What Is A Kei Car (and How Do You Pronounce It)

William's photo/Shutterstock

Although Donald Trump doesn't understand why group successful Asia don't bargain our cars, nan main logic is really beautiful simple. Most of their roads and cities are built for overmuch smaller vehicles — for illustration Japan's mini kei cars. That's pronounced "kay" and is simply a shortened shape of kei-jidousha, nan Japanese word for "lightweight vehicle."

Originally developed aft World War II, kei cars were envisioned arsenic an affordable proscription solution that would thief get group backmost connected nan roadworthy arsenic nan state recovered. They came pinch financial incentives, too, since if a conveyance qualified for kei certification it would bask little taxes and different fees than larger cars. Now, Japan wanted to make judge automakers didn't return advantage of these regulations, truthful it put a difficult limit connected nan size of kei cars.

They person to fresh wrong a package that's 3,400 millimeters (134 inches) successful length, 1,480 millimeters (58 inches) successful width, and 2,000 millimeters (79 inches) tall, and their engines can't displace much than 660 cubic centimeters. When they first debuted, nan displacement limit was a specified 150 cubic centimeters (100 cubic centimeters for two-stroke engines). This was upped to 360 centimeters successful 1955, mounting nan shape for what's often considered nan first existent kei car, nan Suzuki Suzulight, which was disposable successful sedan, van, and moreover pickup assemblage styles.

Just dance/Shutterstock

Of course, that whitethorn not show you thing unless we comparison those numbers to those of celebrated U.S. vehicles successful celebrated U.S. measurements. Converting nan kei car limits, we get a max magnitude of astir 11 feet pinch a width of astir 5 feet and a tallness of astir 6.6 feet. The smallest Ford F-150, connected nan different hand, is nan regular-cab exemplary that stretches 19.33 feet pinch a width of astir 8 feet (including modular mirrors). Surprisingly, tallness isn't arsenic overmuch of an issue, arsenic Ford's tallest F-150 is only a fewer inches supra nan kei-car tallness limit.

It's besides worthy remembering that beyond Japan's engine-displacement limit of 660 cubic centimeters comes a soft output maximum of astir 63 horsepower. The Ford F-150 Raptor R, successful contrast, tin present good much than 10 times that amount, topping retired astatine 720 horsepower. 

On nan different broadside of nan spectrum, nan Toyota Corolla — among nan world's best-selling compacts — is astir 4 feet longer than nan longest kei car, and its modular motor is simply a 2,000-cubic-centimeter portion making 169 horsepower. As a result, its output is much than 100 ponies higher than nan soft limit connected today's kei cars. Inside a kei car, well, let's conscionable opportunity you may not judge really overmuch room there is. Yet aft seeing a 6-foot-4-inch man effort to fresh into a assortment of kei trucks, you whitethorn not judge really small room location is, either.

Tunatura/Shutterstock

Absolutely! You do person to return into relationship the 25-year import rule, which correct now intends shopping for cars built from earlier 2000, but that really includes galore of nan kei classics for illustration nan versatile Honda Acty minitruck; Subaru's first-ever car, nan now-rare rear-engined 360; aliases nan sporty Suzuki Capuccino. 

The acquisition process tin beryllium elemental arsenic well. Perhaps nan easiest measurement to get your hands connected a kei car successful nan United States is to effort 1 of nan increasing number of companies importing nan vehicles for you. This is for illustration shopping astatine a used-car dealership, wherever you tin spell cheque nan vehicles retired successful personification aliases online, past thrust 1 correct disconnected nan batch aliases person it shipped to your location. Boeki USA, for instance, is among nan celebrated picks for shopping for kei cars that are already successful this state legally.

You tin besides shop for cars still successful Japan, whether you spell done a middleman for illustration Car from Japan aliases nan Import Guys aliases bid straight connected a Japanese car auction yourself. The downside is that nan little thief you get from an intermediary, nan much paperwork and specifications you person to grip yourself, including going to nan larboard and picking up nan car connected your own. The bully news is that kei cars tin beryllium truthful inexpensive, pinch galore priced nether $5,000, that budgeting a small other thief tin still beryllium worthy it.