Mini Miracles: The History of the Kei Car

A classic car connaisseur dives into the weird and wonderful world of the Japanse microcar: the Kei car! Why are these quirky cars so tiny? Why do you see them almost exclusively in Japan, and what's up with these keijidosha roadsters, pickups and vans?
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[@peekaboo1575]

@7:57 The reason Honda skipped passenger cars and went straight to sports cars and work trucks is because at the time the Japanese government was preparing to pass a law that forbade new players from entering the car market, meaning that any company that hadn't made cars by that point wouldn't have been allowed to do so. Soichiro thought the idea was absurd so he got his motorcycle company to make it's first cars just in case, all the while he was fighting a media, lobbying & PR war against the Japanese government. He won. Soichiro also fought the Jap gov on other such laws. One great example being a certain law Japan had at the time that reserved the red color for emergency vehicles only, thus making it forbidden for passenger cars of any kind. That's the reason the S500 was painted red. It wasn't just because it was a sporty convertible but also to warm up the Japanese public & press to the idea of owning red cars. He also won that one.

[@EdsAutoReviews]

Very interesting info! A great addition to the video and explains a lot! Thank you!

[@pimbrokken]

How do you know all this? You Japanese?

[@SockyNoob]

What a legend.

[@sandasturner9529]

Is this the reason why red cars cost more to insure in America?

[@hydrolifetech7911]

​@@sandasturner9529 red cars costing more to insure is a myth

[@Mattalot97]

Correct me if I'm wrong but last year saw a record sale with 50% of all cars sold in Japan being Kei Cars I imported my 2021 Daihatsu Copen GR early this year and I love it. Completely different to the standard western cars we are used to. Does everything they can but taking up a fraction of the space.

[@gratefulot360]

Coincidence, I took my Subaru Forester to the dealer today and there was a totally restored Subaru 360 in the showroom. It's small enough to hide in a backpack and totally unsafe at any speed.

[@EdsAutoReviews]

I wonder what Ralph Nader had to say about these cars XD

[@kdrapertrucker]

I work at Subaru of Indiana automotive, the only Subaru car plant outside of Japan and drive my Subaru Sambar kei truck to work almost every day.

[@kdrapertrucker]

​@@EdsAutoReviewsNader was a con man.

[@adrianmonk4440]

I HATE THAT NADER SLOGAN.

[@sandasturner9529]

That's why it's called "the 360" , as in you be doing 360⁰ spins

[@peterelvery]

Note: As indicated by the air intakes on the yellow car in your cover image, like the Autozam, the Honda Beat is also mid-engined.

[@Kommisar_Lutter]

Fun fact: Daewoo Tico is a rebadged kei car, the Suzuki Alto 3rd gen, altough with 800cc engine. It was quite popular in Poland in 90s and early 2000s togegher with other Daewoo models, and was even produced here in Poland too. So 'technically' we even built kei cars in Europe :D

[@Truenofan86]

"Jazda Tico to Rizico"

[@jacobrzeszewski6527]

Way better than the Niki 650.

[@richardvickrey4786]

Ed, your reviews just get better & better. I look forward to watching anything you cover. The political situation in the USA is horrible & growing more problematic every day. Your videos provide a blessed relief. So, thank you!

[@MrDuncl]

I was in Poland two weeks ago and saw one. Also several of those strange French style Microcars that look like they want to become a Kei car when they grow up.

[@piotrwarszynski797]

​@@MrDunclAixam, Microcar, Lieger?

[@bhardnavares5903]

I adore kei cars simply because they are practical and can be utilitarian even with it's small package. Plus it's light and has good handling and easy to park to go around in narrow corners or having a limited space for parking.

[@Nickos1b]

Suzuki Wagon R. They are still sought after in the used market. They are small on the outside with an interior room that seemed magically large. I still remember the TV commercial back in the day when someone came to their Wagon R with the shopping cart from a supermarket and they actually fitted the whole cart inside the car.

[@gabrielv.4358]

I REALLY LOVE Kei cars, they are SO SMALL and pretty nippy for their size

[@MaximGhost]

I guess I'm late in the game, but Kei vehicles older than 25 are now being legally imported here in the United States as classic or vintage vehicles. Affordable Kei cars are popular in crowded cities, and Kei trucks are popular in rural areas. However, on the advice of insurance companies, several states have banned them due to safety, but there has been a backlash to these bans by Kei enthusiasts since these Kei cars and trucks are no more dangerous than the motorcycles with even more power already on the roads. So Kei cars and trucks are definitely living a second life here in the United States for the reasons stated at the end of this video.

