Maputo - Post Report Question and Answers
What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
Something with four wheel drive and high clearance. Within the city and the surrounding area, the roads are paved, but out of town even slightly off the beaten path it is near impossible. I would suggest purchasing a vehicle within the Embassy community because it will be easier to find parts and service. I would not bring a sports car or something that can't make it over speed bumps. - Feb 2020
With new Chinese roads and bridges you can now get by with a 2wd car, however may still be places you want to go that require 4wd. Moz is right hand drive, but they don't care which type of car you import. If driving a left hand car, you will need a spotter in the passenger seat if you want to pass the overloaded dump truck doing 20kph on the highway to ZA. A small car might get flooded if you try to drive during a storm. - Feb 2019
You can get around without an SUV in the city. Some families if they have two cars will have at least one SUV and another sedan. You definitely need at least one SUV to get around outside of the city on the fun trips to the beaches, etc. - Feb 2017
4 wheel drive so you can travel within Mozambique (beach sand, flooding, unfinished roads, etc.). I've heard people recommend not buying a common car, because the parts are more likely to be stolen. Don't bring a car that's in great cosmetic condition. It will get dinged, scratched, etc. - Jan 2017
Best is 4WD - there is a lot of off-road driving, especially if you're trying to get to a cool beach. Most people have Toyotas that are easily serviced in South Africa. - Jul 2014
Given how bad the roads are, the frequent flooding, a high cleance, second-hand vehicle is the way to go. Many people imported their cars from Japan and were able to sell them for the exact same price on departure (how often does that happen?)! - Apr 2014
Bring you old SUV or buy a used one here. But do not bring anything you're afraid of get dinged or banged up. Some folks got by with sedans, but I wouldn't recommend that because when it rains the streets are like small rivers, and you have no idea what your driving in or over. - Oct 2012
The roughest roads you will encounter will either be deep in the wilds of Mozambique, or the streets in the city of Maputo. I'm being honest here-- even the dirt roads inside Kruger National Park are smoother and better maintained than the typical street in Maputo. - Jun 2011
You need an SUV or a jeep. - May 2010
4x4 if you plan on traveling outside Maputo - May 2009
Four-wheel drive is best due to pot holes and parking on curbs, sidewalks, etc. - Dec 2008
