Import a Toyota Passo from Japan to Tanzania
The Passo is the cheapest of the ten models we researched to buy in Japan, and every one is 1,000cc or less. Since July 2026 that means a new 5% excise in Tanzania. Here is what exporters ask and how TRA tax is worked out.
Ask us about a Toyota Passo WhatsApp us
Updated 7 November 2026
Why the Passo sells in Tanzania
An exporter guide (TokyoCarZ, March 2026) groups the Passo with the Vitz as city cars that sip fuel, suit traffic and are affordable.
It is cheap to buy in Japan: on 7 November 2026 one exporter listed 2012 – 2013 1.0X cars under USD 900 FOB. Before July 2026 its small engine also meant no engine excise in Tanzania. That second reason is now gone (see the rules below).
Tanzanian buyers search for it in English and Swahili, such as "passo car price in tanzania" and "bei ya toyota passo tanzania". We found no dealer or news report naming it as a top seller, so we do not claim it is one.
Years, engines and grades in Japanese stock
| 2007 – 2009 | KGC10, 1.0L. |
|---|---|
| 2010 – 2015 | KGC30 and KGC35, 1.0L. |
| 2016 – 2020 | M700A and M710A, 996cc. |
| Grades seen | 1.0X, 1.0X L Package, 1.0X Irodori, Plus Hana G Package, X L Package, Moda G Package. |
| Mileage seen | About 13,000 – 94,000 km. |
| Stock in Japan | 759 Passos on TCV on 7 November 2026. |
What exporters in Japan ask for a Passo
USD 757 – 6,125 FOB
Dealer asking prices in Japan, checked 7 November 2026
Six listings from four different exporters on TCV: 2012 – 2013 1.0X cars from one exporter at USD 757 – 883, a 2020 car at the top.
The spread is wide. One exporter lists many 2010 – 2014 cars under USD 900 while others ask USD 2,200 or more for similar years, so we judge each car on its auction sheet, not its price.
Indicative only. This is not a price offer from us. The real price depends on the exact car, its grade, mileage and condition, and on the day it is bought.
How the landed cost is worked out
This is how the cost of a Toyota Passo landed in Dar es Salaam is built. We do not show a total: the TRA used-car calculator could not be reached when we checked on 7 November 2026, and some of the July 2026 excise rules are still unclear.
| Car price (FOB) | Our price for the car in Japan in your quote, including the auction purchase and transport to the port. |
|---|---|
| Freight to Dar es Salaam (RoRo) | Broker estimates for a sedan are about USD 1,100 – 2,000 (undated, low confidence). We quote the current rate for your car. |
| TBS inspection in Japan | Required before the car is loaded. We arrange it and it is in your quote. |
| Import duty | 25% of the customs value. Exporter guides work it out on the CIF value: car price plus freight and insurance. |
| Excise by age | About 18% for 2016 – 2018 cars and 35% for 2010 – 2015 cars. 2019 – 2020 cars: no rate found under 8 years. From 1 July 2026. |
| Excise by engine size | 5% for every Passo (1,000cc or less), from 1 July 2026. Whether this adds to the age excise is not clear. Confirm with your clearing agent. |
| VAT | 18%, paid to TRA at clearing (exporter guides). |
| Railway Development Levy | 1.5% of the customs value. |
| Port and clearing charges | One exporter guide gives about TZS 1.5 – 3 million for port charges (single source). Ask your clearing agent. |
Rates come from news reports, a law-firm summary and exporter guides read on 7 November 2026, not from TRA. Which years fall in which age band is our own rough reading, because how TRA counts age is not published in what we read. Confirm the total with your clearing agent or the TRA calculator before you pay a deposit.
Tanzania rules that matter for the Passo
Every Passo pays the new 5% excise
Every Passo is 1,000cc or less. Those cars were exempt from engine excise before; from 1 July 2026 they pay 5%. Whether this 5% comes on top of the age excise or replaces it is not clear yet.
Age excise by year
From 1 July 2026 Tanzania charges excise of 18% on cars more than 8 and up to 10 years old, 35% on more than 10 and up to 20 years, and 40% on cars over 20 years. Roughly, 2010 – 2015 cars pay 35% and 2016 – 2018 cars 18%. 2019 – 2020 cars are about 6 – 7 years old; the reports we read give no rate under 8 years. Age is counted from the year of manufacture, and exporters usually list the registration year, so we ask for the manufacture date before you choose.
Updated 7 November 2026
Paying safely and avoiding scams
Pay a company account, never a personal one
Buyers in Tanzania and Kenya have lost money to fake Japanese exporters. Pay only into the exporter's company bank account, in the company's name. If anyone asks you to pay a personal account or a different name, stop and ask us on WhatsApp.
Approve the car before you pay
We send you the auction sheet and photos before we bid. You approve the car and the price before any deposit.
Check the inspection certificate
Your car needs a TBS roadworthiness inspection in Japan, and TBS names EAA Company Ltd as the agent for Japan. Ask for the certificate and check it before the car sails.
Watch for copied websites
Some scammers copy a real exporter's website or listings and give their own bank details. Check the web address carefully, and talk to the exporter on a number you already know before you send money.
Toyota Passo to Tanzania: questions buyers ask
What is the Toyota Passo price in Tanzania?
We cannot give one price, because it depends on the car's year, grade and condition and on Tanzanian tax. In Japan, exporters were asking USD 757 – 6,125 FOB for the Passos we checked on 7 November 2026. Freight, inspection, import duty, excise, VAT and clearing come on top. Send us your budget and we tell you which years fit.
Is the Passo still free of engine excise in Tanzania?
No. Cars of 1,000cc or less used to be exempt, but from 1 July 2026 they pay a 5% excise, on top of import duty, VAT and the railway levy. Age excise also applies to cars over 8 years old.
Which Passo year should I import to Tanzania?
Roughly, a 2016 – 2018 car (M700A) falls in the 18% age band and a 2010 – 2015 car in the 35% band. A 2019 – 2020 car is younger still. We confirm the manufacture date before you commit.
Can you find a Passo Sette (7-seater)?
Buyers search for it, but we did not see a Passo Sette in the Japanese stock we sampled in November 2026. Tell us you want one and we watch the auctions for it.
Can you ship a Passo to Dar es Salaam for me?
Yes. We bid at the auction in Japan, arrange the TBS inspection, ship the car to Dar es Salaam and send your clearing agent the documents. You approve the auction sheet and photos before we buy, and you pay a company account only.
Other models we help with here
Read our full Tanzania import guide
Sources
- TCV, used Toyota Passo stock listings from Japanese exporters (read 7 Nov 2026)
- TanzaniaInvest, Finance Bill 2026 tax changes
- The Citizen (Tanzania), "Importing a used car now costs more as Finance Act takes effect", 1 Jul 2026
- Clyde & Co, "Tanzania Tax Update: Finance Act 2026 Highlights", 3 Jul 2026
- TokyoCarZ, "How to import cars from Japan to Tanzania: full guide 2026", Mar 2026
- logi-net, Import regulations in Tanzania for Japan used cars (undated)