These Are The Modern Kei Cars You’d Actually Buy

Our big wet President, Donald Trump, recently did something that so many car enthusiasts have done: He took a trip to Japan, and came back with a love in his heart for the country’s little keijidosha. Trump loves kei cars now, and he wants America companies and consumers to get on board with his 660cc dream. But, in a world where all modern kei cars suddenly appeared on American shores, which ones would you actually buy? 

That’s the question I posed earlier in the week, and today we’re peering through your answers. Sure, Trump’s idea is to have kei cars manufactured in the U.S. by American companies, but I asked which Japanese-market keis you’d go for if you got the chance. Your choices ranged from roadsters to trucks to the coolest of boxy little vans ever to be seen between Hokkaido and Okinawa, so let’s see what names you submitted. 

This one is easy for me. If Kei car is all of a sudden allowed. It is the Honda S660.

Submitted by: Sennamp4

I want to drive an S660 so bad, and I’m so afraid that at 5’11” I’d just be too tall to get my knees in it comfortably. 

Two words : Suzuki Jimny. Don’t care if it’s the Kei compliant version or the international version with the bigger engine and wider width.

Submitted by: Devin M.

Rumor has it, some folks buy these south of the border and just drive them into the States. Rumors, of course. 

While people love the Autozams and the Nissan Figaros at Cars and Coffee, honestly I suspect that the only Kei cars that would have a potential market in the U.S. are the tiny trucks and vans that fill a niche for businesses that need to haul and deliver stuff but don’t need or want a massive F150 or even a Ford Ranger. A lot of in-city deliveries of parcels, catering events and such.

Submitted by: David Flores

So you need a truck with a five-foot bed. Would you rather park a kei truck, or 60,000 pounds of American ego-stroking? I’d go with the former, personally. 

Honda Acty 4WD. Been seeing more and more of them on the island. Extremely versatile and easy to park in the small spaces Hawaii businesses offer.

Submitted by: hawaii_mike

Jalopnik’s own Collin Woodard was out in Hawaii for a while, and commented that all the trucks had been lifted at least a foot. I desperately want to see an Acty with a 12-inch lift. Unfortunately, Honda no longer makes the Acty.

The Subaru Sambar. I believe it was later badged as the Daihatsu Hijet.

Submitted by: Group Captain Mandrake

Other way around! Subaru used to build the Sambar in-house, but since 2012 it’s been a rebadged Daihatsu HiJet. Back in the day, though, you could get bodykits to make Sambars look like miniature Volkswagen Buses. 

As someone who loves to off-road, I love the idea of taking a Mitsubishi Pajero Mini VR-II scrambling through the narrow trails here in Colorado. Supercharged engine, available with a 5-speed, and a transfer case with an actual low range.

I also love a good Hot Hatch, in which case, the Subaru Vivio RX-R would be my pick. It’s basically a tiny WRX hatchback that they stopped selling here in the states since the second gen.

Submitted by: LarriveeC05

I always knew that Mitsubishi made a miniature Pajero, but I never actually put two and two together to realize it was a kei car. I love it so much. Unfortunately, it’s not exactly a modern car. 

Current?

Have to go with the Suzuki Hustler. It’s the only one that doesn’t look pretty much exactly like all the others. (Like the Mitsubishi eK Wagon, Nissan Dayz, Subaru Stella, etc. that all pretty much look exactly the same with slightly different grills.)

Submitted by: Dr.Xyster

Look at that face! That little off-color section of roof at the back! Who wouldn’t want to commute in that?

The Suzuki Alto. The Alto has been a long running name in the kei car world and the current generation is pretty stylish for daily tooling around town.

Submitted by: Giantsgiants

Please, Suzuki, give this generation the Alto Works treatment. And bring that treatment to the States. 

Honda N-one!!!

Submitted by: Vince Gc

Can’t go wrong with a little city car.

Can we expand the request list? There’s a lot of great small city cars in Europe that I’d love to see here, both gas and EV. 

Submitted by: Rick C.

No <3xtagstartz/p>