Bringing the Family Home: Which Car for 5, 7 or 10 People

Start with two numbers

Before you choose a car, count:

• People, including children and the relative collecting you at the airport.
• Big suitcases (checked bags), plus carry-ons.

Seats are fixed, but boot space shrinks as seats fill. A seven-seater with all seven seats in use has a small boot. That is the single most common surprise at JKIA, and why we ask you both numbers when you book.

Five people

• Light luggage, mostly in town: a Toyota Harrier or Mazda CX-5. Both seat five, with room for two large suitcases and a couple of carry-ons.
• Five people and five big suitcases: a seven-seater with the third row folded, such as the Mazda CX-8 or Toyota Prado. You get five comfortable seats and a long, flat boot.
• On a budget: the Corolla Fielder station wagon has a bigger boot than most saloons.

Seven people

• Good roads, Nairobi and the main highways: the Mazda CX-8, quiet and economical.
• Long drives upcountry, or the rainy season: the Toyota Prado or Land Cruiser V8, with four-wheel drive and ground clearance.
• Elderly parents in the group: the Toyota Alphard, with sliding doors and captain seats, always with our chauffeur. We run 7-seat and 8-seat versions.
• A practical family van: the Toyota Noah, at a lower daily rate; seat layouts vary, so we confirm the seats for your dates.

With seven people, plan on soft bags, or send the big suitcases in a second car from the airport.

Ten people

No car in our fleet seats ten in comfort with luggage, so you have three good options:

• Two cars. For example a CX-8 and a Harrier, or a Prado and a Fielder. Two cars also let the group split for different visits, which families often end up wanting anyway.
• A van: the Toyota Hiace, with room for people and bags in one vehicle. Seat layouts vary; tell us your numbers and we confirm the van for your dates.
• A bus for a big event: the Toyota Coaster, usually with our driver, for weddings, funerals and reunions.

Children

Third rows suit children and teenagers best. If you need child seats, ask us when you book. Every passenger needs their own seat and seat belt: please do not plan on squeezing an extra person in.

Who drives?

Every car except the Alphard can be self-drive, if each driver is 25 or over and has held a licence for 2 years. On long days of visits, many families add a chauffeur, so the driver in the family can enjoy the day too: KES 4,000 a day in Nairobi, KES 5,000 outside, plus food and overnight accommodation away from Nairobi.

At a glance

• 5 people, light luggage: Harrier or CX-5. With lots of luggage: CX-8 or Prado, third row folded.
• 7 people, light luggage: CX-8, Prado, V8 or Noah. With lots of luggage: Alphard plus a second car.
• 10 people: two cars, or a Hiace van.

Collecting a big group at JKIA

If ten of you land together, plan the airport run first. One option is a van for everyone plus the bags, then a smaller car for the rest of the stay. Another is two cars meeting you in arrivals, one of them with our chauffeur so nobody has to drive straight after a long flight. Add every flight number when you book: if the group lands on different flights, we track each one. Our JKIA car hire page explains the handover.

Upcountry with a full car

A full car on a long drive feels different from a full car in town. Seven adults with bags for a week is a lot of weight on the escarpment and the climbs, so allow extra time, and consider whether the third row is better used for bags than people on the longest days. Four-wheel drive and ground clearance in a Prado or V8 make a real difference in the rains. Our cars stay on paved roads; tell us your route when you book.

Before you book

Tell us how many people and how many big suitcases are coming, and where you are going. We will tell you honestly whether the car fits, before you fly. Compare every option on our 7-seater car hire page, see December car hire in Kenya if you are coming for Christmas, and read how to book.