Tbilisi - 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?
Car with high clearance and all wheel drive. - Sep 2022
SUV with high clearance for exploring the country. - Jun 2020
You will want an SUV/off-road vehicle. Do not bring a sedan as once you're outside of Tbilisi (and even inside!) you'll hit unpaved, rocky dirt roads (except for the highways, which are pretty good.). - Jan 2019
We have a small SUV, and it's great. It's nice to have four-wheel drive for driving around the country (and to the ski resort), and having some height on the city streets makes me feel safer. The little taxis tend to give me some space. Most people have cars like ours (or even larger). The driving is insane (think: backing up on the highway, passing someone who is passing someone around a blind curve), so I really appreciate having a car that actually works right (accelerates, has brakes) among all the little terrible falling apart Georgian cars. - Apr 2017
An SUV is needed for in-country travel. - Feb 2017
Roads can be poor in and out of town. An SUV is preferred to a sedan for sure. I have ridden a big cruiser motorcycle when weather permits. - May 2016
You could get by with a sedan, but we wanted to travel, so a AWD in our eyes was the best choice. You wouldn't make it over some of the mountain passes in winter without an AWD and chains. Toyota was king when it came to parts. There are no restrictions on any vehicles coming in to Georgia. We hear that the pass is now paved but you still have to deal with the snow. - Jul 2014
Most foreigners prefer SUVs due to the poor quality of roads outside of Tbilisi and the erratic driving everywhere in the country. - Oct 2011
Sedans are ok, but high profile vehicles/SUVs are better for some of the unpaved/rough roads. - Sep 2011
The roads are generally bad except for the main avenues. I recommend buying a 4x4 SUV here. Parking is getting worse, but it is still easier than most places in Europe. - Apr 2011
Any type of car is fine, however, make sure that it is not new and that you are prepared for it to get hit in an accident. Most people drive 10-15 year old SUVs. The roads are slowly improving, but many remain filled with potholes. Georgian drivers are horrible. There are no rules of the road. Although the police are very good, they are lacking in their policing of the roadways. Many Georgians drive carelessly fast. There are many fatal accidents, however, none have involved expats during my time here. The driving is the one thing that makes every expat here crazy!There are also no street signs so a GPS is a must. - Jun 2010
Roads are better than they were 5 years ago, but they are still a little rough. A sedan would be ok in town, but once you leave town a car with better clearance would probably be a good idea. If you are going skiing or camping, a four-wheel-drive vehicle is advised. Most major auto manufacturers exist, but parts may be hard to find or take a while to get there. Bring your own parts if you can. Traffic is becoming a problem. People drive at high speeds (80 mph in residential areas sometimes) and recklessly. Common courtesy is sometimes hard to find on the roads, even though people are generally very nice in person. Drunk driving after 8pm is fairly common, so be careful. - Oct 2009
We had an SUV with killer tires. Make sure you have good shocks and brakes. We never had an accident and consider ourselves very very lucky. We almost had several, though, because of the craziness of the driving."You don't need to wear a seatbelt inside the city." "Driving after I drink? Why wouldn't I?" "I just missed my road--never mind making a massive U-turn, I'll just fly backwards on the highway at top speed." - Jan 2009