[@petermontoya1796]

I was in Japan in the early 1980's. One of my mates had a Kei Car. At first I thought it would be WAY TOO SMALL. It was quite a nice little car !! I was impressed. Of course in Japan the roads are much smaller than California, but getting around town in one of those was loads of fun!!

[@EdsAutoReviews]

It is something that I have not mentioned in the video, but the street space etc. also contributes to chosing a kei car. Japan has many of these unique crammed alleyways and kei car owners can also get assigned parking spots.

[@TwentyNinerR]

Indonesia had their own encounter with kei cars: 1. A lot of Japanese manufacturers brought their kei cars over here, such as the aforementioned Honda mini-pickup that we call Honda TN, Daihatsu Fellow Max, Honda Life, the 4th gen Suzuki Carry, and the 3rd gen Daihatsu Hijet. They're now rare cars. 2. Way back in the 60s (as early as 1962, just before the 4th Asian Games in Jakarta), Daihatsu used to import the OG, three-wheeled Midget. It was known as a form of public transport named Bemo, short of Becak Motor or autorickshaw. They were phased out in the following years, and only a few of them survived.

[@yorkhawk]

FYI the Caterham Seven 170 (Suzuki 660cc engine) is sold as a Kei car in Japan. It has a narrower track than other 7s but the engine power exceeds that of the gentlemen's agreement. Apparently Caterham said they would detune the engine for the Japanese market but the authorities told them not to bother.

[@proxigenated]

Yeah not a true kei car tho

[@foxy126pl6]

​@@proxigenatedi mean, it can be registered as one in japan, so it literally is, legally speaking

[@LV_CRAZY]

Excellent video! There's a huge market for converted Kei vans and pickups here in the Philippines. There called multicabs here. Almost all are Suzukis, we've had a D64v for almost 6 years, it a great family vehicle. Please note that the narrow width is perfect for the all too often narrow roads here.

[@Emppu_T.]

Saw some of them over there too!

[@bhardnavares5903]

You're right. Most kei cars here in the Philippines are mostly Suzuki. Heck, I even saw just now a Suzuki Espresso which is basically like a small SUV.

[@LV_CRAZY]

@@bhardnavares5903 Very popular model, new Suzuki dealers require the biggest down-payment for that model.

[@diablow1411]

Glad to see the underrated class of cars getting some traction and love! My first was a 1997 Daihatsu Mira, so the car was no longer than 3.3 meters and while it wasn't uncommon to drive a kei car in my country, it did feel just small enough to weave through traffic. That car really made you feel like being in the 90s for a cost much smaller (at the time) than its 'bigger counterpart', the Toyota Corolla.

[@Rentta]

Underrated ? At least when it comes to younger folks they are very well known and talked about a lot. Also prices have been going up and up.

[@diablow1411]

@Rentta I meant with their representation in video games. Only Gran Turismo really features such cars and other JDM gems, which is understandable, but I hope Western game developers also try branching out and include these cars

[@Emppu_T.]

@@diablow1411 the funnest to have in some instances in GT. Thank goodness i played it through the years.

[@diablow1411]

@@Emppu_T. Trust me, they're just as fun to drive in real life 😉

[@ianzeitner9035]

Nice to finally see a video about Kei cars as my father owns a L251 Daihatsu Cuore (Export Version of the Mira where they bolted on a third cylinder for a whopping 58hp out of 989cc). I want to add that despite its small dimensions, it can fit 4 people very comfortably, more so than my mom’s Seat Ibiza, especially on the rear seat bench. And although it isn’t objectively fast, it’s quite fun to drive around in and feels much quicker than it actually is. Would really like to experience how the 2-cylinder Mira performs when fully loaded though, having seen how slow the 3-cyl can get. Tires are surprisingly expensive btw, you can pretty much only get Yokohama or some random chinese brand you never heard of, can’t be picky when you need 145/80 R12. A full set of winter Tires is about 280€, which is a lot for a tiny ‘car’ that can be bought for well under 1000€.

