Peugeot returns to pick-up market with Sh5m truck

Peugeot dealer Urysia Limited has launched a new pick-up model, Landtrek, retailing at Sh5 million, seeking to grow sales in a segment dominated by Isuzu East Africa and CFAO Motors (Toyota dealer).

The double-cab Peugeot has a one-tonne load capacity. It is powered by a 1.9-litre turbodiesel engine linked to a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Urysia says the Landtrek is suitable for both professional and family needs, with the vehicle joining other modern pick-ups to offer load carrying ruggedness besides comfort and technology such as lane departure warning on high-end models.

"We are thrilled to bring the new Peugeot Landtrek to the Kenyan market,” Urysia’s managing director Claude Mwende said.

“We believe that it is an exceptional vehicle that offers the perfect combination of robustness, loading capacity, modern and attractive style, and exceptional adaptability, making it well-suited to the Kenyan market.”

Peugeot returned to the Kenyan market in 2013 under Urysia and sells multiple models of the French car brand across passenger cars, vans and sports utility vehicles (SUVs).

In 2017, Peugeot, with its local franchise holder Urysia, began the local assembly of vehicles at the Thika-based Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers (KVM), making the 508 and 3008 passenger car models.

Then President Uhuru Kenyatta and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron launched the first locally assembled Peugeot 3008 SUV shortly after that.

Mr Mwende told Business Daily Wednesday that 1,000 units have been assembled at KVM.

“We started our local assembly in 2017, starting with the Peugeot 508 and followed thereafter in the same year by the Peugeot 3008. The Covid-19 did interrupt us a little bit in the programme; that is why so far we have just assembled 1,000 units,” he said.

Also read: Peugeot dealer discloses Sh2.5 billion State leasing deal

The launch of the Peugeot Landtrek marks a return of the French automaker in the Kenyan pick-up segment after a hiatus of more than 30 years.

The pick-up segment is one of the largest in the new vehicle market, with demand coming from individuals, businesses and some government departments.

Isuzu sold the most pick-ups at 1,413 units of its namesake models last year, according to data from the Kenya Motor Vehicle Industry Association (KMI). It was followed by CFAO Motors which sold 1,068 units of Toyota models in the same period.

CMC Motors was third, moving 327 units of Ford models. Other pick-up brands in the market are Nissan, Mahindra, Ashok Leyland, Ford and Volkswagen.

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