04Apr
In the business world, exclusivity is often a business strategy where a product or service is intentionally offered in limited supply to boost its price or value because of the sense of exclusiveness it offers customers. In general, the primary advantage of exclusivity is a person, product, or thing receives much more attention because it is different. In other words, people who desire exclusivity seek, beyond gratification itself, the psychological rewards of a sense of uniqueness, prestige, rarity, and importance.
Unfortunately, exclusivity is a luxury the average Nigerian cannot afford. Being a lone wolf in Nigeria often comes with dire consequences most people aren’t ready to deal with. Take the Nigerian automotive scene, for example. Anyone seeking advice for buying a new car is often told to go for a Toyota, Lexus, Honda, or Mercedes. Deviating from these popular brands and you risk scrounging for parts and experienced mechanics.
This naturally results in increased demand for these popular brands, inadvertently driving the parts and repairs market and ultimately ensuring their market popularity and dominance. We understand the tendency to want to be different – to desire something others do not or cannot have. However, the most popular cars in Nigeria’s comparatively tough driving and car ownership environment have to be the best. We list the ten most popular models in Nigeria and their prices.
Toyota Land Cruiser/Prado – Price: About ₦45 Million
Toyota markets the Land Cruiser and Prado models as executive SUVs for those in command and control. Both are off-road-capable, luxury full-size SUVs that have served as a staple in the garages of Nigerian ‘big men’ and politicians for years. You could never miss the SUV's imposing stance just as the driver can never miss you from their elevated sitting position, giving them a ‘command’ view of the road.
Toyota described the Land Cruiser as "the ultimate expression of luxury and capability … ready to make an impression wherever you go … sleeker and sturdier than ever … the perfect blend of strength and sophistication." Notably, the 2023 Prado features a rearview camera and electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), while the 2022 Land Cruiser comes with an electric parking brake with hold.
Toyota Sienna – Price: About ₦18 Million
Don’t be surprised that Toyota dominates any list of the most popular cars in Nigeria. The brand ranks at the top of the most reliable automotive brands year after year. According to the Consumer Reports annual auto reliability survey, Toyota, Lexus, and BMW are the top three most reliable brands.
Reliability and fuel economy are the two most important factors that determine a model’s desirability in Nigeria, ultimately making the Sienna one of the most popular cars in Nigeria today.
The Sienna’s advanced air suspension system, modular TNGA-K platform (shared with the Toyota Camry), and efficient 4-cylinder and V-6 engines allow it to lead the Nigerian market for minivans. For the 2023 model year, the Sienna includes a hybrid model with two e-motors producing a combined 245 horsepower.
Honda Pilot – Price: About ₦18 Million
The latest Pilot models are admittedly not as common on Nigerian roads as the newest Land Cruisers and Hiluxes. But that's because the latter serves a quasi-executive purpose for business executives and government parastatals who think nothing of splurging up to ₦50,000,000 or more on a new Land Cruiser.
However, there are just as many used Honda Pilot models as any of the most dominant midsize SUVs on Nigerian roads. The 2023 Honda Pilot is a 3-row midsize SUV available in EX-L, Trail Sport, Touring, and Black Edition trim levels. Consumer Reports expects the 2023 Honda Pilot to have about average reliability compared to other new cars. The current Pilot model has a JD Power reliability score of 81 out of 100, which is impressive.
Toyota RAV4 – Price: About ₦14 Million
The RAV4 is among the top-selling SUVs in Nigeria, along with the Highlander, Acura MDX, Honda CR-V, and Lexus RX models. Indeed, there are other popular cars not mentioned in this list because we’ve zeroed in on the most popular models.
Notably, the RAV4 remains the world’s best-selling SUV after shifting 868,398 units in 2022. Introduced for the Japanese and European markets in 1994, the RAV4 would become the first SUV sold worldwide.
The 2023 model features an 8-inch infotainment system with voice control, TRD (Toyota Racing Development)-tuned suspension system, disconnecting rear axles, off-road capability, and loads of safety features. However, the primary reasons RAV4 is so popular in Nigeria’s midsize crossover market include the fuel efficiency, adaptive suspension, and comfortable, well-appointed cabin.
Honda Accord – Price: About ₦15 Million
The heated and complex rivalry between Honda and Toyota dates back to the 1960s when the two Japanese marques first brought their cars and trucks to the US market. The battle for market share meant that both brands strove to build the best cars with the most appeal, which is good for us because Japan taught the rest of the world how to build reliable, efficient cars.