[@Gravengaard]

Kei-car owner here - the lambo kei, Autozam AZ-1. Actually bought it used in the Netherlands, where you guys really seem to enjoy the quirky JDM stuff ;-) Fun fact, the Caterham Seven 170 (and its predecessor) is actually sold as a kei-car in Japan as well, since it's running a 660cc Suzuki engine. And that is the very proof that the 64 hp is only a gentleman's agreement and not a legal requirement, since that has 85 hp.

[@kijekuyo9494]

I was very happy to see that you had posted this video. I drove a kei-car (2004 Suzuki Wagon R) all over Aichi and Shizuoka, Japan, and I loved it. The cargo space was better than many much larger (i.e. fatter, heavier, gas-guzzling) cars sold in the US. I look at the similar sized Smart, and think how stupid it is to have only two seats and far less cargo room. I wish we had kei-cars in the US. We had a water pipe break during a trip and I was able to push the car to a repair shop for quite a distance on level ground while my wife steered from the driver's seat. That's how light they are. The downside is lack of safety. You don't want to have a collision in one of these things, unless perhaps, it's with another kei-car. There is absolutely no crush zone.

[@starpergaming2688]

I live in Vladivostok. We drive all those used Japanese cars. And key cars become very popular due to growing tariffs. As it gets too pricy to bring a used 8yo Japanese car. But if it's a kei car. Than you on a budget. And therefore many people drive those here. Especially those mini minivans. Those even used as a taxi sometimes. Very useful and fuel efficient vehicles.

[@petesmitt]

3:28 The Kei category dimensions regularly changed but the small never varied; 1983 Mazda Bongo was made to fit just below the maximum length, width and height of the small category and ended production in 2020.

[@KikuraKun]

Definitely fall in love with the Copen since GT4. Now, I'm making a plan to own one.

[@currentsitguy]

I'm an American who owns a 93 Suzuki Cappuccino. I absolutely love it. I can't think of another vehicle that is more fun to drive.

[@keithhooper6123]

As a Daihatsu Copen driver,I think it matches yours for fun.

[@DanAlexC]

my very first car was a Kei car, a Daewoo Tico. I once cramped 8 people in it on a 70 mile journey in the middle of the winter. Best fun I ever had. They are cheerful,, noisy, low on power, no safety features at all, but boy they're fun to kick around.

[@TIB1245L]

Kei cars have quite a presence in Malaysia with the 2nd national car manufacturer Perodua producing rebadged Daihatsu Miras and Moves during their early years

[@shadowgunner69]

Brought my Honda N360 back to the US after I left Japan. Picked it up at the Port of Los Angeles, RH drive and screaming at 6000 rpm going down the freeway at 50 mph. I managed to get six US servicemen in that car. Loved the little bugger.

[@waynezheng7629]

I think it's worth mentioning in Tokyo you can't buy anything other than a kei car unless you can prove you have a car space to park it. So it seems the kei car will always have a market.

[@MrDuncl]

Some KZbinr living in Japan bought a Honda Fit and said the biggest delay in the purchase was waiting for some official to come and measure his parking space,

[@peekaboo1575]

I absolutely love kei cars. If I lived in Japan right now I'd get a N One with the 6MT. Of course it goes without saying that the sporty ones from the 90s and the newer (but already discontinued) S660 are the finest Kei cars ever made.

[@obelic71]

In Europe the Suzuki Alto (MK1/ Marutti) was equiped with an 800CC engine. Reliability way of the chart! , 5.5 Liter fuelburn for each 100 km, luxury euh you are protected from the elements and don't need to walk. safety only due its "low" not ear damaging speed (100 km/h max cruise,120 km/h gives jetengine noise!)

[@peekaboo1575]

@@obelic71 IIRC Kei Cars are limited to 140km/h but I imagine this does not apply to your 800cc Suzuki. They are fine city cars and the modern ones should be more than adequate for highway driving but I cannot imagine taking one of the older models on any sort of high speed road. Must be rather spooky.

[@obelic71]

@@peekaboo1575 the later Alto MKII III and IV had 1 Liter engines and only the MKIII ( the rustbucket of the 4 )is disapearing from the streets in Europe. And yes they are fine city cars who often stay in a family and are passed down generations.

