Used Cargo Trucks & Lorries for Sale in Kenya

Isuzu, Canter or Mitsubishi? An Honest Comparison for Kenyan Buyers

Most second hand lorries for sale in Kenya are advertised under three names: Isuzu (the NPR, FRR and FSR), Mitsubishi/Fuso Canter, and the larger Mitsubishi Fighter. They are good trucks. They are also the reason so many buyers ask us, point blank, why they should look at a Chinese lorry instead. So here is the honest version.

We do not stock Isuzu, Fuso, or Mitsubishi. We sell HOWO, SHACMAN, HOHAN, FAW and Foton — Chinese brands built by Sinotruk and Shaanxi. What we offer is a like-for-like alternative: a HOWO 4x2 light cargo lorry sits in the same payload class as an Isuzu NPR; a HOWO 6x4 heavy cargo truck covers the same ground as an Isuzu FSR or a Fuso Fighter. The case for the Chinese lorry comes down to landed price, payload-for-money, and a parts network in Nairobi and Mombasa that is now genuinely deep.

If you want the long version, we wrote it: read our Isuzu vs Chinese trucks buyer's guide and our Fuso vs Chinese trucks comparison before you commit either way. We would rather you buy with your eyes open than oversell you.

Cargo Lorry Body Types — Which One Fits Your Load

Before anyone quotes you a lorry price, work out which body you actually need. A Kenyan distributor moving FMCG needs a very different lorry from a hardware merchant hauling cement and steel. The three bodies that cover most of the Kenyan market:

• Box / van lorry (enclosed body): A rigid steel or aluminium box behind the cab. Keeps cargo dry and locked — the right choice for packaged goods, electronics, beverages, and distribution routes around Nairobi, Nakuru and Mombasa. See our used box van trucks for enclosed-body options.
• Stake / fence lorry (open cage): An open deck with removable steel side rails. Top- or side-load with a forklift. The workhorse for produce, sacks of maize, charcoal, timber and market goods across the Rift Valley and up-country routes.
• Flatbed cargo lorry: A flat open deck, no sides. For long or awkward loads — steel, pipe, machinery, bagged cement. Strap it down and go. Common on Kenyan construction sites and along the Mombasa–Nairobi corridor.

Each body is available on both a light 4x2 lorry (urban and peri-urban work, the direct rival to an Isuzu NPR or Canter lorry) and a heavier 6x4 cargo truck (longer hauls, heavier payloads). Browse the full used cargo trucks range to compare body types side by side.

The HOWO Cargo Lorry Range for Kenya

HOWO, built by Sinotruk, is the most widely serviced Chinese truck brand in Kenya. Parts for the WD615 engine family and the HW transmission range are stocked in Nairobi's Industrial Area and along Mombasa's truck corridor. Mechanics who know these trucks are no longer hard to find — that is the single biggest change in the Kenyan market over the last decade, and it is why we point Isuzu and Canter shoppers toward HOWO.

Two tiers cover most Kenyan cargo work:

• Light HOWO 4x2 cargo lorry (up to ~5 tonnes payload): Compact cab, 5- or 6-speed gearbox, cargo deck around 4.2–5.15 m. Stake, flatbed or box body. This is the small lorry Kenyan buyers cross-shop against the Isuzu NPR and the Canter lorry — same job, lower landed price. See our HOWO 4x2 cargo truck and the lighter HOWO light truck range.
• HOWO 6x4 heavy cargo truck: Reinforced chassis, 12R22.5 tyres, higher payload for inter-city freight, building materials and bulk agricultural loads on Kenya's trunk roads. The direct alternative to a larger Isuzu FSR or Mitsubishi Fighter. See the full HOWO cargo truck range and the HOWO truck brand hub.

We can fit a box body, stake sides or a flatbed deck to your spec during refurbishment if you need a body swap before shipping.

RHD for Kenya — Right-Hand Drive Conversion Done Before Shipping

Kenya drives on the left, so a cargo lorry must be right-hand drive to register and operate legally. Most Chinese trucks leave the factory in left-hand drive, so this matters. We do the LHD-to-RHD conversion in our own workshop before the lorry is loaded — it is not a cosmetic switch.

The conversion repositions the steering column and box, moves the pedal assembly, relocates the instrument cluster, and re-routes the wiring. The truck is road-tested in RHD configuration before it goes into the container. You receive a lorry that is ready to take to NTSA inspection and license, not a project that needs a Nairobi workshop to finish.

For the full mechanics of what a proper conversion involves — and what to watch for if another exporter offers a cheap one — read our RHD vs LHD conversion guide. A bad conversion is worse than no truck.

Importing a Cargo Lorry to Kenya — Mombasa, Clearance & Costs

Buying a used lorry for sale from China and landing it in Kenya is a documented process, not a leap of faith. Here is how it runs:

• Inspection and grading: Every cargo lorry is inspected at our China yard — engine, gearbox, chassis, cab and body are graded before a truck is offered for export.
• Refurbishment: We replace worn consumables, repair body damage, repaint the cab and body, and carry out the RHD conversion. You get a working fleet lorry, not a neglected yard find.
• Pre-export verification: Kenya requires roadworthiness inspection under the KEBS PVoC scheme before shipment. We arrange the inspection and supply the certificate of conformity so your unit clears at Mombasa without surprises. The KRA also applies an age limit on imported trucks — confirm the current rule for your unit before you order.
• CIF to Mombasa: We ship CIF (cost, insurance, freight) direct to Mombasa, typically 18–25 days from China. You clear at the port; we handle everything from China to the gangway. Documents include Bill of Lading, commercial invoice, packing list and inspection certificate.

We do not publish Kenyan duty rates here because they change and depend on your unit's CRSP value — for the current import procedure, age limit and clearance steps, read our guide to importing used trucks to Kenya. For the bigger picture on East African shipping routes, see shipping trucks to East Africa.

What to Inspect Before You Buy Any Second Hand Lorry

Second hand lorries for sale in Kenya — whether Isuzu, Canter or Chinese — can hide problems that only show under a full load. Here is what we check, and what you should make any seller confirm in writing:

Every lorry we export goes through this multi-point inspection before we quote, and you get a photo report before any deposit. We do not ship trucks that fail our standard.