Yangon - 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?
Your vehicle will get dings and scratches. Rainy season means knee deep water in many places. The roads are rough and potholes are left to fester. You would be well served to bring something with a high clearance and a comfortable suspension. - May 2019
A lot of expats have SUVs but I think they are overkill unless you are actually going hiking all the time (and come on, are you?) Parking spaces are SUPER SMALL, so a compact car really helps. Japanese and Korean brands will be the easiest to get serviced. The roads are terrible and dings are frequent, so leave the BMW at home for this tour. Everyone is rocking a Toyota anyway. - Mar 2019
The roads are not well maintained and Yangon tends to flood during monsoon season. A medium-sized SUV with decent ground clearance seems ideal. We have a lot of Toyota RAV owners at Post. I have something larger, which can be a challenge to park, but it's been fine. With taxis and shuttle services from the serviced apartments, you could easily do without a vehicle altogether. Parts for Toyotas, Nissans and the like are locally available. American manufactured cars will need parts shipped in. Carjacking is not an issue here. - Sep 2018
We recommend a small SUV or something else that's sturdy and has some clearance. Roads can be rough and flash floods are common in parts of the city during rainy season. Since many Burmese cars are second-hand imports from Japan, a Japanese-brand car will be easiest to find replacement parts for (less so with Nissan and Subaru, more so with Toyota and Honda). You don't want a car that's too big, because roads and parking spaces can be narrow, or one that's too small, because of uneven roads and flash floods. - Mar 2017
People like to bring SUVs here because the road conditions can be iffy but sedans do just fine as well. It can be nice to have some ground clearance to go through deep puddles during monsoon season but 4WD is not necessary in the city. - Feb 2017
A Toyota Rav4 or similar type vehicle is ideal. You want something that is high enough for water and potholes, but small enough for narrow streets. - Oct 2016
An SUV or 4X4 vehicle would be easier to drive in Yangon, which is especially true during the rainy seasons. For Toyota's and Nissan's cars owners, standarded maintaining services are reachable from the car companies. - May 2016
Four wheel drive is best. I don't know about parts or duties as we get our car shipped as part of our posting and it's relatively new. I have not heard of any carjackings or car theft at all. Motorcycles are not allowed in the city and bikes are technically not allowed either though you will see them on occasion. It's dangerous riding though as drivers are inexperienced and traffic is erratic. - May 2016
They know how to fix pretty much anything here. But if you want it done right, bring a few parts with you if you think there might be a problem. 4X4 would be best as the roads are pretty busted with the rain we get here. But many locals drive little low to the ground cars and seem to do fine. - Apr 2014
Lots of pot holes. Lots of Japanese here so those would be easier to fix. Do not worry about carjackings. Unless you're a diplomat, it's difficult to purchase a car (need Myanmar person to sign for it). Most people hire a driver. - Feb 2014
Four-wheel drive is preferable, but you can get by in town without it. Your car will probably get beat up, so expect dings and scratches. - Jul 2010
Any car will do, but having the extra clearance of an SUV is nice during the rainy season. Also, bring an extra set of tires. - Apr 2009
SUVs are ideal. - Nov 2008
