Japan is out first: its used cars are right-hand drive, and Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire take left-hand drive. Of the three that remain, Europe has the shortest sailing and the USA the only public history report on each car, but most European export cars are old and many American ones were written off by an insurer. China sends newer cars for the money, inside the age limits (12 years in Nigeria, 15 in Ghana, 10 in Senegal). It costs more in time and freight: 32 to 44 days at sea and about $2,250 to $2,650 for a car’s place in a container. Below are our cheapest cars in China, one per model, none older than 10 years.
| USA | Europe | China | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | Left-hand | Left-hand | Left-hand |
| Ships as | RoRo | RoRo | Shared 40 ft container |
| Days at sea to Lagos | 22 to 30 from the East Coast | About 17 from Antwerp | 35 to 38 |
| Freight per car to Lagos | Usually lower | Usually lower | About $2,250 |
| History report by VIN | Yes, Carfax or AutoCheck | Patchy, by country | None public |
| Export cars come from | Often insurance auctions | Dealers and traders | Dealers in China |
| Typical age | Mixed | Mostly old | Newer for the price |
USA. The only origin with a public history report: a VIN check through Carfax or AutoCheck shows past accidents, mileage readings and title. Many export cars are bought at insurance auctions with a salvage title, meaning an insurer wrote them off, and since 1 October 2026 Ghana refuses flood, fire and frame damaged cars at the port.
Europe. The shortest sailing. The catch is age: a 2020 Dutch government study of cars shipped from Dutch ports to West Africa found them 18 years old on average, with 226,000 km, and four in five below the Euro 4 emission standard. A car that old can no longer enter Nigeria (12 years) or Ghana (15).
China. Newer cars for the money, left-hand drive and reading km/h as built. China loses on the sailing, the longest of the three, and on freight, because a car shares a container instead of driving onto a RoRo ship. There is no public history report, so each car is inspected and filmed before you commit. Parts for Chinese makes are harder to find locally; a Toyota bought in China avoids that.
| # | Vehicle | Price | With freight | Ask about this one |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zotye SR9 2.0T SUV, 2017 2017 · 80,090 km · Petrol | $5,600 $7,800 landed | $7,800 | |
| 2 | Haval H6 1.5T SUV, 2018 2018 · 61,126 km · Petrol | $6,200 $8,500 landed | $8,500 | |
| 3 | Toyota Corolla 1.8L Sedan, 2018 2018 · 43,679 km · Hybrid | $6,600 $8,900 landed | $8,900 | |
| 4 | MAXUS G50 1.5T MPV, 2020 2020 · 21,758 km · Petrol | $6,800 $9,100 landed | $9,100 | |
| 5 | Wuling Motors Hongguang MINIEV Sedan, 2025 2025 · 9,979 km · Electric | $6,800 $9,100 landed | $9,100 | |
| 6 | Toyota Corolla Hybrid E+ 1.8L Sedan, 2020 2020 · 53,891 km · Plug-In Hybrid | $7,900 $10,000 landed | $10,000 | |
| 7 | Dongfeng Fengshen E70 Sedan, 2021 2021 · 39,167 km · Electric | $8,300 $11,000 landed | $11,000 | |
| 8 | Toyota Levin Hybrid E+ 1.8L Sedan, 2022 2022 · 63,599 km · Plug-In Hybrid | $8,300 $11,000 landed | $11,000 | |
| 9 | Roewe RX5 eMAX 1.5T SUV, 2019 2019 · 45,176 km · Plug-In Hybrid | $9,100 $11,000 landed | $11,000 | |
| 10 | Roewe RX5 1.5T SUV, 2019 2019 · 35,217 km · Plug-In Hybrid | $9,100 $11,000 landed | $11,000 |
“With freight” adds a flat sea-freight estimate to a West African port; import duty, customs clearance and inland delivery are paid by the buyer on arrival.
Japanese domestic cars are right-hand drive. Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire require left-hand drive, and Ghana refuses a vehicle originally built right-hand drive even after conversion. Japan suits East Africa, which drives on the left, not West Africa.
Usually, yes. A car from China shares a 40 ft container, about $2,250 to $2,650 to a West African port, while RoRo from the USA or Europe usually costs less per car. Compare the same model and year landed at your port, not the freight alone: the price of the car itself is where the origins differ most.
Not a public one. China has no equivalent of Carfax open to foreign buyers. Each car is inspected and filmed before you commit, so the mileage and condition you are quoted are the ones on the video.
Since 1 October 2026 the Ghana Standards Authority refuses used vehicles over 15 years old, cars damaged by flood or fire or with a damaged frame, cars assembled from parts and cars without a speedometer reading in km/h. Over 10 years, customs adds an age penalty on top of duty. A pre-shipment inspection was announced as well and has been postponed.
Yes. Cars built for the Chinese domestic market are left-hand drive, which suits Nigeria, Ghana and most of West Africa. They are not suited to right-hand-drive markets such as Kenya or Tanzania.
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.
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.
