Abidjan - 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?
Any car will do, there are sketchy areas but people with sedans are able to get around the city and to the different beach areas just fine. Don't bring anything you care too much about, you are bound to get dinged or hit at some point. There do not seem to be any regularly followed or enforced traffic rules. - Mar 2021
SUV is best, but it is not necessary. Lots of people have sedans. - May 2020
Carjackings are not really an issue, and haven't been for quite a while, but never say never. An SUV or small SUV is best, but one will be fine with a sedan. It should be noted that during rainy season streets can become quite flooded, so something with ground clearance may be preferred. Also, if one wants to go to the beach, an SUV can be useful. There is no shortage of luxurious cars in Abidjan; there will not be an issue finding parts for Japanese, Korean, and European (particularly French brands) cars, but parts for American makes will be more challenging. While there are plenty of American cars on the roads, obviously some models sold only in the U.S. are not available in foreign makes, and thus their parts are not readily available. - Feb 2020
SUV or other 4x4. Roads can get rutted and this provides extra visibility. - Mar 2017
For Abidjan, I'd say an older mid-size SUV will help with battling in traffic, but the roads are suitable for sedans. An SUV will also give you clearance on some of the bad roads on the way to the beach or outside of the city. Toyota is the most-common brand here, but people drive all sorts of vehicles. Mechanics can be good and pricey or cheap and a crap-shoot. Traffic is bad during rush hour, but it's all relative. Some drivers are selfish and flout the laws, and it's necessary to be a defensive driver here. - Aug 2015
You do not need an SUV or four-wheel drive. You do, however, need a car with a high clearance. Many of the roads (possibly the one you will live on) are terrible. Ivoirians build killer speed bumps, and huge pot holes are not uncommon. - Jun 2009
A smaller SUV is probably ideal, mostly because some ground clearance is nice to have during the rainy season when some of the streets get flooded. Also nice for off-roading if you want to get out of the city. Many people have sedans, though, and there are literally all kinds of cars on the road, from brand new BMWs to falling apart rat-trap station wagons. - Jan 2009
