The UK should for sure have the same tax breaks for this class of car as Japan does. There are too many massive SUVs in cities, encouraging smaller vehicles is a great idea, and as Japan already makes these with right hand drive, the stock is available for the manufacturers to sell.
Kei cars do pass some safety tests, just not all of it... maybe the idea is worth considering, not as in "the UK should be buying more Japanese cars" but the idea of kei-like urban subsidized car segment could make sense
Europe also has l7e category with even less safety. Its just bullshit to make regular car makers happy, but now that you are Brexited UK can just make k-cars legal. But no politician care about this stuff.
@@TheWave251 They could be bulked-up to meet the standards, look at the Suzuki Jimny, which is available in Japan as a Kei but has also been sold in the EU. It was withdrawn from the EU due to emissions but the Nissan Sakura wouldn't have that problem.
in the US, we only get them if they are 25+ years old, and that us just to get I onto the states, getting it registered and on the road, thats a whole headache.
I'm pretty sure you are allowed to make and own microcars in the EU, we have even smaller vehicles than this. I think it might be some trade rule thing, which is still annoying. I'd love a car like this.
I'm surprised Kei cars are not more ubiquitous in the UK. Considering how little 1L hatchbacks and other A segment cars serve the mass market in Europe. People just want transport.
Their tall centre of gravity could be a tough sell. Most driver in the UK would want their car to at least not be thrown around on Motorways. Kei cars might be aright for Japan where the motorways have a speed limit of 80km/h (Whether or not it is followed is another question) whereas in the UK it is 70miles/h. Kei cars would not feel safe (and probably not safe) on UK motorways
Kei cars are wonderful. Affordable to buy, affordable to fuel, excellent visibility, excellent maneuverability, excellently efficient use of space. No they're not rockets, but because they're so small and light, they're not even as slow as people would expect. They generally feel like a normal economy car imo. Small footprint but every inch is utilised and recognizes that most ppl very rarely use the entirety of their standard vehicles, so yes the boot/trunk is small, but most ppl rarely have 4 passengers and a full trunk anyway. In most cases it's sufficient to either put stuff in the back row or fold them down and use that space plus the boot. For a regular commuter/daily vehicle kei cars are top notch.
@@HyperVanilo The Zoe is a lot bigger, being almost 70cm longer than this model, and it has also been discontinued in most markets with a replacement in the form of the 5 E-tech.
@@HyperVanilo we have one in my family, great car to drive and they are quite cheap used, but you have to buy the 41kwh version if you want to go anywhere.
Rory, the indicators on the right stalk is the correct way for RHD cars. Years ago (for cost reasons) it was switched to LHD. Coming to a junction you would indicate using your right hand while changing gear with your left. Who remembers when that was the norm?
The Nissan Juke changed the indicator stalk to left hand drive. Now they expect you to use your left hand to push the indicator and gear shift at the same time.
I rememeber this, there was a big kurfuffle in the 90's about it and then call cars changed to indicators on the left. Still makes no sense for a RHD car and I wish it had gone the other way but we are where we are!
They're nerfing the cars now. "On a windy day you do feel it swaying around, especially if you drive next to a lorry and the wind hits you & you start to rock. A bit scary at first, but you get used to it." Why should anyone get used to it? This is forced on us by regulation. This is all because of propaganda.
Kei cars used to be sold in the UK, Vauxhall Agila, Bedford Rascal van, Suzuki Splash etc. The UK has never "outlawed" Kei cars, so Nissan should bring it here, even with Chademo charging!
Yep, there were actually some Kei EVs in the UK sold up to 2019ish. Check out Citroën C-Zero or Peugeot iOn, it's a rebadged Mitsubishi EV. They had a bit less range than the Nissan though so a pretty tough sell. Cheap on the used market, I love mine :)
We used to have the original Issigonis mini before BMW turned it into a monstrosity. And the Hillman Imp, which had a rear engine but you still managed to get exhaust fumes in the car if you opened the window.
Even today cars there were engineered as Kei cars are sold worldwide, for instance the Suzuki Jimny is sold as 660cc car in Japan. The shell is the same between this and the "bigger" 1.5l Jimny.
@@WonkoTheSaneUK The UK never outlawed Kei cars. The EU basically did through regulations. But now we're not in the EU, there's zero reason these should still be "banned". These could be the default option for 90% of the population, and be incentivised with tax breaks.
Japan are the masters in efficient packaging for small vehicles. These are the sort of EVs' that should have been built from the start and not high end baloney no one can afford. Nearly all EV's have useless huge front grilles, integrating solar panels within would certainly give it some purpose.
