Nobody ever thought it was possible but it is safe to say that the Probox has officially overtaken the Vitz as the car that Kenyans love to hate the most! Whether white, black or blue, there seems to be nothing that endears people to this car. The only people who seem to like it are those who have them, and they have no qualms about calling it a donkey.

Birthed in August 2002, the Probox is a businessman’s car; the kind of businessman that needs to ferry things around. With ample boot space, this car has a kerb weight of 1,110kgs and is also common as a taxi in Peru and Bolivia.

The Probox is an expensive donkey. The price range for a used car is between Sh600,000 and Sh700,000, and that’s the best you get because it is not stocked in the Toyota Kenya showroom.

It has a VVT-i engine, and is available in 4-speed automatic transmission. The 5-speed manual versions are quite hard to come by. It has a basic interior and the back seats can be collapsed give the owner a very long boot, which he can haul around at a maximum speed of 180kph. Leaf Springs help this light-weight car to handle heavy loads, but because it is a feather-weight, it is advisable not to pull heavy loads.

Most models are 2WD, but there are newer 4WD Proboxes coming to a town near you. The low maintenance for this car would make it a superb asset in the rural areas or for any SMEs.

And for those of you who  love to hate this car, you have to admit that it’s not a bad thing to have a donkey on wheels.