[@clarksonoceallachain8536]

Thats the RS version Typically sold in yellow Id buy one with mr bean colours

[@noriyukitakano2366]

I'm delighted to read your comment. I'm racing in an N-ONE one-make race series in Japan that is named N-ONE Owners Cup. It is also seen around 16:50 on this video. I had a test drive of the MT version, but due to the race regulation I'm using a CVT model.

[@sgal5845]

one place you'd be surprised to find Kei cars was Russia. There was a large amount of Japanese RHD cars that were sent from Hokkaido to (usually) Vladivostok, usually large brands like Toyota, Nissan, and primarily Mitsubishi were imported to Russia and given Russian registration. you can find some Mitsubishi Kei cars on the roads of Russia today, usually RHD unless converted by the owner.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

As a 6'2" American. I probably wouldn't be able to fit in a Kei car. But I would definitely try. For some reason I love extremely large and extremely small cars.

[@danielguzman9061]

You should try in some type of kei kar minivan.

[@zarakdurrani7584]

You can easily fit in any new Kei car. For example the Daihatsu Mira/Move, Honda N One/ N Wgn, Suzuki hustler/Wagon R/Alto. I have seen taller people get into and out of these with zero problems.

[@RadekPogoda]

Thanks to a transmission failure of my brand new VW CC 2.0TSI in 2015, I became an involuntary driver of a VW Up! 1.0. I fought the dealership staff to get something bigger, but they didn’t have any other courtesy car on the lot. I took it and… fell in love instantly, as it is a truly great little gem. After nearly a month and 3000+ kilometers I even considered buying the Up! GTI as a toy, to have fun on the weekends and keep it forever… Imagine my shock when I arrived in Japan 8 months later and realized the Kei is much smaller still. Great episode - as always. Thanks!

[@Sarin-Q]

Surprisingly comprehensive explanation of keis! I love my Honda Beat, and I'm always happy to see people taking am interest in kei stuff. I'd also like to mention there's a kei compliant version of the Caterham Seven, if you want another example of a European kei.

[@adriangoede7433]

Suzuki Sambar? Subaru Sambar. Excellent video!!! Love it, thank you.

[@danr1920]

Saw a couple in Hawaii last winter. Really weird. I want one...or two! The vans were great.

[@KyurekiHana]

Glad to see the Kei cars getting more attention over time. I live in America, and I hate how huge all vehicles have gotten lately, with the compact and subcompact city car classes slowly dying out here. I really like space efficiency, as it makes me feel more in control of the car with how nimble they are compared to large, lumbering trucks and SUVs. I'm still trying to reconcile what car I'll eventually get to replace the Ford C-Max I used to have.

[@kdrapertrucker]

You know, I love my F150 pickup, dependable, great power, good fuel economy, sporty for a truck, still can haul and tow a decent amount, but I also love my 1994 Subaru sambar pickup.

[@MrDuncl]

Wait 23 years and get a Ford Puma 🙂 p.s. more seriously isn't the Kia Niro C-Max size ?

[@TexRenner]

I drove a 1969 Subaru 360 (Kei) van to high school in Houston, Texas from 1970 through '72. The top speed was barely 60 mph, the tailwind of pickup trucks and Cadillacs blew me all over the road. My friends and I wanted to be hippies and were oblivious to all danger.

[@b.1570]

6:51 Give the Daihatsu Midget some goddamn respect he's a funky boi and I love it

[@DollyBoy_1923]

I agree it’s pretty dang cool

[@cliff8669]

In April 1980, I was stationed at MCAS Iwakuni Japan. I bought myself a early 1960's Datsun Sunny Station wagon, grey in color. I may well be the only person who ever got a ticket for failure to yield to an aircraft while on taxi. I still have that ticket in my scrap book. I still have the key for that car. On level roads, no problem in moving along. Try going up hills with more than three people and a small load ... NOPE ... nothing doing. I paid 300 dollars for it and sold it to a Major (F4 Pilot) for 350.00 dollars.

[@JK061996]

Some kei vans also came to Europe, often in rebadged form. For instance the Suzuki Carry became the Bedford Rascal while the Daihatsu Hijet was sold as the Piaggio Porter

[@christiangomez2496]

They also were built outside of Japan often under license.

[@MrDuncl]

@@christiangomez2496 The Rascal was made in the U.K. They also tended to get larger 1.0 or even 1.3 litre N.A. engines,

[@christiangomez2496]

@@MrDuncl I was aware of the Rascal. I just forgot to mention that.

