So what is it like to drive a Kei car?

A Kei car is a truly Japanese thing. In true Galapagos fashion, kei cars have engfine displacements of less than 660cc and are super cute, super small cars. The cool thing is how they’ve evolved and advanced throughout the years providing amazing space (or sense of space) as well as thoughtful utility and options. They also offer a wide array of vehicle types ranging from sports cars to pickup trucks to off road vehicles.

As an automotive industry professional working with the finest engineers in the world , I like to think I know a thing or two about cars.

However, this is my non-scientific, non-professional opinion piece.

That being said, here’s my impression of driving the Nissan Rooks rental Kei car!

So let’s start with the most obvious: power and driving performance.

Power and size are the main areas where you realize you are driving a Kei car. It’s important to note that this is not a “traditional” car.

With a legal limit on the size of the engine, technically speaking 660 cc, one can expect almost nonexistent acceleration, and engine power. Many higher grade models, offer forced induction turbo models, so I’d have to try those to give it a true fair impression however, my trusty rent-a-car was normally aspirated.

So what’s it like to drive?

My first journey started from Kanazawa city in the Ishikawa prefecture making my way towards the mountains in nearby Gifu Prefecture to check out some UNESCO villages…mainly the World Heritage Shirakawa-go Village to be exact.

Naturally, I was excited to drive the mountainous touge roads !

I naturally sat in the cozy cockpit, threw my Yeti tumbler into the gigantic cup holder conveniently located on the side of the dash and got onto the road. The AC was cold and strong despite the searing summer heat of 36 degrees celsius.

However, once on the road, reality slapped me in the face real quick.

Any kind of incline was a painstaking chore and challenge, making even the slightest hill a full-throttle affair.

Banging on the throttle did absolutely nothing, as there is almost no throttle response. The pedal sensitivity is perfect for very slow and gradual acceleration suitable for 80-year-old people.

It’s like beating a dead fish…

I know that makes no sense, but that was the first impression that popped into my head. (This is true automotive journalism at its finest)

The steering wheel position, with the tilt, is set in an uncomfortable vertical position similar to an arcade driving game.

It’s just enough to feel uncomfortable on longer drives.

Perhaps something similar to a truck…

The pedal position is also very upright, hurting the ankles because you have to keep your ankle tilted upwards, which eventually hurts the front muscle of your shin on long drives.

While we’re on the subject of performance, or lack thereof, handling is sketchy at best, as the vehicle is well-suited for driving amongst the rice fields in the countryside, not carving up the touge roads like we were trying to do.

Brake fade is just a couple of corners away, but that’s not why you’re driving a Kei car in the first place!!

One great plus was filling up the tank. I was surprised to find that it only cost around ¥3000 to fully fill up, and we drove a lot!

I guess that’s why it appeals to so many grandmas, grandpas, and country folks. It’s convenient, economical and gets the job done.

The interior is surprisingly roomy (especially the head room), and the steering wheel is nice and beefy, giving the car a distorted sense of strength and upscale refinement.

Unlike the older Kei cars, ride quality was decent in this car, and it surprisingly felt like a normal compact car. Besides not having any trunk space, you would never know that it was a Kei car.

Sitting in the driver’s seat is comfortable like any other car, as long as you realize that you’re sharing the center armrest with your passenger. Think economy-class seats…

There’s plenty of well-thought-out utility as well. Just remember to go to Daiso and get the cigarette lighter USB power  plug, and a ¥200 cell phone mount, and you’re all set. You can thank me later.

Dash storage is designed exactly for a wet tissue box and paper towels, and as I mentioned before, the cupholders can accommodate large-sized diameter Yeti bottles.

Despite its engine power  shortcomings, vehicle size is the one place where the Kei really shines.

It’s SO much fun diving into the narrow village roads, where even a Prius would seem too large.

You have a weird sense of invincibility and maneuverability. It’s fun to park into a spot and see so much space left over.

The car and diving experience would feel much cheaper if the steering wheel wasn’t as thick and meaty. But to Nissan’s credit, they did a great job so that is a huge plus.

One notable memory of the kei car experience was one of getting constantly bullied on the road.

Suddenly, Mazda 3’s were menacing and terrorizing you in the rearview mirror.

That old lady would be all up on your ass. And heaven forbid you have a Toyota Alphard minivan come tailgating you.

I often found myself fighting at the bottom of the food chain… battling with other kei cars and getting chased down by Yaris and other compact cars.

These would usually be small distractions and harmless annoying vehicles but today, they were my biggest fear. They were huge.

All of a sudden, all the cars with yellow license plates (Kei cars) were my friends, and I feared the larger white plate cars (normal cars. )

In the end, I realized you can’t look at Kei cars as “normal” cars.

They’re small go-karts with super refinement.

If you manage expectations, you will not be let down.

They’re wonderful pieces of technology, and it’s cool to see how they evolved Galapagos style in Japan.

I can’t wait to get into more examples of Kei cars and will be sure to post them here!

After driving the Nissan Roox for a few weeks, I returned the car and bumped up into the next compact class. This time, it was the Toyota Roomy.

Don’t let the name imply that it is trying to compensate for something as looks can be deceiving.

My first impression is that it looked just like a Kei car…but a tad bigger?

It was probably due to the extended head room design popular today.

The first thing I noticed when jumping into the Toyota Roomy was that it was a REAL car, not a large go-kart.

It felt more luxurious and had a heavy sense to it. It also had a little bit more power compared to the kei car, so that was nice.

However, flooring it a little bit more, you started to realize how much power it didn’t have, mainly because you started comparing it to larger cars like the Prius.

Once that association is made, the car starts to feel bigger and heavier as you realize it is in a totally different class. It’s not as light and nimble.

The width of the Roomy is 1670 mm, while the Roox is 1475 mm.

A Prius is 1780 mm for reference.

A menacing Mazda 3 is 1795 mm.

In the end, the available power from the engine makes for a less stressful drive.

Driving the Kei car made every trip feel longer than usual because you were always fighting against acceleration. It actually slowed down time.

Having said that, I think I would rather enjoy a new Prius over a Roomy, and the Kei car would be a selection all on its own.

One bonus for all cars are the sliding doors.

Usually reserved for minivans, I don’t know why they don’t put more sliding doors on other types of vehicles!

Getting in and out of tight spaces is a breeze and the entry space is so big. This is a huge plus.

You can’t look at a Kei car as a traditional car.

And once you can get over that, it’s a pretty fun experience to drive… regardless of the nonexistent . That just adds to the charm.

Next time, I want to try the Honda 660, a convertible Kei car.

My conclusion? Get a bigger compact car, if you need some power, but if you want to try a new experience, try the Kei, it’s funner!

Fun to drive, invincible on small tight Japanese village road and loads of fun, you won’t be disappointed!

Have you driven a kei car too? What were your experiences? Are there any cars like that in your home country? What’s your favorite Kei? Let me know in the comments below!