The amazing thing about Japanese made Kei car is they are incredibly tough and reliable despite their cutesy exterior. I am from Pakistan and I own a 2007 Suzuki Cervo imported from Japan. Despite not being made from Pakistani roads where the asphalt is just painted with a brush on uneven dirt, it has served me well with no major issues for 15 years.
I would buy one of these tomorrow if they were available in the states. I have a 1992 Subaru sambar van. Unfortunately, the only way to get them in the states is they need to be 25 years old. I drive it daily , it's very reliable , and at 6 ft 4, I have plenty of room in this van.
@@DanRyzESPUKOnce you factor in shipping, import duty, VAT, insurance, dealer cut etc, then it will probably be around £20k or so. Margins are very tight. And this car has similar specs to the Dacia Spring which is £15k.
@@shabs2134 Shipping is virtually nothing, if important en masse, it would only be a few hundred quid at most. Especially for a tiny car like a kei car. The UK recently joined the CPTPP free trade agreement, which Japan is part of. So these wouldn't have any tariffs or duties to import And finally (and the hardest part) Kei cars should have a tax & VAT break, like what the Japanese government do. To help keep the costs down. These could be a really good and affordable option, and directly help the UK economy and the cost of living crisis. So of course our government won't give any tax incentives on them. They'd rather give incentives on a £100k 3 ton 1000bhp EV instead .
I am Japanese. Thank you for highlighting Japanese cars. Speaking on behalf of Japanese people, while the world is moving toward EV adoption, most Japanese likely believe that kei cars (lightweight vehicles) are the most ecological option when considering the total lifecycle, from production to disposal. That’s why you’ll hardly see EVs on Japanese roads. In Japan, hybrid cars and kei cars (gasoline-powered) dominate. Kei cars offer excellent fuel efficiency and durability, making it easy to own them for 20 years or more. In the not-so-distant future, EVs will face significant challenges related to battery disposal. For that reason, I believe the 660cc engine is truly a game-changer. Thank you for the great video! 😊
As the very happy owner of a mazda 3, and someone who thought his next car would be Japanese. I think Japan car industry is going to be doomed if they don't rapidly turn to electric. 1 year ago I did not see even 1 BYd car in my country, now I cannot go out and not see at least one. You want it or not, the future is electric. Not everyone wants a 600 cc car, even in my small country. Paying like 4x less for your recherche vs gas and the car getting cheaper and cheaper as battery price are crashing, is a revolution no one can stop..
和丸-j9x, What is being said in Japan regarding Nissan's position and loss of sales? I saw an article headline concerning Nissan adopting the wrong EV strategy. Toyota's strategy is new the way forward, even if some think that it is the worst of both worlds. A friend of mine ordered her Corolla Hydrid AWD in September 2023 and delivery is scheduled for early January 2025. Toyota states that they are intentionally keeping inventory low as we know that full EV's consume a lot of minerals. I live in Canada and I see a Kei car drive by everyday, even in winter. I know that you cannot import them unless they are 15 years old and they would fail modern crash tests. In the US, it seems to vary per state and most require an emissions and vehicle safety.
@@danielvilliers612 Good morning! Thank you for your reply. So, you’re driving a Japanese car! In Japan, many EVs are available, including HEVs, PHEVs, FCEVs, and BEVs. The first one I mentioned, HEVs (hybrids), can also be considered part of the electric vehicle category since they run on batteries. However, if BEVs were to rapidly gain popularity in Japan, we’d face the need to build more nuclear power plants or burn large amounts of fossil fuels in thermal power plants to generate electricity. Additionally, a significant amount of copper wiring would be required for charging infrastructure, which could trigger a global competition for copper resources. Furthermore, we’d need to construct new charging stations, but their viability as a business is questionable. Unlike fueling a car, charging takes as long as charging an iPhone, which lowers the turnover rate. It’s uncertain how many customers these stations could serve effectively. As a result, their revenue would be low, making it difficult to sustain them as a business. Battery prices are unlikely to decrease, probably due to continuous developments in new technology. If you look at iPhones, you can see they’ve become more expensive every year. Instead, I think new, affordable fuel technologies will emerge, and reciprocating engines will still have a role for some time. Personally, I believe HEVs and PHEVs, which I consider the most eco-friendly options, are the best solution. Japan has such clean air, after all.