Today, the Accord’s closest competitors include the Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, and Nissan Altima. According to RepairPal, the 2023 Honda Accord returned a 4.5 out of 5.0 rating for reliability, ranking it no. 1 out of 24 for midsize cars. The LX and EX trims receive motivation from a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 engine producing 192 horsepower sent to the front wheels via a CVT (continuous-variable transmission) gearbox.
Toyota Highlander – About Price: ₦18 Million
The Toyota RAV4 is, indeed, the best-selling SUV in the world and one of the top-selling in Nigeria, but the Highlander is hands-down the most popular SUV in Nigeria for years now. It took some time between the model’s introduction in 2000 and its arrival in the Nigerian used car market a few years later.
Since then, the 3-row midsize C-SUV has demonstrated excellent dependability and refined handling, endearing it to the hearts of Nigerian drivers. This explains the enduringly strong demand that inadvertently fuels the price tag even in the used car market.
The Highlander offers an attractive combination of versatility, practicality, sportiness, and comfort. The 2022 model earned the US IIHS’s coveted Top Safety Pick+ badge reserved for vehicles that demonstrated the best crash test ratings and safety system scores.
Lexus ES – Price: About ₦22 Million
The most popular Lexus models in Nigeria include the ES350 and ES250 though the LS Series is considered the more opulent version of the luxury sedans and comes with deluxe offerings such as Premium Art Wood trims, Kiriko glass, and massage seating. The new LS Lexus also offers slightly more cargo room and a longer body design, but the ES Series is the way to go for more legroom.
Lexus is Toyota’s luxury brand, placing the ES models as the luxury versions of the Camry. The ES350 is a favorite of ‘Yahoo boys,’ and that’s not only because they’re fast, thanks to a range of efficient mills including a robust 2.5-liter inline-four mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and a 3.5-liter V6 hooked to an AWD system, but also because they’re durable and efficient. Now, durable, efficient, and fast sound good to every driver – Yahoo or not. The models also have a sleek design that just might make them timeless
Toyota Camry – Price: About ₦17 Million
The Toyota Camry is the best-selling car in Nigeria after the Corolla. Even the 1999 model, fondly called Pencil Light, still enjoys great demand due to their reputation for reliability and fuel efficiency. Additionally, there’s no shortage of parts for the Camry in auto parts markets across the country, and every auto mechanic is knowledgeable about the Camry and Corolla by default.
The Camry models have a ruggedness about them that makes them perfect for use as an official, family, or private transportation. It offers a comfortable ride quality and a spacious interior. In fact, Nigerians christened the 2004/2005 models “Big for Nothing” due to their grandiose size and disappointingly limited interior appurtenances.
However, no one dares call the latest models big for nothing, not with features including heated front seats and steering wheel, wireless charging, ambient interior lighting, backup camera, remote keyless entry, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, dual-zone automatic climate control, Toyota + Alexa App, and many others.
Lexus RX – Price: About ₦25 Million
The RX introduced auto shoppers to the Lexus luxury brand. In fact, the RX was first in line before Nigerian drivers discovered the ES Lexus sedans. It’s only natural for people to ask, ‘Is there a sedan version of the beloved RX?'
Today, the RX300 is still popular on Nigerian roads despite going on sale as far back as 1998. Although most shoppers go for the more modern RX330 and RX350, all the RX models, including the older RX300 never lost their charm.
Fun fact: Toyota first introduced the RX in the Japanese market in 1997 as the Toyota Harrier, essentially making it the first luxury C-SUV. The completely redesigned 2023 RX350 receives motivation from a new turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-4 engine producing 275 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque.
Toyota Corolla – Price: About ₦12 Million Starting Price
The Corolla is so reliable, economical, and popular that most – if not all Nigerian drivers have come to sincerely believe you could never go wrong with the Corolla compact car. In fact, the Toyota Corolla’s popularity has grown into a deeper dimension where you dare not park the car in a lonely street for fear of thieves stripping the parts for an easy sale in an ever-available market.
The nameplate is actually available in sedan and 4-door hatchback body styles, though the sedan version is the most popular. Toyota offers it with a choice of 4-cylinder engines mated to manual or automatic gearboxes.
The Corolla received a redesign and a new platform for the 2020 model year. This year, the so-so 1.8-liter engine goes away, leaving the more robust 2.0-liter straight-4, available with the 2022 XSE trim, as the standard mill across the board. The hatchback model gets propulsion from a single non-hybrid powertrain.
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