[@foxy126pl6]

​@@MrDunclyep, the porter offered a 1.2l diesel aswell

[@marc0tjevp]

Thanks for featuring my Cuore! That was an amazing surprise! Great video I enjoyed it a lot.

[@MrDuncl]

Nice to see the VW Up get mentioned so many times. Due to a problem with my car we took my wife's on a 250 mile round trip to the airport. Plenty of room for the two of us and our luggage. Several times she had to remind me that the speed limit is 70MPH. At the end of the journey it had used half a tank of fuel, reporting 67MPG U.K (55MPG US).

[@craigjones2878]

The Kei cars make that ‘53 Customline look huge, I wonder how many of these were sold in Japan.

[@johnd8892]

I would say close to zero 53 Customlines sold new in Japan. Much more likely that they came with the US occupying forces post war. Many Japanese could barely afford a new motorcycle, hence the Kei cars. Japanese taxes would also price large cars out of reach for most then. Occupying forces exempt from all these taxes. Left hand drive cars also a problem driving on the left of the road as Japan does. A nearly forgotten aspect of the end of the Japanese part in the war.

[@RichieRouge206]

Kei cars are just so cool. I remember as a kid seeing them for the first time on TopGear where Clarkson drove a Mitsubishi Dangan through a Halfords. So many cool and interesting versions

[@jkb2016]

I LOVE my '06 Daihatsu Mira, unfortunately, a botched floor sealing job urges me to sell it as scrap soon. Except for the superfluous 1st and 3rd gear and the bad hillclimbing on the Autobahn it has been a reliable, and practical city car that let me sneak (and park!) through Hamburg's awful traffic. I will miss you!

[@dogcowrph]

I loved my 1986 CRX. It was surprisingly roomy inside but could fit into half a parking space. I put 180,000 on it in four years. It was so much fun and U was always stopped by passers by who had questions about it.

[@nunyabusiness896]

Not a kei car.

[@oneanddone7992]

I live in the US and own a Beat. It is nothing short of brilliant considering it is, in Japan at the time, a bottom-of-the-barrel, cheap throw-away car. The Beat is more fun than any car I have owned over the past 50 years, including a Viper, multiple Corvettes, and Z32s.

[@FreeManFreeThought]

I live in British Columbia, Canada. Old Kei trucks are *ubiquitous* as farm runarounds here (at least in my area). Basically: they are cheaper than a utility ATV, road legal, cheaper to fuel than a pickup, and big enough for standard little runs into town.

[@pancreasenthusiast]

Kei cars are pretty popular here in Vancouver, BC. There is a healthy JDM import market, and you see a fair number of especially the kei vans and trucks driving around. I myself owned a Subaru Sambar for a short time a few years ago. It was super fun and quirky but ultimately a poor financial decision; parts were hard to find and expensive, and most mechanics didn't know what they were looking at. It was fun for a while though!

[@viking7509]

I live in the Netherlands and daily drive a 1993 Daihatsu Cuore/mira. Currently in the process of engine swapping it to a 1 litre out of a 2001 Cuore. It has been the most reliable car i have ever had and i love it so much. I will keep it for as long as possible!

[@show4]

I drove a Suzuki Fronte in the early 80s when I was stationed in Japan.. pushed it to the limits.. it was so much fun! Thanks for the memories!

[@wilrohan2985]

I used to work as a product planner for Subaru in Westminster, California back in the late 1980s. I remember Yoshi, who brought in the 360. He was a really nice guy. My favorite K car was the Rex.

[@kevinbarry71]

As it turns out; a lot of American farmers, or other land owners, buy the truck and van versions of these cars in fairly large numbers. Of course they have to be 25 years old to be legally imported

[@chasebarber6154]

Newer models can be imported in some states as long as they are modified to meet certain restrictions. Alabama, for example, allows them to be registered as "low speed road vehicles" as long as they are governed to 25mph and such vehicles are prohibited from using interstate highways. Different states have different rules, of course.

[@kevinbarry71]

@@chasebarber6154 you are not talking about importing, you are talking about registration. In order to be imported into the country they must be 25 years old unless they can meet all federal safety and emissions standards for that year

[@TheOtherBill]

They're road legal in some states (unfortunately not mine) and the mini trucks are gaining a cult following. I would purchase one if I could drive it on the street, even if restricted.

