Car News, Reviews and Advice in Mauritius

Petrol Prices Climb Again: The 14 August 2026 Increase at a Glance

Petrol Prices Climb Again: The 14 August 2026 Increase at a Glance

If your last fill-up felt pricier, you were not imagining it. From 14 August 2026, petrol has gone up again. Here are the key takeaways for Mauritian motorists.What Has ChangedPetrol (Mogas) has risen from Rs 64.25 to Rs 70.65 per litre, an increase of Rs 6.40, or just under 10 per cent. Diesel has been held steady at Rs 71.25, sparing buses, hauliers and bakeries a second blow. In real terms, a full tank now costs roughly Rs 256 to Rs 416 more depending on its size, and

News
A Market Under Pressure: Why Fewer Mauritians Are Buying Cars in 2026
The new car market continues to lose momentum, and the figures for the first seven months of 2026 suggest the slowdown is now settling in. What the numbers also make clear is that this is not a new-car story alone. The imported vehicle segment is under even greater strain.A quick note on terms. Mauritius's car market runs across three broad segments: brand new vehicles, imported vehicles brought in largely as reconditioned units by specialist dealers, and locally pre-owned cars that
August 12, 2026
News
Strong Demand, Deeper Choice: Mauritius's Automotive Market Mid-2026
Mauritius keeps adding vehicles to its roads, and the latest numbers show no sign of a slowdown. At the end of June 2026, the island counted 761,531 registered vehicles, up from 746,961 at the close of 2025. That is 14,570 extra vehicles in just six months, a rise of 2%.It sounds like a small percentage, but the pace matters. Registrations reached 756,673 by April 2026, so most of that growth landed in the first half of the year. Add up six months at this rate and the
August 04, 2026
Car ownership
The Diminishing Returns of Speeding
Speeding feels like it saves real time. It usually does not. Once you do the maths, the extra 20 km/h you fight for at the top of the dial buys you almost nothing, while the risk and the fuel bill climb hard. Here is the proof.The problem is your speedometerA speedometer shows speed in even steps, so 100 km/h looks twice as useful as 50 km/h. It is not. What you actually care about is arrival time, and arrival
July 29, 2026
Guides
Seven Tips for Selling Your Car Safely in Mauritius
Working in the motoring world means I naturally get a lot of questions from friends and family about buying and selling cars. Whether it is a cousin listing their first Nano or an uncle finally parting with a well loved Toyota, everyone wants the same thing: a smooth sale and no nasty surprises.When it comes to selling privately, my most important piece of advice has always been to stay alert to scams. Mauritius is a small island and most
July 17, 2026
News
Why Mauritius Is Holding Firm on Excise Duties for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles
When the 2025-2026 budget reintroduced excise duties on hybrid and electric vehicles, some motorists hoped the measure might be softened over time. The government has now signalled that the duties are here to stay.During the post-budget debriefing on Saturday 4 July, Junior Minister of Finance Dhaneshwar Damry set out the reasons for maintaining these duties. His explanation focused less on revenue and more on how Mauritius generates the electricity that powers its vehicles.The emissions argumentDamry noted that the transport
July 08, 2026
News
Fair Competition or Unfair Advantage? The Uber Question in Mauritius
Alalila 2.0 powered by Uber launched on 25 March 2026 without formal NLTA approval. The government has flagged this as a concern and is now developing a regulatory framework. But whilst the service rolls out, two very different perspectives on its impact have emerged.The Commuters ViewFor everyday commuters, Uber addresses a real problem. You can now book a ride with transparent, upfront pricing through an app instead of negotiating fares at the roadside. The service uses licensed PSVL drivers, so you're not
July 01, 2026
News
Mauritius Budget 2026: What Changed for Vehicle Owners
The 2026 budget speech has brought some changes to how Mauritians own, register and operate vehicles. If you're a car enthusiast, a business owner, or simply someone who relies on your vehicle daily, these measures will affect you in ways both practical and financial. Let's unpack what's happened and what it means.The Cost of Keeping That Special Number PlateOne of the most immediate changes is the new annual fee on old and personalised registration marks. If your vehicle sports a
June 22, 2026
Reviews
