The Suzuki Wagon R, the best selling kei car in Japan since 2003.

Kei car, K-car, or keijidōsha (軽自動車^?, lit. "light automobile") (pronounced /keːdʑidoːɕa/), is a Japanese category of small automobiles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to exploit local tax and insurance relaxations, and in more rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is available for the vehicle.^[1][2] These standards originated in the times following the end of the Second World War, when most Japanese could not afford a full-sized car yet had enough to buy a motorcycle. To promote the growth of the car industry, as well as to offer an alternative delivery method to small business and shop owners, kei car standards were created.

The cars feature yellow licence plates, earning them the name "yellow-plate cars" (black numbers on yellow background for private use and yellow numbers on black background for commercial use) in English and Spanish-speaking circles.^[2][3][4]

Because regulations only restrict physical size, engine displacement and power, manufacturers have introduced many advanced technologies to the class. As a result, kei cars are often available with forced induction engines, automatic and CVT transmissions, front-, rear- and four-wheel drive, hybrid drivetrains, air conditioning, GPS and many other features.

Daihatsu, Honda, Mitsubishi, Smart,^[5] Subaru, and Suzuki all manufacture kei cars. Nissan sells Mitsubishi and Suzuki models, while Mazda sells Suzuki models under licence.^[6]

[edit] History of regulations

[edit] See also

• Microcar
• Microvan
• Kei truck

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kei cars

• Official association 全国軽自動車協会連合会 (Japanese)
• History of regulations
• "The minicar and the emerging markets", Andrew Mollet, Automotive World, March 1, 2003 (subscription required)