Maridady Blog

What Does CC Mean in Cars?

When Doing some Reasearch before buying a car in Kenya, you’ll see things like fuel type, drive type, model, mileage and Engine CC. Though many of you compare CC numbers but a very few people know What Engine CC actually mean and why it Matters. For those who don’t know this, Let us tell you that a Engine CC can affect almost everything from fuel consumption to car pricing to Performance. So, in this Article We are going to tell you that what it is and why it’s important to understand CC When looking for your own car.

What is CC and how it works ?

CC, short for cubic centimeters, shows the Total Volume of all engine Cylinders. It is universally used to calculate Engine Size.  In Kenya, when someone says “hii gari ni 1500cc”, they’re talking about how big the engine is, not the body size of the car. A Car with higher Engine CC can burn more air and fuel means they have more power. For example, if you drive a small car like vitz, it has 1000 cc engine and is considered good for fuel saving while if you are driving a 2000 cc Engine Car Like Toyota Premio or Used Subaru Cars. It consumes more fuel but gives more power and performance on highways and long distance Trips.

How CC Affects Car Performance

Engine CC can directly impact how powerful your car feels and its Performance. An engine with higher cc produces more horsepower and Torque. Now Engine’s Horsepower decides how fast your car can go and Torque is responsible for how quickly you car pulls especially when you are overtaking someone or driving on hills. That’s why an engine with high CC works better on Highway Driving, Hill Driving and Driving with more passengers or luggage.  CC is also responsible for Car’s acceleration and Top Speed. A low CC car accelerates slow while a higher CC car accelerates faster and smoother. This is why many people looking for used cars for sale in Kenya for sale go for higher CC engines.

CC and Fuel Efficiency

Despite Performance, CC also plays a big role in Fuel Consumption. Small cc engines burn small amount of air and  fuel, hence consume less fuel. This is why low cc cars are ideal for ride hailing, city driving or daily commuting Where fuel cost matters more.That’s why most of the cheapest cars in Kenya usually come with engines between 1000cc and 1500cc.

SUV’s and other cars with bigger cc engines are generally more fuel hungry. So, they are more efficient when driving on highways where there is less stress on engine.

CC and Car Taxes / Regulations   

There’s one more thing that most of Kenyan people don’t know. You will be shock to hear that engine CC also affects how much tax you have to pay on car. As high cc engines consumes more fuel, you have to pay more taxes and fees. So, It’s important to consider this point too if you are importing a vehicle.    

In Kenya, CC can influence import duty, excise duty, and insurance costs, especially for larger engines. While age and customs value matter more, higher CC cars usually cost more to maintain and insure.

For buyers looking to buy bank repossessed cars for sale in Kenya, understanding CC is even more important. You may buy a car at cheap price but if it has a higher cc engine and you only need car for city driving, car will cost you more in long term. So, always factor in CC before making your final decision.

Conclusion

An Engine CC is one of the underestimated factor that people see when buying a car in Kenya. A cc can impact your car’s performance, fuel consumption, acceleration, speed and even taxes you are paying to buy a car. So, its important to choose the car with the engine cc that matches your requirements instead of looking just price and money. If you are driving in city, or just learnt driving from driving school in Kenya, you can go for a car with 1000-1500cc engine as these cheaper to maintain. The key is balancing performance, fuel economy, and budget based on your lifestyle.