[@chasebarber6154]

@@kevinbarry71 You can legally import newer ones as long as the engines meet EPA emissions standards and they have the legally required modifications to convert them to a low speed vehicle. My point above was that some states allow road use/registration, and others do not(meaning they're for off-road or farm use only).

[@johnfloore9799]

Another great episode Ed. Always brightens my day. Thanks!

[@christopherkraft1327]

Hey Ed, thanks for sharing this exciting & informative video!!! 👍👍🙂

[@PlatinumNath]

Small mistake at 7:04 should've been Subaru Sambar instead of Suzuki Sambar. Suzuki would be having the Carry instead

[@jamesmisener3006]

Okei got it. Thanks Ed. That was fun. Cheers 🇨🇦

[@morbozim]

what a cool episode, I skipped back multiple times to get a good look at these exotic cars :)

[@johngraves6878]

Your car videos are so superior to your American youtube competitors. I find the European viewpoint and humor so refreshing. I mean, you never seem to run out of great content. I thought some of those Japanese Kei cars were excellent, seductive, clean designs! The very first Subaru, for example, did not really look old fashioned at all. Timeless, like a Japanese VW bug. Some of the cute little sports cars were extremely hot looking, even if they didn't have racing specs. I visited Japan in 2003, and I can confirm that those micro-vehicles and micro-vans are ubiquitous.

[@DiamondDustVIII]

This is perfect timing, I've just bought an imported Suzuki Jimny (still waiting for it to get loaded on a truck and brought here) and trying to explain to people exactly how small it actually is has been difficult.

[@AspireTechYT]

You should check out kei trucks and minivans that are being sold like hotcakes in the Philippines, despite being a surplus and being converted to left hand drive, those are a hit in the country :D

[@seanoneillsongs]

Some of the Suzukis look really funky. I've even seen tiny pickups with four seats and a pretty small load area. The multi cabs aren't much bigger either and at Robinson's mall, they won't leave for downtown Tacloban until both facing benches have 8 passengers and there's another beside the driver.

[@clarksonoceallachain8536]

I wonder what a Philippino would think of the uro vamtac then A spanish madetruck thats not at all small And with longer chassis such as a 5.4M long vamtac The 1st gen vamtac in spain Was sold as military vehicle and police and ambulance and fire truck and civilian and work truck

[@seanoneillsongs]

@@clarksonoceallachain8536 I’ll ask around on my next trip there.

[@RK_GamerNL]

My aunt had a Subaru Vivio (rebatched Suzuki Alto in the EU) was a fun little car where you had a radio if you were lucky. now she drives a Suzuki Swift

[@nickgee7291]

ur such an amazing content creater for having meaty, well made videos focusing on quirky or weird or cars full of character or forgotten. all so interesting !!

[@EdsAutoReviews]

Thanks!

[@DSP1968]

Ed, thank you for providing a great overview of this market segment. I really enjoyed it and learned a few things along the way.

[@zaremol2779]

3:00 Someone almost got run over 70+ years ago, what a capture

[@Kiddman32]

Entertaining as always...

[@brianfleitas1829]

The Autozam AZ-1 is rated at 63hp. Many owners have dyno tested these cars and have put down 73hp at the wheels. The best about a "Gentleman's Agreement" is there isn't one.

[@ambergris5705]

The weirdest Kei car is actually... British. It's the Caterham Seven 170. Caterham had created an ultra-lightweight, back to basics Seven, with a narrower chassis, and using a kei car turbo 3 cylinder for the power, since it's light and energy dense. Well, boom, surprise (really, they hadn't thought about it apparently), it actually fits the requirements for a kei car! Only issue, the engine was a bit too powerful, but given the very low production numbers, it was deemed to be a non-issue, and the car was granted kei car status. Lucky Japanese! And that model will probably have a long life, since Caterham is now own by a Japanese company.

[@McBeamer94]

My most favorite kind of Kei Car is the mini sports car, either with the classic FR layout (like the Suzuki Cappuccino) or with the kart-like MR one (like the Honda Beat, the Honda S660 and the Mazda Autozam AZ-1). I just love these little sports cars, they seem like they have no mass at all when they're being driven. 💗 edit: the Mazda R360 Coupe is sweeet! I'd love to have it! 💗

[@johnd8892]

The Mazda R360 Coupe was also sold in small numbers in Australia from about 1962. A survivor one at Mazda Australia head office. They may also have one of the 1959 tiny Mazda three wheeled trucks that Mazda in Australia started with. Some of the other more recent Kei sports cars made it to Australia to be sold in small numbers. Helps that we drive on the left with steering wheel on the right like Japan, so no special model needed.

