (1.5 Diesel)
24.5 km/L (1.5L Diesel) / 19.5 km/L (1.5L Petrol)
21.0 km/L (1.4T Petrol) / 24.0 km/L (2.0 TDI) / 17.2 km/L (GTI)
Tank size
53 L
51 L
50 L (Hatch) / 55 L (4MOTION)
CO₂ emissions
108 g/km
114 g/km
125 g/km (1.4T) / 119 g/km (2.0 TDI)

At a glance

Model
Peugeot 308 (T9 / P5 Series)
Mazda Axela / Mazda3 (BM / BP Series)
Volkswagen Golf / Variant / Alltrack (Mk7.5 & Mk8)
Production years
2017–2023
2017–2023
2017–2023
Body type
Hatchbacks / Station Wagon (SW)
5-Door Hatchback / 4-Door Saloon
5-Door Hatchback / 5-Door Estate / Lifted Wagon
Seating capacity
5
5 seats
5
Fuel types
Petrol (PureTech), Diesel (BlueHDi)
Petrol, Clean Diesel, Mild Hybrid
Petrol (TSI), Clean Diesel (TDI)
Engine sizes
1,199 cc (1.2L PureTech) / 1,499 cc (1.5L BlueHDi)
1,496 cc / 1,758 cc / 1,997 cc
1,197 cc (1.2T) / 1,395 cc (1.4T) / 1,968 cc (2.0L TDI) / 1,984 cc (2.0T GTI)
Transmission
Automatic (EAT6 / EAT8)
6-speed Skyactiv-Drive Automatic
7-Speed DSG Dual-Clutch Automatic
Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive
FWD or i-ACTIV AWD
FWD or 4MOTION All-Wheel Drive
Ground clearance
145 mm
145 mm
140 mm (Hatchback) / 175 mm (Alltrack)
Source market
UK / Japan (RHD)
Japan (RHD)
UK / Japan (RHD)

Pros and cons

What’s good
  • Class-leading 610 L SW Estate cargo capacity: Ideal for long family road trips to Nakuru or Kisumu.
  • Ultra-frugal 23+ km/L BlueHDi diesel: Long-distance highway touring with minimal fuel stops.
  • Sub-1,500 cc KRA duty advantage: Substantial tax savings compared to 2.0L European competitors.
  • Sub-1,500 cc customs duty advantage: 1.5L petrol and diesel models qualify for KRA's lowest excise tax bracket.
  • High-torque 1.5L diesel engine: 15XD turbo diesel delivers 270 Nm torque while achieving 21.6 km/L fuel economy.
  • Upscale cabin craftsmanship: Soft-touch interior materials, MZD Connect infotainment, and heads-up HUD display.
  • Excellent high-speed stability: Rigid SkyActiv chassis and 2,700 mm wheelbase provide planted highway handling.
  • High-speed highway rock stability: MQB chassis provides unshakeable composure on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.
  • Sub-1,500 cc duty advantage on 1.2T/1.4T TSI: Sits in KRA's lower customs tax valuation tier.
  • Lifted 175 mm Alltrack 4MOTION wagon capability: Combines 605 L cargo capacity with off-road rough track traction.
  • 21.5 km/L 2.0 TDI clean diesel torque: 380 Nm torque delivers effortless long-distance overtaking economy.
What’s not so good
  • 145 mm ground clearance: Demands careful navigation over rough unpaved estate roads.
  • Rear legroom on hatchback: SW wagon offers longer wheelbase and better rear legroom.
  • 145 mm ground clearance: Requires cautious driving over tall estate speed bumps and ramps.
  • Compact rear passenger headroom: Sloping roofline reduces rear headroom for tall adults over 6 feet.
  • Costly i-Stop AGM battery replacement: Start-stop system requires specialized Q-85 (petrol) or S-95 (diesel) batteries.
  • Low 140 mm ground clearance on standard hatchbacks: Requires careful speed bump clearance in Nairobi estates.
  • Requires quality synthetic VW 504 00/507 00 oils: DSG dual-clutch transmission requires fluid service every 60,000 km.