New vehicle sales in Kenya rose 27.03% in the first nine months of 2026, to 12,606 units, compared with 9,924 a year earlier, according to Kenya Motor Industry Association data published on 20 October.
The rebound was driven mainly by commercial vehicles. Truck sales rose 38.3% to 5,527 units, single-cab pick-up sales rose 55.9% to 2,089 units, while road tractor sales jumped 63.6% to 1,088 units.
Isuzu East Africa, the market leader, links this increase to the government's payment of 139 billion shillings to settle outstanding invoices and revive road projects. However, the association's report does not measure the exact share of these payments in the rise in sales.
Isuzu sold 5,722 vehicles over the period, up 22.5%, and retains 45.4% of the market. CFAO Mobility Kenya grew 39.6% to 4,562 units, raising its share to 36.2%. Together, the two groups accounted for 81.6% of sales.
Credit costs also eased. The average rate on commercial loans fell to 14.34% in August 2026, from 15.17% a year earlier, according to the Central Bank of Kenya, which reduces the cost of financing fleets. Cumulative sales had already reached 11,349 units by end-August, up 27.3%, according to association data relayed on 24 September.