What’s the deal with ‘kei cars’?

If you ever visit Japan, one of the first things you’ll notice is a litany of quirky, tiny-wheeled cars and trucks.

They’re called kei cars, and they emerged after WWII when the Japanese government created a new class of economy car slotting between “motorcycle” and “full size.” Kei cars are cheap to own, subject to fewer taxes and skinny enough to navigate narrow, ancient streets. The tradeoff is that they can only have up to 63 horsepower, which is why they need smaller wheels.

It’s a shame we can’t have them here, since they cost $4,000 and get 60 mpg.

– Chris Butsch, The Arizona 100