Our Story

Kixx Auto Customs started with one thing: a love for transformation.

Founder Charles Kariuki, better known as Kixx, loved cars from childhood. One of his biggest influences was watching Pimp My Ride and seeing ordinary cars transformed into something completely unexpected.

What fascinated him most was not only the finished car.

It was the reaction.

That moment when someone saw their transformed car for the first time stayed with him.

Years later, creating that same feeling would become the heart of Kixx Auto Customs.

It Started With a 1989 Toyota Levin

The real Kixx story began with Charles' first car — a 1989 Toyota Levin, previously owned by his former boss, Mutinda.

Charles already knew talented automotive technicians, including Solo, his go-to painter, and began experimenting with the Levin.

Paint, rims, interior, sound and body styling slowly turned the car into something completely different.

Soon, the Levin became a show-stopper.

Friends noticed it whenever Charles drove past. People started asking who had done the work and whether Kixx could transform their cars too.

Even Mutinda loved the transformation so much that he kept trying to buy the Levin back.

What had started as a personal project was quickly becoming something bigger.

From a Nickname to a Brand

Most people already knew Charles simply as Kixx, a nickname derived from Kariuki.

As more requests started coming in, his brother Richie encouraged him to stop treating customization as just a hobby and get a proper location.

In 2020, Kixx Auto Customs officially opened its first small garage in Garden Estate, Nairobi.

The beginnings were modest.

Space was limited.

Capital was limited.

But the passion was not.

Kixx began working on everything from old-school cars to high-end vehicles, with one simple philosophy:

Listen to the customer's idea, then find a way to make it even better.

Growing Beyond the First Garage

As the reputation grew, so did the cars.

Range Rovers.

Toyota Prados.

Land Rovers.

Luxury vehicles.

Classic cars.

Eventually, the Garden Estate location simply became too small.

That growth led Kixx Auto Customs to move to a larger operation in Ruiru, creating room for bigger builds, a stronger team and a wider range of customization services.

What started mainly as a paint shop expanded into lighting, body kits, rims, interiors, sound systems, detailing and complete vehicle transformations.

Why We Do It

At Kixx Auto Customs, we don't believe every car should look the same.

Every customer has a different personality, idea and budget.

Our job is to understand that vision and work with a creative team that shares the same passion for cars.

Then we ask one question:

How can we wow the customer?

That is what Kixx has always been about.

Charles puts it simply:

"I started Kixx because I love transformation."

From the 1989 Toyota Levin to memorable builds like the Mitsubishi Celeste, Mitsubishi FTO and Toyota Starlet, the excitement has always been the same — taking something familiar and turning it into something people cannot ignore.

The Road Ahead

Our vision is:

To become Africa's most admired automotive customization brand — where creativity has no limits, innovation drives imagination, and every build is an unforgettable expression of individuality, craftsmanship and fun.

The next chapter of Kixx includes future locations in Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Meru and Nanyuki, with an ambition to grow beyond Kenya.

We also plan to establish the Kixx Automotive Academy, helping develop the next generation of automotive technicians, designers and customizers.

Because Kixx is becoming more than a garage.

It is a culture built around cars, creativity and people who believe their vehicles should express who they are.

From one Toyota Levin...

To a growing automotive brand.

This is Kixx.