How do used cars fare by mileage in Ghana? In order to find out, Carmudi, the best way to sell or buy your car online, have analysed thousands of its car listings from various Ghanaian cities.

The research team gathered and compared averages of mileage based on brand, fuel type, as well as age, with cars ranging from 2 to 5 years old.

The average mileage for cars in Ghana was 51,000 kilometres, significantly higher than the global 42,000 km for Carmudi markets. Youngest cars start at 35,000km, while five-year-old cars vehicles an average mileage of 77,000 km.

The Minister of Finance, Seth Terkper, has recently reaffirmed his country’s commitment to continue solving Ghana’s prevalent transport infrastructure issues.

The attention is not only on tackling gridlock in the capital Accra with the 15-kilometre Accra East Corridor, but also on connecting Ghanaian cities. A highlighted project is the 52.2 kilometre Ayamfuri-Asawid road.

Transportation improvement has been a part of the Ghanaian administration’s agenda for the last few years. It is a significant step toward improving intracountry commutes, as well as increasing economic development. The recent emphasis on transportation system development in Ghana contributes to vehicle owners travelling higher distances in the last few years.

After comparing average car mileage, Carmudi looked at how car brand affects average mileage. East Asian brands of used cars usually have travelled more distance before being offered on Carmudi GH. Japanese makes like Hyundai, Honda and Toyota ranged between 35,000 and 48,000 miles. Kias reached a staggering 65,000 kilometres on averages.

Looking then at mileage by fuel type, the cars with the highest mileage are by far diesel-powered (73,000 km), followed by petrol-powered cars, which are significantly lower in average mileage at 64,000 km. A reason for diesel drivers to travel farther distances is that diesel engines can be up to 15% more fuel-efficient, encouraging longer commutes. Additionally, Ghana also offers one of the cheapest diesel prices in West Africa.

"The high car mileages can also be attributed to huge vehicular traffic, especially in the capital during peak hours. Finding alternatives like car pooling, or estimating the best route to and from work can help save fuel money and increase vehicular life -span" says Kobina Amoo, MD of Carmudi Ghana.