My goodness so many great videos from James lately, The interceptor, Aventador story, cappuccino, the majestic ferrari, a host of Jaags and now this !!! I can barely keep up
It's great isn't it? The good thing is doing videos on these cars encourages people with other weird stuff to bring them. You should see what I filmed today...
It's ace, there are some amazing cars out there. But you just see the same copy and paste stuff on the roads. Manufacturers used to be a lot more adventurous
ive said so many times before james, you and hubnut, are my favourite, the sheer variety and unbiased opinions on all cars, really gets my car loving juices flowing!
Awesome video, it's cool to see one of these in Europe! I'm actually studying car mechanics in Japan right now and my classmate just bought himself a Pleo, albeit a standard one, with the purpose of us friends tuning and customizing it together during our studying period. He got it bone stock just last week, but we've already changed the wheels and tyres, front brake discs, put in a strut tower bar (same as the one in the video) and put on an HKS muffler with lowering springs on the way. I got to drive it for the first time today and I must say that it's a whole lot of fun! With the engine sitting so low in the car, it has a low center of gravity and thus pretty good handling characteristics. I do agree with the gearing of the steering bit though, you have to turn the wheel quite a lot it order to make it corner. I bet it'll feel a lot more quick and responsive with some lower and stiffer springs though, so fun times lie await! Once again, I think it's awesome that someone like you shares info on some of the quirky cars that are out there. Keep it up!
Actually, quite a few kei cars made it out of Asia (not all were made in Japan) but to appeal to European buyers - for it was Europe where they were aimed) - a larger 4 cylinder rather than the usual 3 pot - up to about 1.2 litres in general - engine was squeezed in. The Suzuki Wagon R+ was a case in point but not the only one. The second gen Wagon went on to be badge engineered as an Opel Agila (not sure if there was a Vauxhall version )
All of the small daihatsu cars are kei cars for Europe, think of the cuore, the copen to name a couple. 660cc turbo in Japan but fitted with a 1.3 in other markets
The Suzuki Cappuccino also actually saw VERY limited sale in the UK and the Netherlands. Here in the Netherlands they would just sell straight import cars from japan, with the slogan being: "Yes, the steering wheel is supposed to be on that side"
We got a couple in Australia in the 80s- the Mighty-Boy and 1st Gen SJ20 Sierra, the former is still something of a bit of a cult icon here and very cute, the Sierra not so much as we got the 2stroke version and it was quite a capable off roader, but you just couldn't get above 80km/h on the road. But for the most part, Australians don't fit in them and I can imagine the Netherlanders suffering about as much in something like a Cappuccino
I immediately began searching Ebay after the video but realized there's none in America with this trim being released only 20 years ago. This thing looks awesome, like a boxed-in Outback with a funny wing! Thanks for making me aware of the car and to the owner for letting you film it and other fun JDM cars!
And, with this, you've reminded me of some of the sillier Kei cars that put in an appearance in the late 1980s, such as the Mitusbishi Dangan, and the wackily named Daihatsu Mira Turbo XXX Avanzato. Which were, in effect, attempts to build Kei car "pocket rockets". :) This one is, if anything, even more hilarious than those. :)
All I will say is Daihatsu Cuore Avanzato tr xx R4!! The name is wider than the car! A very similar K car, but eighty were supplied to the UK, with a four cylinder, twin cam, 16 valve, four wheel drive, turbo, limited slip diff, aircon, cent lock, elec windows and 0-60 of 8.5 seconds which wasn't bad for a 90s car. And you are pretty good on the price of that Subaru. A Daihatsu Cuore Avanzato went for £7,500 last year but it only had 13k miles.
Quite cool to be a 15+ year car guy and still found out about a new car every day thanks James! I remember Subaru made a similar Kei car called the Vivio RXR, very similar to this I suppose but a bit more menacing looking !
Now this puts a smile on my face! What a fun and quirky little thing. It's like a Suzuki WagonR and a Subaru Vivio had a child. I honestly kind of want one now, shame they're so rare and expensive!
I know about the Pleo from Gran Turismo 2. It had the RS and RM trims featured in it. The RM model featured a CVT that had 7 artificial gears. The Pleo was one of my favorite Kei Cars to use in that game, and I wouldn't mind importing one if I had the chance.
Love seeing these unusual videos.... As the latest super car just reminds me that 2022 is not my wealthiest year. Where as this just puts a smile on my face. 👍
Love a good Kei Car. This car looks like the follow on from the Vivio, which also had an AWD super charged variant, AND did the Safari rally with Colin Mcrea at the wheel! 🙂 The Vivio name deserved to stay on too, VI VI O being at Japlish version of Roman numerals for 660 👍
I like a pocket rocket, I'm a tall guy, 6'2", and the fact that it's AWD... Well, it's gonna be chuckable, but maybe not quick..enough! I still like it, though, and if it were mine it would have the gold wheels, etc, to "STI" it!
