Japan’s cutesy ‘kei cars’ hit rocky road

TOKYO — Yoko Kojima loves zipping around Tokyo in her Daihatsu Tanto with its tiny wheels and pint-size engine, but Japan’s beloved ‘kei cars’ may have a rocky road ahead despite a legion of loyal fans.

Sales of the cutesy boxshaped cars, a staple of the world’s No 3 vehicle market, drove off a cliff after peaking at 2.27 million units in 2014.

The drop to 1.72 million vehicles sold last year was a response by cost-conscious drivers as the government — looking to pay down a massive national debt — jacked up taxes on the popular made-in-Japan vehicles.

It was a nasty shock for many kei drivers, the majority of whom are women and those in rural areas where the vehicles are indispensable for getting around on the cheap.

“I don’t see a bright future for kei cars,” said Yoshiaki Kawano, analyst at IHS Markit consultancy, who added that a consumption tax rise planned for 2019 could also dent kei sales.

“It’s an aging society and rural areas are losing residents — where kei cars are most popular,” he added.

There’s no doubt that keis — short for kei jidosha, or light cars in Japanese — still have plenty of fans who love their great fuel economy and modest price tag.

They make up more than one-third of the domestic market, with Honda releasing the newest version of its top-selling N-Box this week.

“You can maneuver the car even if the streets are really narrow,” said Kojima, 75, whose Tanto doubles as a van for her part-time flower delivery business.

“It’s really easy to drive — I adore it.”

Keis were born out of the ashes of World War II when the government was keen to get Japanese off scooters or non-motorised transit and into economy-priced cars.

These days, the plucky little vehicles are still restricted to a motor less than 660 cc, about the same as your average motorbike.

And they can’t be wider than 1.48 meters, giving keis a comically narrow shape that makes them look like they could tip over on a tight corner.

But producers are trying to boost keis’ appeal by putting more style and cutting-edge features into what have long been bare-bones vehicles.

“A decade ago, kei cars’ functions were very limited — they had a nerdy image,” said Abe Shuhei, who works in Daihatsu’s sales division.

“But, bit by bit, people are starting to buy them now by choice because they’re energy-efficient, safe and stylish.”