Kei car is the smallest category of Japanese expressway -legal motor vehicles. The term kei is a shortening of kei-jidōsha, (kanji: 軽自動車), which translates to English as “light vehicle” (pronounced [keːdʑidoːɕa]).

Oct 7, 2023 · Using cross-referenced vehicle specifications, owner reviews, and pricing information from manufacturer websites, online JDM groups, Hagerty, Classic.com, and ZeroTo60times, we've updated this article to list down 12 Japanese Kei cars that you can own in …

Kei cars are small, fuel-efficient vehicles, hugely popular in Japan for their practicality and affordability. Their compact size makes them ideal for navigating crowded city streets and tight parking spaces, while their efficient engines keep running costs low.

Sep 3, 2021 · Let's look back at some iconic JDM kei cars of the past—the ones that truly stand out to enthusiasts and admirers the world over.

Aug 6, 2020 · Japanese OEMs have always led the way in the little car movement, but the tiniest ones never made it Stateside. We explain what a Kei car is and round up a few examples to broaden your horizons.

Mar 16, 2020 · Kei cars (pronounced “kay”), short for keijudosha or “light automobile,” are tiny passenger cars and work trucks that meet stringent government regulations limiting their size (both in footprint and engine capacity).

Sep 19, 2023 · A Kei car or truck is described as a Japanese car that is the smallest passenger car allowed on the streets. It is a car that has limitations on the size, engine capacity, and power output to...

Aug 27, 2023 · Not to be confused with the K-car platform that Chrysler used in the 1980s for transverse front-wheel-drive automobiles, the kei car is the smallest class of highway-legal passenger and...

Feb 17, 2024 · Some of the cheapest cars you can buy in Japan are Kei cars. This is because they are small and well-built overall. A little more than a million yen is how much most Kei cars cost.

Jan 17, 2025 · In Japan, people call Kei cars Keijidosha or “cars that are light”. These cars are built for a niche market that, as you might have guessed, is based in Japan. It’s pretty hard to find foreigners outside of Japan that know what Kei cars look …

Sep 16, 2022 · Take Kei cars: designed to meet legislative requirements surrounding power, engine size and physical dimensions, qualifying cars benefit from reduced sales and road taxes in Japan, while also not requiring “garage certificates” that prove their owners have space to park them – something larger vehicles require.

Mar 20, 2024 · The Japanese Kei car is a type of compact car that can be found all over Japan. The word, “keijidousha,” literally means for light automobile and it is the smallest vehicle that can be legally driven on a Japanese expressway.

May 21, 2021 · Despite being severely limited by a number of rules, there are a bunch of kei cars that would make very fun rides on present day roads and available at a price range that’s hard to ignore. Let’s look at the 15 plus most interesting kei cars …

6 hours ago · Kei-jidõsha, or ‘kei car’ as it’s more commonly known, refers to the smallest category of motor vehicles permitted to drive on Japanese roads and highways. For decades, the kei class has produced some of the most unusual-shaped vehicles anywhere in the world, powered by bike-sized engines with tyres that wouldn’t look out of place on a ...

Dec 14, 2023 · Keijudosha or “light automobiles,” otherwise known as kei (“kay”) cars, are Japan’s class of miniature cars, trucks, and vans. Kei cars are as adorable as they are ingenious, often playfully incorporating classic car design cues ranging from the Ferrari F40 to the Acura NSX.

13 hours ago · The car in question is a third-generation Nissan Moco, built from 2011-16. However, under the badge it’s actually an MR Wagon built by Suzuki. The used Moco costs only $1000,yet has only 76,500km (47,535 miles) on the odometer. Like all kei cars, displacement is limited to 660cc and 63 horsepower.

Jul 9, 2021 · Also known as a microcar, city car, or ultra-mini, kei cars are the smallest highway-legal vehicles available on the JDM (Japanese Domestic Market.) Although it’s kei cars that are most common, there are also weird-and-wonderful mini-trucks, mini-vans, and even mini-campers that fall into the Kei category.

Apr 18, 2023 · A Kei car is a small, lightweight vehicle designed to meet specific regulations the Japanese government sets. These regulations were put in place in the 1940s as a way to promote affordable and fuel-efficient transportation.

Jun 30, 2024 · Kei cars are the tiny cars that are ubiquitous in Japan, navigating the often narrow streets to cruising on the expressway at speed. They are easily identifiable by their yellow license plates, and are gaining popularity in other countries as unofficial imports. I'll give you an overview of this fascinating class of vehicle, including:

Mar 20, 2023 · In Japan, the term “kei car” refers to a category of small vehicles that meet certain government regulations regarding engine displacement, size, and other specifications.