Another great review James which is even better than your splendid (and expected) quality; because we are currently importing… a 2012 Daihatsu Tanto Custom RS. Because? Because of exactly what you said in your review. We love different. ATB 👍
Awesome review! Reminds me of my Daihatsu Mira Classic Turbo I owned around 1998. It was one of only around 50 officially imported into the UK and was a bonkers looking thing
I've been looking at getting this (or a Vivio... or both!) in the coming years, to have a fun little thing to bop around in. James said that this is a car for someone who wants something different and that's EXACTLY why I want one! lol Also, to have a small, easy car for my son to learn how to drive, since Subaru doesn't have a small-enough car in their NA lineup lol (I'm a Subaru snob and won't drive anything else... I've been spoiled). Just have to save up a bit.
While the younger audience is going "whoooo!?!" My 30something self is like hahahah mental pick of 7 foot black man in a Japanese meeting room with everyone only coming up to his stomach lol 🤣
Please read with Google Translate. 日本からのコメントです。BritishMotorCorporation MINIが作られた国で日本のk-carのレビューを撮っていただき光栄です。 pleoのエンジンEN07はSUBARUのEJ20に次ぐ傑作機だと思います。特にEN07を積んだSAMBARはとても楽しい車です。
The Subaru looks like a lot of fun, but I am not sure if it has as much character as the Suzuki Alto Works you reviewed some time ago? Also, I didn't see any plastic crab glued to the dashboard on this one.
My grandfather had one when he was 75, with sc. and you know some people, can’t drive gently. He is the one of them. Full throttle even while parking, or doing u turn, in narrow places.
I'm surprised there doesn't seem to be the same level of enthusiasm for Subaru kei cars that there is for stuff like the A-B-Cs (AZ1, Beat and Cappuccino), Suzuki Alto Works or trucks and vans like Subaru's own Sambar. Heck, there's even a Subaru kei car with motorsports pedigree: The Vivio RX-R, which famously saw a multi-car (one of which was driven by Colin McRae) works entry in the 1993 Safari Rally.
I actually own one of these! Mine is a "regular" RS model with front-wheel drive instead of 4WD and a CVT automatic with "Sport Shift" ie. 7 simulated gears.
My first car was a 993cc Nova with an of-it's-time, ancient OHV engine. Since then I've always wondered if modern advances had made small engines revvy and exciting to compensate for the lack of displacement. A few years ago I got a turn in a 1.0 3-pot econobox and it was as flat footed as my Nova. And it looks like even Subaru can't manage it. The Americans have it - there's no replacement for displacement!
I owned a UK Daihatsu Coure (Mira was limited) Avazato TR-XX R4 that was sold to homoligate a UK rally car series. 660cc 16v twincam turbo with 4WD and 4 wheel steering. £10k new for a tiny fun rally car!
Scene quite a few Kei car videos 1 that's missing and like the Suzuki cappuccino was also sold in the UK ,. Daihatsu Copen either the 660cc Turbo or the identical but non Kei the 1.3L. I worked for years with someone who's wife had the Kei version, reminded me with the roof up of a child's Shoe.
Joey: "Wait a minute. I know you. You're Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. You play basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers." Roger Murdock: "I'm sorry, son, but you must have me confused with someone else. My name is Roger Murdock. I'm the co-pilot."
Love the channel massive fan but the sound quality from the outside camera when giving the beans is always a little annoying. Would never stop me watching but please get a better 🎙😬. Great video though 👌
I love bubble era Japan stuff, when they just had money to throw at any small market segment and then sell said cars through different dealerships with different themes, Cleo and Verno etc. Cars for dog owners, cars for people that like x/y/z hobby etc it's just bloody wacky
If i was a car builder, i would do this kind of small cars with okayish power to enjoy the speedlimits on the legal side, keep co2 footprint low and have a blast and huge smile. But no, they do the opposite.
Japan is doing small cars right, unlike Europe where smallest car you can currently buy (with 4 seats and 4 doors) is Smart Forfour that is more like fashion accessory (or 2nd or 3rd car) rather than everyday driver.
My mum had Honda Z600 coupe . Bright orange . It was a Kei car and an absolute hoot to drive . She drove it for sixteen years of totally reliable and fun driving . Then gave it away to a 17 year old who rolled it into a field and oblivion . Hey ho
I mean the UK spec wagon R isn't actually kei sized, the first gen is based on the wagon R wide and the later ones are a suzuki wagon R solio. The actual wagon R kei car was never sold outside of Japan. The alto was kei sized apart from the front bumper and engine though