Paul recently had the chance to experience firsthand one of the smallest cars ever to be imported to the U.S. from Japan, the Subaru 360. It was a miserable flop in the American market, but representative of a super hot category in Japan. By the early 1970s, the state of the art of the Japanese “city cars” had progressed quite nicely from the dismal miniature penalty boxes of the 1960s. Road Test Magazine had an editor based in Japan, and the April 1971 issue offered a glimpse of the newest, smallest cars in The Land of the Rising Sun. U.S. acceptance was still hard to come by, however. Only one brand of Kei cars featured here ever made it to our shores in the 1970s, and only for a few years.
Road Test butchered the Japanese name for the class of micro cars, leaving out the first “i” and adding a second “o” in Keijidosha. Proofreading was unfortunately not a Road Test specialty. However, the magazine did offer comprehensive write-ups on vehicles that were usually ignored by the other U.S.-based buff books, so please overlook the errors and enjoy the cars.
In case you hadn’t already guessed, Honda was the only maker to bring its “Kei cars” stateside in the 1970s. The N Series was sold as the 600, and the Z Series was sold for a few years in America as the 600 Coupe, to be replaced by the far more successful Civic in 1973.
The Subaru R-2 was the far more attractive successor to the 360. But the damage had been done in the U.S. market, so no attempt was made to Federalize it. Rather, Subaru wisely focused on bringing its larger (for Japan) FWD offerings to the U.S., though even those were still Lilliputian for American tastes.
With the improvements in the Kei cars, Road Test wondered if these handy super-mini cars would emerge as a transportation solution for cities around the world, including in America. Well, not quite… For one thing, size is relative–even the smallest city cars of today are far larger than the Kei Cars of the 1970s. From the Fiat 500 to the Honda Fit, small today is actually big compared to minis of the past. Only the Smart ForTwo, at 98 inches long on a 71 inch wheelbase, is close in size to the early Kei cars. But no matter how you slice it, Americans don’t bite on cars this small. Even the city-centric, environmentally conscious Millennial generation hasn’t embraced them, preferring “regular” small cars and CUVs, or eschewing automobile ownership entirely and going the Zipcar route, something that the Road Test prognosticators could never have envisioned in 1971.
Interesting article. Note that the average Japanese worker was still making only $85 a month. In today’s world they make even more than the American worker. When the first big volume Japanese cars came to the USA, it was much akin to Chinese and Mexican manufacturing today.
The Honda having a three speed auto surprised me as the Civic and early Accord reverted to two speed. Also note the sharing of oil with the engine. Did that work better than the Mini based cars, or is it just that the volumes were so small that word did not get out.
Most all motorcycles worth owning share the oil between the engine, clutch, and transmission. The problem with the Mini, it was ahead of oil development, still using non-detergent oil. With today’s synthetic oil and blends, not a issue. A old Mini today would work just fine on today’s oils.
The Japanese average wage is significantly lower than in the US. Gross income is $57,135 (US), $35,672 (Japan). Disposable income (net after compulsory deductions) is $45,363 (US) and $26,287 in Japan.
You are correct. I think thinking of the early nineties when there was the rush to move assembly to the USA to avoid the then high yen. I checked and according to the ssa, the average monthly salary in USA in 1971 was $541.
Those cars remind me of a headline in the onion. “Japanese Amuse GM Engineers With Attempt To Build Car”.
John C.
While the “average” Japanese worker makes more than the “average” American worker, the cost of living in Japan is higher, as is the rate of taxation.
Kei cars are immensely popular in Japan, with sales increases year on year being the highest of any size segment….helped, no doubt by the ever increasing Japanese Consumption Tax.
On my last trip to Japan, in the mid 80s, I managed to see several of the cars pictured here lovingly (?) tucked away in corners of parking garages by their owners.
Did get a chance to drive a Honda N600 in the mid 70s…..was a ball being able to fling that tiny car at a corner without worrying about “running wide” into oncoming traffic. Not such a ball being passed by 18 wheelers on the interstate.
The U.S. has what I would consider to be an American version of the Kei car….at least in Florida, and by that I mean those golf carts seen on the roads in many beachside and/or retirement communities.
Not just Florida; my maternal great-grandmother had an electric car while she lived in Oxnard, CA. during the ’60s. I don’t remember much except it was enclosed & thus more than a golf cart (though possibly based on one). I’m looking for Internet pics to see if anything clicks.
