My Allex is cheap to fuel, maintain

For these motorists, the Toyota Allex is not only fuel-efficient and cheap to maintain, but it is also stable on the road,  Roland D. Nasasira writes.

Joseph Kateregga

One of the features I like about the Toyota Allex is its fuel efficiency. I recently refueled with Shs200,000 and drove from Kampala to Kibaale District in western Uganda (a distance of about 215km) and back to Kampala without refuelling. Because of its pocket-friendly fuel consumption, for now, my Allex is for keeps.

However, for the best fuel efficiency, I do not let the fuel gauge to reach the (E) empty mark where it tends to consume a lot more fuel.

The Allex’s service and maintenance are also affordable. Every time I go to the garage for service (every four months), I spend approximately Shs150,000 which caters for the replacement of engine oil, air cleaner, oil and fuel filters and a few other key components.

Although I have reached the 100km/hour mark while driving, the Allex remains stable on the road. It can also negotiate corners with ease.

Ritah Mirembe

I have had my Toyota Allex for four years and one of the features I like about it is its size. It is the best car to drive when it comes to manoeuvring through tight corners and parking in small spots, especially in Kampala City Centre. And much as it is a small car, it will comfortably sit five people.

With its small engine of 1500cc, its fuel consumption is also economical. From my home in Mutungo, Kampala to my workplace in the city centre (a distance of about 20.3km), I spend Shs120,000 on fuel every week. When there is slow moving traffic, I use more fuel compared to the days when there is no traffic.

My particular Allex has brown seats and these are easy to clean. When I have time, it is a car I easily wash myself because of its small size. It is only when it needs a thorough wash, such as cleaning the carpets that I take it to the washing bay. 

Moses Kalyango  

One of the features that make the Toyota Allex drivable is that it is an all-wheel drive car that is reliable and can be driven on any road terrain.

However,  a good set of tyres with treads will enable you drive on marrum roads that tend to be slippery, especially when it rains.

My Toyota Allex 2006 runs on a 1500cc automatic petrol engine that gives me approximately 16km per litre of fuel on the highway and eight to 12 when driving in areas with traffic jam.

Maintenance of the car is also easy since most of its spare parts are locally available at affordable prices. It is also a car that runs on basic Japan technology which makes it easy for any mechanic to fix.

Depending on what needs to be serviced, I spend Shs200,000 on service once in five months even when it is my daily drive. The highest expense I have incurred was replacing the tyres which cost Shs180,000 each.

One of the downsides of this car is that it is not accommodative of tall motorists, much as it has comfortable driving legroom.