The Japanese Kei Car

Japan’s smallest cars tell one of the most remarkable stories in automotive history. Created within strict limits on engine capacity, length and width, the kei car developed from basic post-war transport into an extraordinarily diverse class of vehicles. Tiny family cars, practical vans, hardworking pickup trucks, turbocharged hatchbacks, miniature sports cars, four-wheel-drive off-roaders and modern electric models have all emerged from the same tightly regulated category. The Japanese Kei Car traces this distinctive history from the first 360-cubic-centimetre machines to the sophisticated 660-cubic-centimetre vehicles found throughout Japan today. It explains how taxation, parking rules, yellow number plates and changing safety regulations shaped the cars themselves, while manufacturers including Suzuki, Daihatsu, Subaru, Honda, Mitsubishi and Mazda competed to extract more performance, space and usefulness from every permitted millimetre. The book explores the Subaru 360 and Japan’s early people’s-car ideal, the affordable revolution created by the Suzuki Alto, the development of kei trucks and microvans, the rise of turbocharging and four-wheel drive, and the extraordinary sporting machines represented by the Honda Beat, Suzuki Cappuccino and Autozam AZ-1. It also examines the emergence of super-height family wagons, the kei car’s essential role in rural communities and the new engineering challenge presented by battery-electric propulsion. More than a history of miniature automobiles, this is the story of how regulation, necessity and engineering discipline created an entire culture of small mobility. The kei car demonstrates that progress does not always require greater size, more power or heavier machinery. Sometimes the most intelligent vehicle is simply the one designed closely around the work it must perform. Disclaimer This book is an independent work of automotive history and commentary. It is not authorised, sponsored, endorsed by or affiliated with Suzuki Motor Corporation, Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd., Toyota Motor Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Subaru Corporation, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Mazda Motor Corporation, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., or any other vehicle manufacturer, organisation or trademark owner mentioned in the text. All company names, model names, product names, logos and trademarks referred to in this book remain the property of their respective owners. They are used solely for identification, historical discussion, commentary and informational purposes. Their inclusion does not imply any association with or endorsement of the author or publisher. Vehicle specifications, regulations, taxation arrangements, registration procedures, incentives and safety requirements may differ by model, location and date and may change after publication. Readers should consult the relevant manufacturer, government authority, registration body or qualified professional before relying upon this book for purchasing, importing, modifying, registering, maintaining or operating a vehicle.