All the world craves for gigantic SUVs. The whole world? No - a few Japanese cities are fiercely resisting the SUV trend. If you're in the center of Tokyo, Osaka or Hiroshima, you'll find lots of cars instead of huge pseudo-land vehicles that look like they've been shrunk: so-called Kei Cars - miniature cars with mini dimensions and mini motorcycles.
While in the rest of the world the automotive gnomes would at most smile, in Japanese cities they are often the only way to be mobile at all. First, because not only the property, but also the maintenance and especially the shelter are reasonably affordable. And secondly, because even in busy and modern downtown locations such as the Ghinza thoroughfare in Tokyo, there are plenty of lanes that are so narrow that you can not get away with a normal car at all.
Luxury equipment in a microcar
In large parts of the population, the Kei cars are accepted as fully fledged cars. Often they are equipped like luxury limousines: curtain airbags or ESP are now standard, extras such as the automatic climate control, leather upholstery or navigation monitors in the home theater format are not uncommon. Not to mention electric sliding doors and variable seating landscapes.
Incidentally, the category of kei cars is not a new phenomenon, nor is it a response to climate change and urbanization. Instead, it follows, in a sense, Japanese tradition: shortly after the Second World War, the government introduced the so-called Kei-Ji-Dou-Sya, the lightweight car. At that time, it was all about a kind of economic development and that even less wealthy Japanese should be able to climb from two to four wheels.
At 64 hp is over
Today, these cars in the current version of the law can not be longer than 3.40 meters, not exceed a width of 1.48 meters, have no more displacement than 660 cubic centimeters and can not afford more than 64 hp. Cars that fulfill these criteria receive a tax deduction, they pay less toll on the city freeways and the highways in the country, the parking fees are lower and in many cities you do not have to prove your own parking space for a kei-car to be admitted.
This form of demanding and promoting evidently arrives. The Kei cars, which can be recognized on a special license plate, have long since made up a huge part of the car market: in 2016, for example, over 30 million minis were registered in Japan, which accounts for almost 40 percent of the total vehicle stock; their sales share is currently at a similar level.
Thomas Geiger
Daihatsu Copen: Roaster in bonsai format
No other car category sells so well
Even the best-selling car in Japan is therefore not a classic car, but a kei-car. While the Toyota Prius namely allegedly bestseller in the first half of 2019 to about 70,000 approvals comes, the Honda N-Box has found over 130,000 customers as the most successful kei-car in the same period. And the next three Kei cars on the bestseller list, the Suzuki Spacia, the Daihatsu Tant and the Nissan Days are still in front of the Prius.
In view of the large volume, the Kei-Cars has long since developed a market in the market that serves a number of niches. Although it is with most Kei cars to maximum space utilization. The best-selling models are therefore micro-vans with almost vertical side walls, large sliding doors and possibly a small snubgles as a hood. But in addition to these rolling shoe boxes, there are also all other types of coachbuilding: sporty roadster, sedan - even off-road vehicles in the Winz format.
Only two brands are not represented
Accordingly, the minis take up a lot of space at the motor show in Tokyo - and the exhibition program, which is summarized here in the picture gallery, is correspondingly colorful and playful.
photo gallery
14 pictures
Photo gallery: Square, Practical, SuperstarsNot studies like the Lexus LF30 or the next generation of the Toyota Mirai, but toy cars like the Suzuki Waku or the new Daihatsu Copen are the secret stars of the show. Only two Japanese brands do not participate there: Mazda, in any case only with license products mostly represented by Suzuki in the Kei Car market, has withdrawn from this segment a few years ago and Toyota leaves the business rather the sister brand Daihatsu.
With ever-busier inner cities and ever-thicker air, the Kei cars might be a solution to traffic issues outside of Japan. But really successful these little things in the rest of the world can not be established. Especially since they not only meet other crash and pollutant standards, but would also have to be converted to left-hand drive vehicles for use in legal traffic - and these are investments that Nissan, Suzuki & Co evidently shy away from in view of the low unit cost expectations. Not for nothing, for example, Daihatsu has completely withdrawn from the European market with his mini-coupe Copen for this reason.
All Europeans do not have to do without the Kei-Cars. Especially over the English market, gray imports arrive on the continent and at least the Suzuki Jimny is officially offered. However, the European version at home in Japan would have no chance: To make the Europeans the little thing ever tasty, he was a new four-cylinder engine implanted. With us with 1.5-liter for most SUV drivers still a little thing, the Japan is already too big.