[@danielc3472]

Love the little Kei cars! 👍🏼

[@ThrottleAddiction]

*NO - Kei Cars won't be disappearing in Japan anytime soon.* A majority of Kei Cars are sold in the cities, where parking space is not only a premium, but small. In most cities when you buy a new car, someone from the local prefecture or police will come to your house to check you have enough space to park the vehicle on your property (not hanging out into the street or onto the foot path), before you are allowed to purchase one. That's how important it is to have small cars in Japan. Japan's public transport system is second to none, but if inner-city people want a car, chances are it'll have to be a Kei Car.

[@FionaOfMountLawley]

Australia got a lot of these. I remember the Daihatsu Mira (Handivan in Australia, Cuore in Europe) and Suzuki Mighty Boy. I personally had a Honda City and then a Suzuki Alto. So my first two vehicles were both kei cars. The Honda 360 was available as the Scamp for a time until it was supplanted by the City and Civic. Both the Jimny and Jimny Sierra were distributed. The Sierra (sold as the Samurai in America) was far more successful. The Subaru Sambar made an appearance too . There are some kei-trucks which though not common, are available. A local mixed commercial development near me displays one. I think it's probably a Daihatsu Hi-Jet. There was time that you'd routinely see Handivans and Mighty Boys on the road. Jimny Sierras are still an occasional sight on Australian roads and have a much better reputation in Australia than they did the the US.

[@steved3702]

Still smile when I see the occasional Mighty BOY on the road! I remember the Alto as being an 800cc model - probably just for export!

[@jmirsp4z]

i drive a honda beat daily and it's the most fun you can ever have on 4 wheels... if you ever get a chance to drive a kei-car you absolutely should. they're extremely cheap to run too.

[@bobcatracer]

Honestly I'd like a video on chrysler's k-cars. Especially if we're talking about the Dodge M4S turbo.

[@KiLDELTA]

Very popular here in the Philippines are the Kei Vans and Kei pickups. We commonly call them as MULTICABs. Good entry level cars and good for small businesses.

[@bldontmatter5319]

Im driving here in Kazakhstan and i can tell you that kei cars are plentiful here. Even though its right hand drive here, you see tons of left hand drive cars. The roads are thin and everyone weaves in and out, but id be too scared to drive a small minicar in the event of a crash.

[@charlescrossman2225]

ANOTHER GREAT VIDEO ED!!! MERCI!

[@taeharte7501]

Great video of great - small - cars. I once owned a Subaru Mini Jumbo, quite luxurious with 4 doors. I really enjoyed it.

[@frankortiz_HeroDad]

Japanese Kei cars are already present on the roads in the US and Puerto Rico.

[@ralphe.5877]

Dear Ed! Thanks a lot for your great videos! As a car guy, petrol head, V8 fetishist I really LOVE your channel! It's fantastic that you have a heart for the underdogs, the unwanted, the misunderstood and hideously ugly automobiles, too! I wouldn't know anyone better than you to honor the famous and mysterious brand MITSUOKA by creating a dedicated video for it?!? Pleeeeaaaaase!!! Cheers from Germany 👍🤗

[@robertmiller2173]

Thanks, what a great program. I had a Ford KA, and I loved it, it was fantastic, it had the amazing Ford Cross Flow Kent 1,300 cc engine with a manual 5 speed gear box, and it handled well on our Mountainous South Island Roads here in New Zealand! I was going to keep it forever but my son smashed it. I'm thinking of getting another as it will be a classic car!

[@ridezosmon2306]

And here I thought the Corsa B 3 door was the smallest and quickest. It still is in my garage and heart ♡

[@morenofranco9235]

Another excellent presentation. Thanks, Ed, for a wonderfully informative channel. I had a Honda S500 that I bought in 1973. Really fun, sporty get-about.

[@sauschwaenzle420]

Soon enough to not be able to watch it fully

[@CarlosEduardo-hd4ro]

With due respect, speak for yourself

[@gabrielv.4358]

??????????/

[@wabbajack4461]

The production quality of all your videos is phenomenal. I forget I'm not watching TV.

