Afghanistan isn’t high on our list of must-visit places – at least for now – so we’ll have to take the word of the country’s car dealers when they say that about 90 percent of all cars on the road in the South Asian country are Toyota Corolla s.
That astounding figure, according to The Washington Post, isn’t just because of the cars’ legendary reliability. Instead, their popularity can be attributed to an early anti-Western sentiment during the Soviet Union’s occupation of the country in the 1980s. At that time, the American and European cars that had been common in Afghanistan were replaced by Russian Volgas and Japanese Toyota s – although Japan was certainly allied with North American and Western Europe by the ’80s, Japanese cars were considered an “acceptable alternative.”
Volgas were hardly known for their reliability, so the region quickly took hold of Corollas. Now, just one distributor officially retails new Toyotas in Afghanistan – and sales are tiny, at best. Last year, just 401 new Toyotas were sold by Afghan Auto Limited. Most Toyotas are brought into the country from North America, Europe and Japan, although Japanese-market Toyotas are technically illegal in Afghanistan, where it is compulsory to own a left-hand-drive vehicle.
Much like the dominance of old Mercedes-Benz vehicles in North and Western Africa, old Toyotas in Afghanistan command premium prices and are cobbled together with what parts are available in an effort to keep them running forever. Interestingly, white – which doesn’t show much dirt – is the most valuable color, while European-market models are also sold at a premium due to their increased fuel efficiency.
Old Corollas come in through Dubai before making their way to used car dealership lots outside of Kabul. An estimated 500,000 cars are licensed to operate in Kabul – most of which are, of course, Toyota Corolla s.
References
1.’In Afghanistan, a…’ view
2.’Security Alert!…’ view