Why Modern Cars Forgot How to Be Interesting. And Whether We Can Go Back.
The BMW 2002 is one of those rare cars that didn't just transport people. It transported an entire company.Back in the late 1960s, BMW was still finding its identity. Then along came a compact, lightweight, slightly mischievous machine that could embarrass much bigger and more expensive cars on a twisty road. The 2002 Turbo even arrived with "turbo" written backwards across its front spoiler, so drivers ahead could read it in their mirrors. If ever there was a car with a
June 17, 2026
Guides
Demerit Points, Bluetooth and Your Phone: What the New Rules Actually Say
Since stricter penalties for distracted driving came into force, social media has been flooded with confusion. Can you still use Bluetooth? Will Google Maps get you fined? How many points before you lose your licence? Much of what is circulating online is simply wrong.Thankfully, some clarity has arrived. SL News recently sat down with road safety expert M. Barlen Munusami, who addressed the questions Mauritians have been asking and cleared up several grey areas around the new National Demerit
June 12, 2026
News
Mauritius Raises the Bar on Distracted Driving: Tougher Penalties Take Effect Today
Driving requires your full attention. It sounds obvious, yet the temptation to glance at a notification or fire off a quick message whilst behind the wheel remains a daily reality for many. As of today, 10 June 2026, Mauritius has made that habit considerably more costly.What Has Changed?The number of penalty points for using a handheld phone or microphone whilst driving has increased from a range of 3 to 6 points, to a new range of 5 to 10 points, effective from 10 June 2026. This
June 10, 2026
News
A Wake-Up Call for Mauritius: Road Fatalities in 2026 Are at a Record High
It has become almost impossible to open Facebook these days without being confronted by yet another devastating road accident here in Mauritius. A familiar name, a shared post, a community in shock. What once felt like tragic but isolated incidents now feels like a relentless, weekly drumbeat of loss that our island simply cannot keep ignoring.By 28 May 2026, Mauritius had already recorded 57 road deaths from 54 fatal accidents. With seven months of the year still to go, 2026 is on track to
June 01, 2026
Reviews
The Ultimate One Day Road Trip Around Mauritius - Foodie Edition
Mauritius is best known for its lagoons and landscapes, but anyone who has spent real time here knows the food deserves equal billing. Centuries of Indian, Chinese, French, African and Creole influences have produced something entirely its own. This route runs south down the west coast, cuts through the interior, skirts the south, and finishes up the east coast, a proper loop that happens to pass through some of the best eating on the island.Start Early: Port Louis Central
May 27, 2026
News
Speed Camera Installed on Flic-en-Flac Bypass Hill
The Flic-en-Flac Bypass has been a long time coming and a genuine improvement for commuters travelling to and from the west of Mauritius. The road was designed to ease long-standing congestion around Cascavelle and Flic-en-Flac, improving overall connectivity across the region. For most drivers, it has done exactly that.The hill section, however, quickly earned the nickname "the Cascavelle Racetrack" among locals. The name took on a grimmer dimension in late December 2025 when a video circulating on social media showed
May 17, 2026
Car ownership
Slow Down, Save Money: Fuel-Saving Tips for a World Paying More at the Pump
Fuel prices are climbing again, and this time the reasons stretch well beyond our shores. Ongoing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world's oil supply passes, have squeezed global crude supply and pushed prices upward. That pressure, as it always does, trickles down to us, the ordinary driver filling up on a Tuesday morning.The good news is that driving more economically is entirely within our control, and it happens to make the roads safer
May 06, 2026
News
Lots Full, Buyers Gone: Why New Cars Are Gathering Dust
There is something quietly alarming about a brand-new car sitting in a dealer's lot for months on end. It has never been driven, never been loved, and yet it is already costing money. This is the reality facing the automotive market right now, and it is a problem that touches everyone from the importer to the everyday buyer.How Did We Get Here?The short answer is taxation. Following a revision of excise duties that came into effect in June 2025,
April 23, 2026

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