[@raymonduncad1333]

Suzuki DA64 is very popular here in the Philippines.. people sell them as refurbished cars... I love how small it is and easy to drive in traffic, it can turn on a dime and and has 4x4 in times that you need it...

[@adamclarke7394]

One of my favourites is undoubtedly the Cony Guppy. It could be the world's smallest pickup, and although it looks like the engine is in the front, it is actually mid-engined. The occupant's feet stick out beyond the front axle as a deformable crash structure, and it scores extra points for its suicide doors.

[@robertyoung1777]

How about a show featuring cabs like the American Checker and British cabs? Great content - thank you.

[@ropeburn6684]

I really wonder why Kei cars aren't more popular in Germany. I mean, our tuning regulations are both strict and very lenient at the same time. As long as you get roadwhorthiness approval for your modified car, the rest is peanuts. Your insurance goes up by one class, if at all, and road tax likewise. It all depends on the "registration class number" of the original vehicle, which never changes even if you swap the whole engine. The registration class of the original frame/chassis is what counts. On top of that, older emissions regulations for tax purposes used to be based on displacement - which would've made a 600cc vehicle VERY cheap no matter what. So I imagine, you could tune up a 600cc Kei car into oblivion, including turbocharging and whatnot, and as long as the rest of the car (brakes, suspension etc) is upgraded reasonably as well, it would still be a very affordable car as far as insurance and tax is concerned.

[@peekaboo1575]

@12:45 The Beat is also mid-engined BTW.

[@adrianrutterford762]

This should be fun!

[@DollyBoy_1923]

Congratulations, You’re the first to comment

[@josephbingham1255]

Very interesting. At 5:41 the California importer of Subaru 360. A Lockheed engineer used to drive on of these noisy, slow and smoking 2 strokes from Lockheed Burbank to Palmdale so maybe he bought it here? The $1275 for the Subararu. The VW Beetle at this time had a advertised price of $1.999 which likely dealers added more to. 7:00 Wow - a Subaru 360 estate station wagon! About this time the time of the Lockheed engineer I also saw coming out of Burbank Airport the unusually sounding and now famous Chrysler turbine car.

[@timurtatlici5320]

I had a 1997 Daihatsu Cuore with 42 hp and until now it was the most fun car to drive I've ever owned. And for short trips 4 people fit in relatively easily. I still don't really understand myself, why I sold it.

[@Tourist1967]

I have owned cars from prestigious marques - but the most reliable and often the most fun to drive were a Cuore and a Copen.

[@donedwards6414]

Fascinating, excellent report.

[@evianluna1996]

I drive a 2016 Daihatsu mira slow but fun, I love it. 😌😌

[@claytonbouldin9381]

There is a bar near me that has a Kei van as their business vehicle. It looks really cool to me.

[@martijnvangorp]

Weer een top aflevering Ed!

[@claudiobizama5603]

Shout out to the mighty pickup, the Suzuki Mighty Boy.

[@JordanKwon]

11:37 The Honda City was not a Kei car. By 1981 when the City was first released, Honda was not making any Kei car. Honda reentered the Kei car market in 1985, with the release of Honda Today.

[@francisfay5190]

Ed great video as usual. Did you look at the Japanese versions of the retro Kai cars like the Nissan Figaro

[@johnd8892]

Figaro likely too big for a Kei.

[@NatsukiMogiIsBestGirl]

​​@@johnd8892Correct, it (and its other Pike car brethren) were based on the K10 March

[@megapangolin1093]

Great, interesting video. To save emissions, all countries should promote these cars, reduce the tax/insurance burden and get people out of vast SUVs, especially in cities. Forget EVs in the short term, half emissions with half sized cars. Bring a bit of fun back into driving. Also, they are so boring to drive it might make people drive less and use public transport or bikes. Well done.

[@garnix6390]

I would buy one if they were available in Europe. Especially the ones by Suzuki are quite neat.

[@MrDuncl]

Back in the 1990s a colleague had a Suzuki Wizz Kid which was sold over here. The problem is they were so cheap people treated them as disposable. Locally some pensioner has only just got rid of their Perodua Nippa which is effectively a Daihatsu Mira. The car they have replaced it with isn't much bigger.

[@maxmouse3]

I love the honda beat! Such an iconic little car