So I recently took a little trip to Japan. I thought I would follow up my Korean car photo taking spree with pictures of cars from Japan that they don't get in the US.

I'd never really noticed though, they get a lot of other stuff we don't, as well. Lots of French cars, European Fords and whatnot.

Since I've got a few hundred here, I'm going to split this up into several parts. Let's begin with Daihatsu.

Daihatsu has been a subsidiary of Toyota since 1999, and is their marque specializing in small cars. And by small cars I mean their biggest vehicles are around the size of the smallest cars available in the US right now (like the Mini). Remember the Daihatsu Charade? Around 1800 pounds of subcompact? That's big for a Daihatsu.

Daihatsu mostly makes what are called "Keijidousha" or "Kei-cars." Or sometimes, by those who don't know that "kei" means "light," "K-cars." K-cars are Chryslers, people.

From Wikipedia, a modern Kei car is:length: 3.4 m or less * width: 1.48 m or less * height: 2 m or less * displacement: 660 cm³ or less

I remember a few years ago they had commercials in Japan with one of those hawaiian sumo wrestlers. I doubt he could even fit in any car they make. "Kochi mo GOOD!"

Daihatsu Copen

The Daihatsu Copen is a RWD, convertible hard top kei-car. Top Gear loves it. It weighs 1826 pounds empty, and has 61 horsepower. Think early 80s Tercel. The performance isn't that far off from that, either. But it gets slightly better fuel economy...slightly. That is to say around 45mpg. We need this car bad in the US. In 20 years time, there will be almost no sports cars sold in the US that AREN'T like the Copen.

All that engineering doesn't come cheap. A typical Kei-car costs around 1,000,000 yen new. (around 9-10,000 dollars) A Copen will run you around 1,500,000. And they hold their value used, too. Doesn't make me want one any less. Course I don't know that I could drive one.

Toyota name their vans and trucks things like "Hiace" and "Hilux" and whatnot, and I suspect this is to keep with that convention.

The Hijet is a kei-car truck. See, in Asia, trucks are typcally used to do real work, and they are not used as props in some idiotic redneck dick-waving contest. And even when they ARE used for show, they're still used for real work. You don't see tonneau covers over truck beds that never carry anything in Japan.

And since they are used for work, like for real business and stuff, almost exclusively, and since the people who work in those industries and make the purchasing decisions aren't the same people who cream their jeans over the latest 500 horsepower 4WD monstrosity that will never leave asphalt lest it's paint get chipped, trucks in Japan can have 50 horsepower and still sell pretty well. Yeah, you read that right. And it's more than enough to get the job done.

Rising oil prices will kill the insane US truck culture. It may leave a bunch of rednecks with no bright spot in their lives, with nothing to care about in this world. But...actually, that's good enough for me.

If I ever own a truck, I think it'll be something like the Hijet.

I don't know if you could tell already, but a lot of Kei-cars are marketed at women.

The Move is one of Daihatsu's main lines. With most of their products (Move, Mira) they have the same basic car with named cosmetic variations. This is one. The Move provides a bit more space than the Mira, a bit more power, and a bit less fuel economy. Oh, and at a significantly higher price.

This is a pretty unremarkable model. Starts around 100,000, goes up to 150,000.

No reason to buy it unless you like the looks I guess.

I don't really see why they ever had this AND the Gino, they seem to fill the same aesthetic niche. I think the Gino may be the replacement for the Classic, but I'm not 100% sure what year each vehicle I took pictures of was.

The Moderno is the non-retro Mira. The Gino is, I think, supposed to evoke old Fiats and the original Mini. The Mira Moderno is just...the Mira.

I think this is an earlier "Moderno."

This is the "retro" version that I think succeeded the Classic. It's meant to look like a Mini or an old Fiat. I like it. I don't think Minis ever came in 4WD. WIN!

The Daihatsu Mira....uhhh....van.

This is an even more capacious and van-like Kei car, with the same engine options (EF-VE and EF-DET) as the Daihatsu Move. This is one of those Kei cars which pushes the limits of a Kei's dimensions to get maximum utility out of the standard.

This appears to be a year or two old. The Terios is apparantly the successor to the earlier released-in-the-US Daihatsu Rocky. It isn't a Kei car, but also is available with the 660cc engines from them. In some parts of Japan, it's more common to see this sort of SUV (along with the Mitsubishi Pajero Mini) than it is to see the US's idea of one (think Toyota Landcruiser...which is also sold in Japan).

There is also the Terios Kid which IS a Kei car.

Yes, you read that right. This thing is called the Naked. 1999-2001, Kei car. Usually 2WD despite it's appearance. (4WD available) Based on the Mira.

We continue with Daihatsu's parent company: Toyota.

KOREAN CARS: Hyundai - Kia - Daewoo - Ssangyong - Samsung - Asia - Motorcycles  - Foreign Cars in Korea - Other

JAPANESE CARS: Daihatsu - Toyota - Honda - Nissan - Mitsubishi - Mazda - Subaru - Suzuki - US/Europe - Bikes/Other

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