Hermosillo - 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?
I have a Tesla, which makes me very popular with kids. I don't feel vulnerable in the city. I did at first when strangers would want to ask about my car, but I've recognized by now that they are friendly and are just curious. I also have a minivan. I'd say about 50% of my coworkers drive a sedan with the rest driving an SUV. The biggest issue is potholes. My car is low and scrapes on the tops of the speed bumps at times as well. Potholes are everywhere and can be very deep/jagged, but I've somehow managed to avoid a flat tire so far. - Sep 2022
Any car is fine, however, given that when it rains a lot the roads flood a lot and the number of pot holes, an SUV for clearance can be a nice choice. - Sep 2022
Although there are all sorts of cars here, a car with clearance is recommended to safely and reliably get around. Many people have RAV4s, Highlanders, and 4Runners for the for potholes and floods. Car service is available for cars who are diplomatically registered. Many people drive up to Tucson for car service, as well. Uber is available. Other local transport not recommended. Be sure to program the car to only open the driver car door and auto lock all doors when moving out of park position. - Aug 2022
We have a RAV4, which is fine. There can be lots of pot holes, so most people drive vehicles with high clearance. This is not really needed, though. - Aug 2015
Anything is fine. A lot of people here have SUV-type cars for when it rains, but given that happens about 5 times per year, don't sweat it. The drivers here are insane, so we will be leaving with several dings and dents on our cars. - Apr 2013
Getting around town in a small sedan is easy as long as it's not raining. A small to mid-sized SUV is probably preferable because of varying road conditions and summer street flooding. Traveling off of the main toll roads is easier with higher road clearance. - Dec 2009
Hermosillo has dealerships for Chevrolet, GMC/Pontiac, Dodge, Ford, Lincoln/Mercury, Mitsubishi, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, Nissan, and BMW. The dealerships can service any vehicles from their brand. Parts tend to be pricier, with smaller inventory and longer lead times, than in the U.S., but labor is much cheaper. You can drive anything from a compact car to a one ton pickup in Hermosillo. But be aware that if you're coming from the U.S., roads and travel lanes are significantly narrower, paved surfaces are in much poorer conditions in all but the most recently paved roads, traffic control devices (traffic lights, signs, striping) are not standardized and are not always as visible as you're used to, parking is less available (and the parking stalls are smaller), and speed bumps are not as visibly marked (and sometimes not marked at all). - Feb 2008
