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SUV or sedan: which should you import from China?

The cheapest SUV here is $3,600 against $3,700 for the cheapest Sedan. A typical SUV runs $14,000, a typical Sedan $9,300. The catalogue holds 94 on the SUV side and 49 on the Sedan side. Add about $2,250 for sea freight to Lagos (Tin Can), Nigeria; import duty and clearance are separate and paid by the buyer on arrival. SUV, if the car will spend time off tarmac, carry a family, or be resold: ground clearance is the single thing that matters most on roads that flood or break up, and it is what the West African used market pays a premium for. Sedan, if the car is for city work on made roads. A sedan of the same age and specification is cheaper to buy, cheaper to fuel and costs the same to ship, so it is the better car for a fixed budget as long as the roads allow it.

SUVSedan
In stock9449
Cheapest$3,600$3,700
Typical$14,000$9,300
Dearest$33,000$25,000
Typical, with freight$16,000$12,000

SUV. Ground clearance, space and the body style the West African used market pays most for.

Sedan. Cheaper to buy and to run, the same to ship, and fine wherever the roads are made up.

“Typical” is the median, not the average: a make spanning an older sedan and a current flagship has no meaningful average. “With freight” adds a flat sea-freight estimate to Lagos (Tin Can), Nigeria; import duty, customs clearance and inland delivery are paid by the buyer on arrival.

SUV, cheapest first

#VehiclePrice
1Baojun 510 1.5L SUV, 2017
2017 · 120,000 km · Petrol
$3,600
$5,900
2BAIC Motor 2.0L SUV, 2013
2013 · 17,361 km · Petrol
$4,100
$6,400
3Baojun 510 1.5L SUV, 2019
2019 · 50,000 km · Petrol
$4,500
$6,800
4Geely Vision X6 1.8L SUV, 2016
2016 · 16,800 km · Petrol
$5,100
$7,400
5Lufeng X7 2.0T SUV, 2016
2016 · 63,533 km · Petrol
$5,200
$7,400

Sedan, cheapest first

#VehiclePrice
1Nissan Teana 2.5L Sedan, 2010
2010 · 243,156 km · Petrol
$3,700
$6,000
2Roewe i5 1.5L Sedan, 2021
2021 · 150,000 km · Petrol
$4,200
$6,400
3Geely Binray 1.0T Sedan, 2019
2019 · 70,000 km · Petrol
$4,500
$6,700
4Geely Binray 1.4T Sedan, 2018
2018 · 97,000 km · Petrol
$4,800
$7,000
5Roewe i5 1.5L Sedan, 2021
2021 · 110,000 km · Petrol
$4,800
$7,100
WhatsAppWhat importing costs

Questions buyers ask

Does an SUV cost more to ship than a sedan?

Slightly, because freight scales with volume, but far less than buyers expect. Both are one car-shaped space on a vessel and the flat estimate used across this site covers either; the difference shows up in the firm quote, not in the decision.

Are both left-hand drive?

Yes. Cars built for the Chinese domestic market are left-hand drive, which suits Nigeria, Ghana and most of West Africa. Neither is suited to right-hand-drive markets such as Kenya or Tanzania.

What condition are these cars in?

All are used, bought from the Chinese domestic market. Each one is a specific vehicle with its own mileage and history, inspected before purchase, and the report goes out with the quote rather than being published on the listing.

Are import duty and customs clearance included?

No. Every figure here covers the goods and the sea freight to your port of discharge. Import duty, clearance and inland delivery are paid by the buyer on arrival, and the rate depends on your country.

Do I pay anything on this website?

No. The site takes no payment and holds no deposit. A request for quote creates no obligation, and nothing is charged until terms are agreed directly with a sourcing manager.