That side of the family had some eccentrics. One of her daughters (my aunt) had a maroon Citroën DS.
I did find Peel Engineering in England, whose P50 was available in that time frame, but I don’t remember it having 3 wheels, which is a niche layout in England & Greece, at least, nor can I tell if it was ever imported.
You are correct about the golf carts in retirement communities. They even get their own mini garage spaces, but are not used to commute,
I was only in Japan once in 2004, and everything was very expensive. I did not see many old cars, Japanese or anything else. I think they make it expensive to license older cars so more new cars are sold.
John C.
here in Florida some of the beach communities have “elevated” those electric carts to the same type of status as vehicles used by the handicapped. Recently, a few towns designated “special” spaces near the sand that (admittedly) were too small for “regular” cars. And depending on the speeds, traffic, and distance involved, a few folks could commute to work in them.
Old Japanese cars are exported NZ is littered with them all makes models and sizes, they used to just scrap them until foreigners began to show an interest now its a thriving industry.
Brings back memories of my buddy’s Honda 600Z which I drove quite a bit back in ’72/73. It was a sweet little buzz-box, even ran it D-sedan autocross one time (it ran against Mini’s) and the experience wasn’t embarrassing.
Why my buddy ever got rid of it for a Sebring-Vanguard CitiCar is beyond me. Oh yeah, he was a complete burnout eco-freak. Big oil is the Great Satan of the world.
Your friend isn’t alone; even my politically conservative father & brother insist there are oil biz conspiracies & profiteering. However, in my father’s case it may have been to goad his brother who was an Aramco exec (Texaco previously). BTW he had some good stories about negotiating with the Saudis, & my aunt found out that their wives can be very fashionably dressed — in private.
The fuel filler on the Subaru R2 is awfully low to the ground.
Not much worse than my ’84 Suzuki Swift. I eventually got used to bending down to fill it. That used to get me some strange looks, and I understood why my elderly aunt (whose car it used to be) always got her petrol from the one place in town where the ‘nice man’ would fill it for her. 🙂
My younger brother took me along to look at a Honda 600 at a used car lot – probably 1979/80 time-frame. I actually survived the test drive sitting in back seat, I’m not very tall but had to sit sideways. How that little critter managed to haul 3 midwestern American males even for a short drive is still surprising. He didn’t buy it – ended up with a turbo Mustang instead – but the next car after the Mustang was a Renault LeCar! He’s always had odd taste in vehicles.
Loves me some Mazda Carol !
Some Zs escaped Japan I saw one at a pub in Mc Graths hill Sydney and got talking with the pilot he loved it very cheap to run and register and he reckoned fun to drive, I was parked next to it and the back was about level with the trailing edge of the door of my HQ panelvan so very small, The retired guy who owned said he had two the other had been crashed and he kept it for parts after being unable to have it repaired due to a shortage of them and he said it took him a while to find the one he was driving so obviously a fan’boi’ of the cars.
I still see a bright orange Honda 600 Coupe around here once in a while. Got a chance to drive the N 600, but never experienced the automatic version.
Even the Italians and the British also had their own versions of the “kei” cars. The Fiat 127 pictured on the right bears a strong resemblance to the Mitsubishi Minica on the left. In addition the original Austin Mini Cooper was also identical in size with the Minica as well give or take at least about 3″ BTW.
Very nice article. You rarely see these early kei cars here in Tokyo much anymore – they were not that durable and most were sent to the crusher.
But as I’m sure most readers know, kei cars currently are the most popular segment in Japan; because of their lower insurance, tax, and parking fees. And they have become amazingly sophisticated.
I’d consider one except for one glaring reason – even in a fender bender, you’ll likely have some injuries – and anything beyond that is probably going to be fatal. There just isn’t enough metal to offer any sort of protection in an accident.
I have two Japanese Kei cars, both Suzuki: the SC100GX “Whiz-Kid” and the Cappuccino. The SC100 was my first car and the Cappuccino my latest, although it’s off the road right now with a failed transmission. I think they’re great little cars and ideal for UK road and parking conditions. I really don’t want to have to get something bigger if the Cappuccino isn’t fixable (it’s 22 years old and 110,000 miles). Maybe I’ll stick with Suzuki and go for the Wagon R or maybe switch to Daihatsu for a Copen. But the Kei car I really want is the Suzuki Lapin — just a shame that they don’t sell that model in Britain.