The country of Japan is located on an island that can be considered large, but it has less square mileage than many of our individual states.
With this in mind, Japan is a congested, tight, and compact area, even in the cities, which makes it the perfect place for some of the most unusual vehicles such as the strange kei cars and odd camper vans that prowl the streets. Even though we won’t see many of the models from Japan offered in the US, here are some of the favorite vehicles from the big three Japanese automakers of Honda, Toyota, and Nissan.
Nissan NV100 Clipper Rio
The Nissan Clipper, which is also sold as the Suzuki Every, has been around for a while and is recognized as one of the most popular kei vans in Japan. This vehicle is extremely basic but it has the proportions that make sense and is a fantastic alternative to walking and carrying the items you have with you over several miles.
Daihatsu Copen
Even though this brand isn’t one of the big three, it is owned by Toyota, which puts it in the mix. This is a small drop-top two-door kei car that only makes 63 horsepower and 68 lb.-ft. of torque while being an attractive and impressive small car that can be fun to drive and easy to look at when you take it out.
Toyota Pixis Joy
This little car has a style that makes you want to take it for a drive. It’s quirky, square, and offered with round headlights that make the front look happy with a big wide mouth grill. This car is powered by a small three-cylinder engine and can zip around town to get you where you need to go.
Honda N-One
Here’s a small kei car that offers you the soft styling you will admire and the balance you need in order to have a great drive. There’s only 54 horsepower offered in this car that only weighs around 1,800 pounds. This car is easy to admire and allows you to have four doors for passengers and a small cargo area in the rear.
Nissan Leaf Nismo
We might see this car offered at some point, but right now, this version of the Leaf is only offered in Japan. The Nismo treatments to this car include a body kit, stiffer suspension, lighter wheels, and stickier tires. This is an excellent EV model that can be fun and sporty if you make your way to Japan to take a ride on the roads.
Toyota Noah GR Sports
The GR division of Toyota is the new sporty area of the market and it has applied its expertise to the Noah, which is a minivan in Japan. This vehicle receives a full body kit, a GR tuned suspension, aluminum pedal covers, a small sport steering wheel, and several GR badges to let you know what this vehicle happens to be.
Nissan Serena Nismo
Another minivan that’s been tuned up and ready to go is the Serena Nismo which receives the body kit, retuned suspension, exhaust, and other upgrades to make it a vehicle that has a bit more fun than what a minivan normally offers. This is a cool customer on the roads of Japan that you’re sure to admire.
Honda S660
Here’s a car we’ve wanted to have on the US market for a while, but haven’t been able to get here. This little two-door sports car is offered with a manual transmission and is a kei car that’s an attractive roadster that only makes 63 horsepower for the drive. We could certainly enjoy this car with a few upgrades and add it as a great roadster, but for now, it’s only in Japan.
Honda Jazz Shuttle
The Honda Fit has been stretched to be this wagon and offer more room for passengers and gear. This car looks great and shows up with more qualities than you might expect to see in a little car that’s supposed to be simple. Admire the practicality of this car and how it can make driving more enjoyable.
Toyota Century
Yes, this is a car that’s large, impressive and certainly not a kei car at all. With hints of the first model that made its way to the market in the 1960s, the Century is an advanced car that offers 425 horsepower from a hybrid V8 and it’s the favorite of Akido Toyoda to ride in. Unfortunately, it’s also a Japan-exclusive sedan.
