Sandal to the metal: These are the cars Arabs most love to drive

Published January 7th, 2016 - 12:48 GMT

Though 17 months of falling oil prices may not be great for the economies of Middle Eastern countries, it does mean that Arabs are driving more than ever. And when it comes to cars, Arabs know what they like: 4-wheel drive, easy to find parts, and powerful AC for that desert heat. From the classy BMW Series 3 to the gas-guzzling Toyota Land Cruiser, here are the cars that MENA citizens like best.

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UAE: A Nissan Patrol can be spotted in almost every Emirati garage. The vehicle went viral after Nissan started shipping these cars to the UAE in 1990. Emiratis believe the latest generation of the Patrol, produced in 2010, is the best 4-wheeler on the market.

Qatar: The Toyota Land Cruiser is extremely popular in this Gulf nation. Qataris like to buy the basic option of the SUV, and then pimp it out with their own customizations.

Oman: The Nissan Skyline. Omanis love to drive fast, which is why this sleek, Japanese-made sports car is a big seller here -- even though it’s been out of production for a while.

Kuwait: The Ford Crown Victoria. In the US, the Crown Vic is usually a cop car or a taxi, but in Kuwait, they’re hugely popular as a personal vehicle, even though they guzzle gas like tanks. Kuwait has the 6th largest oil reserve in the world, so they just don’t care. The fact that the Crown Vic easily gets 200,000 miles is just a bonus.

Saudi Arabia: The rather ordinary Toyota Camry is very popular in the Islamic Kingdom. A combination of cheap, available parts and the fact that the Japanese sedan is so easy to modify has made young Saudis love it.

Jordan: The Kia Sephia, a teeny little economy car made in South Korea, became a phenomenon in Jordan because of how easy to fix and affordable it is: second-hand Sephias go for about 4,000 JOD ($5,600 USD).

Lebanon: BMW Series 3. Lebanese discovered their love of German cars when tens of thousands of them migrated to Germany during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990). Today in Lebanon, German cars are super popular and the “Beemer” in particular has become the ultimate status symbol.

Egypt: Hyundai Verna. This Korean car is popular in Egypt because of its affordability and easiness to repair, both of which Egyptians find appealing in the midst of a deteriorating economy. The car also has a powerful air-conditioning system to help Egyptians cope with the desert heat.

Algeria: The Renault Clio. However strained Algeria’s diplomatic relations with France may be, Algerians themselves love this little French whip. The small family car is affordable and easy to navigate around the North African nation’s congested cities.

Morocco: Peugeot 307. Morocco was once a “protectorate” of France, and today, although Morocco is independent, France is the country’s biggest trading partner. As a result, Peugeots are cheap and widely available in the Moroccan market. Despite some competition from German cars like Volkswagen, the Peugeot 307 remains Moroccans’ favorite.

UAE: A Nissan Patrol can be spotted in almost every Emirati garage. The vehicle went viral after Nissan started shipping these cars to the UAE in 1990. Emiratis believe the latest generation of the Patrol, produced in 2010, is the best 4-wheeler on the market.

Qatar: The Toyota Land Cruiser is extremely popular in this Gulf nation. Qataris like to buy the basic option of the SUV, and then pimp it out with their own customizations.

Oman: The Nissan Skyline. Omanis love to drive fast, which is why this sleek, Japanese-made sports car is a big seller here -- even though it’s been out of production for a while.

Kuwait: The Ford Crown Victoria. In the US, the Crown Vic is usually a cop car or a taxi, but in Kuwait, they’re hugely popular as a personal vehicle, even though they guzzle gas like tanks. Kuwait has the 6th largest oil reserve in the world, so they just don’t care. The fact that the Crown Vic easily gets 200,000 miles is just a bonus.

Saudi Arabia: The rather ordinary Toyota Camry is very popular in the Islamic Kingdom. A combination of cheap, available parts and the fact that the Japanese sedan is so easy to modify has made young Saudis love it.

Jordan: The Kia Sephia, a teeny little economy car made in South Korea, became a phenomenon in Jordan because of how easy to fix and affordable it is: second-hand Sephias go for about 4,000 JOD ($5,600 USD).

Lebanon: BMW Series 3. Lebanese discovered their love of German cars when tens of thousands of them migrated to Germany during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990). Today in Lebanon, German cars are super popular and the “Beemer” in particular has become the ultimate status symbol.

Egypt: Hyundai Verna. This Korean car is popular in Egypt because of its affordability and easiness to repair, both of which Egyptians find appealing in the midst of a deteriorating economy. The car also has a powerful air-conditioning system to help Egyptians cope with the desert heat.

Algeria: The Renault Clio. However strained Algeria’s diplomatic relations with France may be, Algerians themselves love this little French whip. The small family car is affordable and easy to navigate around the North African nation’s congested cities.

Morocco: Peugeot 307. Morocco was once a “protectorate” of France, and today, although Morocco is independent, France is the country’s biggest trading partner. As a result, Peugeots are cheap and widely available in the Moroccan market. Despite some competition from German cars like Volkswagen, the Peugeot 307 remains Moroccans’ favorite.

Sandal to the metal: These are the cars Arabs most love to drive

UAE: A Nissan Patrol can be spotted in almost every Emirati garage. The vehicle went viral after Nissan started shipping these cars to the UAE in 1990. Emiratis believe the latest generation of the Patrol, produced in 2010, is the best 4-wheeler on the market.

Qatar: The Toyota Land Cruiser is extremely popular in this Gulf nation. Qataris like to buy the basic option of the SUV, and then pimp it out with their own customizations.

Oman: The Nissan Skyline. Omanis love to drive fast, which is why this sleek, Japanese-made sports car is a big seller here -- even though it’s been out of production for a while.

Saudi Arabia: The rather ordinary Toyota Camry is very popular in the Islamic Kingdom. A combination of cheap, available parts and the fact that the Japanese sedan is so easy to modify has made young Saudis love it.

Jordan: The Kia Sephia, a teeny little economy car made in South Korea, became a phenomenon in Jordan because of how easy to fix and affordable it is: second-hand Sephias go for about 4,000 JOD ($5,600 USD).

Lebanon: BMW Series 3. Lebanese discovered their love of German cars when tens of thousands of them migrated to Germany during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990). Today in Lebanon, German cars are super popular and the “Beemer” in particular has become the ultimate status symbol.

Egypt: Hyundai Verna. This Korean car is popular in Egypt because of its affordability and easiness to repair, both of which Egyptians find appealing in the midst of a deteriorating economy. The car also has a powerful air-conditioning system to help Egyptians cope with the desert heat.

Algeria: The Renault Clio. However strained Algeria’s diplomatic relations with France may be, Algerians themselves love this little French whip. The small family car is affordable and easy to navigate around the North African nation’s congested cities.

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