Yerevan - 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?
Don't bring anything too flashy because I've heard that fake traffic accidents to try and get money or shifting the blame in real accidents has happened to several people. There are a lot of potholes and roads get poor with ice and snow so something rugged is your best bet. Four-wheel drive is handy if you want to go outside of town especially in the winter. I highly recommend getting an inexpensive dash cam on Amazon to protect you in case of an accident. - Jan 2022
I would recommend an SUV. 4-wheel drive if possible. Roads are awful all around the city and the country. In the winter, city roads are not cleared and you really need a good vehicle and tires . Most makes like Toyota, Mercedes, Nissan, Honda, Opel are represented. Parts can be ordered via pouch. - Aug 2021
Definitely bring something with a higher clearance and four wheel drive is useful, if you want to get out of the city and into the countryside. There are a lot of SUVs here. Don't bring something that is precious to you. Nearly everyone leaves here having experienced an accident. Traffic laws are non-existent and the driving is really aggressive. - May 2021
For travel outside Yerevan, you'll want some type of SUV. Some roads are modern and well maintained, but even those can have stretches where it's under repair and you will traverse gravel or dirt to get back onto tarmac. - Mar 2017
A sturdy car is good in terms of safety and bad roads. A small car is preferable for navigating small streets. We brought our Honda CRV 4x4 and are happy we did. Keep in mind that the likelihood of having some damage occur to your is pretty high. There are no carjackings. Many roads are bad, with potholes, even inside Yerevan. Because of the poor road conditions outside of Yerevan, we are restricted from driving outside of Yerevan after dark. There is a Honda dealership - and we had our car serviced once. They seem to have done a good job. - Oct 2014
Bring a 4-wheel drive like a RAV-4 or something similar. There's a Toyota auto dealer with a great mechanic shop in town, with American/European service and quality. Though the roads are well-paved throughout the country, there are pot-holes and some parts of the roads outside of town are unpaved. - Sep 2011
Many people have SUVs but a sedan will usually work quite well, as long as you are in the city. Road quality varies out in the regions - in which case a SUV would come in handy. There are plenty of places to repair cars, though in many cases you will want to have your own parts. I have never heard of a carjacking here. The main concern about driving is that many drivers can be quite (and pointlessly) aggressive, pushing their way through traffic, driving on the wrong side of the road. Traffic police rarely go after aggressive drivers. - Oct 2009
Most Embassy folks seem to prefer SUVs like Honda CRVs or Toyota's RAV for the clearance, driver sight line, safety, weight and traction in winter. Others like to drive hand me down old Soviet Nivas--since parts are plentiful and the basic motor is easy to repair with usually nothing more than a hammer and a screwdriver. Whatever car you bring, you should bring filters and spare parts (tires, windshield wipers). An oil change of synthetic oil costs US$150. Locals drive a mix of Soviet cars, late model German BMWs and Mercedes. The Mafia and oligarchs seem to prefer new Lexus models and Hummers. I believe there are Ford, Kia, Volkswagen and Toyota dealerships in Yerevan. Most Embassy folks, whatever their car model, seem to use the same 'international' service center. Labor in Yerevan is cheap, parts are not. - Jul 2008
We have a Honda CRV. Go with an SUV if you can - a smaller SUV is better for city driving (and for EXPENSIVE gas). If you don't have to have a car, you don't need one. If you find housing downtown, you can walk or taxi anywhere. - Jan 2008