@@mrdeeds83 Good morning! 😃 Thank you for your reply. As you said, Nissan isn’t very popular in Japan either. It seems significant reforms will be necessary. I’ve also heard that their collaboration with Honda isn’t going very well. Additionally, in Japan, it’s common for car deliveries to take about a year or even longer. People usually plan ahead and order accordingly. You’re absolutely right that battery production will face limitations in the near future. It requires a vast amount of mineral resources, after all. And in Canada 🇨🇦, it’s amazing to hear that kei cars over 15 years old are still running. That’s truly wonderful! Taking care of things and using them for a long time is the best form of eco-friendliness. Thank you, my friend for world peace! 😊
Indicator stalk on the right is the correct side for a right hand drive car. In general indicators should be the opposite side to the gear stick allowing the driver to change gear and operate the indicator stalk. Most cars made in the UK until the early 80s were this way around and it was only when European cars and ones made for the whole European or world markets became more popular this change to the left.
I wonder if Japanese incentives and rebates specific to their market makes it a non starter in other countries. Or perhaps equally meeting safety regulations of other markets.
@@richardtracey7216 You TOTALLY missed the point. It's a Kei car, its size is regulated by law, it's not meant to be a people mover for 300lb Americans ...🙄
Perfect city car or a second car, for a quick run to the supermarket. Really wish Nissan would sell these in India. Suzuki's Wagon R is already a bestseller in India for over a decade, so I don't see why Nissan can't assemble it locally at their Chennai plat.
I am a college student studying at a university a few blocks away from Nissan headquarters (the building with the Nissan flag in this video).Thanks, Auto Trader, for introducing me to Japan's best-selling EV, which is more popular than the Tesla! I just rented this a few days ago from a car share operated by Nissan (and in front of Nissan's headquarters). So I've driven most of the places in this video. It's kind of interesting to see a road that you normally see covered by foreign media. This car is really nimble to drive. And yet, it can run at a comfortable 8.2 km/kwh. It's excellent, really. In fact, if anyone I know were to buy an EV, I would recommend this one, because it and the OEM Mitsubishi eK-X EV are the only light cars that don't have to be fed up with the engine roaring up a hill. Ladies and gentlemen of the car-loving world in the UK, when you travel around Japan, you can look forward to always being able to witness this car in any region you visit...
Another jealous American checking in. I know that there are many forces at play that make cars like this uncommon here, but I kind of love this thing. The combination of a decently spacious cabin in such a small form factor is very compelling. And it's ridiculously cute. Why can't we have such nice things??
@@abnorc8798 because that's not a real car. It's a toy car. The japanese live in a fantasy land. "On a windy day you do feel it swaying around, especially if you drive next to a lorry and the wind hits you & you start to rock. A bit scary at first, but you get used to it." Why should anyone get used to it?
@@ehaaron Who decided that there need to be such huge trucks on every highway? The same guys who made it impossible in America to expand freight rail? The same guys who favored sprawl so that it's impossible to use freight rail to reach the big stores? Sprawl is the fantasy land, not Japan. Half the world's population now lives in urban areas & it will keep growing. Sprawl worldwide would be a disaster.
@@warheadsnation Efficiency, Practicality & size of shipping containers is what decides the size of trucks. Japan is an over-regulated country, it's a dense Sprawl. Which is what makes their cars, "city cars", Impractical & tiny. Can't blame the Japanses they have limited land. Have you seen their homes? It's like a chiken coop, but for humans. It's sad. But It's way worse in china. Greed is what makes you build a 1000 homes in a tiny piece of land. You should be thankful of the American sprawls. Buy more land! more! Spread out!. I thought sprawls were the answer to urban areas. aren't they called "sub-urban". Yes, America needs to build more rail. there's more freedom in road travel.
@@ehaaron Americans are staggeringly in personal debt thanks to "Buy more land! more! Spread out!" It caused the '08 crash. You could actually see the moment when we couldn't afford gas because we had to commute so far. Because we were already overwhelmed by the mortgages on our McMansions.
I live in Tokyo and bought the best most popular used car. It's the Honda MILF. It has a few miles on it, and there are some scratches and dents here and there, but it runs great and always ready to please.
I'm lovin' this little dinkey. It has so much going for it. Although I'm not sure about reclining in the back for long journeys. With a range of 112 miles, and you won't hit that number, range anxiety will be an issue. Unless the seats come with built-in anti-anxiety technology 🙂
i've seen reviews from other channels when this car came out, i always thought nissan should release this car in europe too! it's like the perfect second, drive-around-town car, even if they would bump up the price to €15k or something, it would still be an awesome deal. and you know small cars are popular here as well. i really don't understand their reasoning for not releasing it outside japan.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but currently in Japan there doesn't seem to be a seperate category within the Kei class for pure EV models. As such, they have to limit the electric motor's power output to the equivalent of ICE's 64bhp, which is the power cap in the Kei class. If Nissan were to ever put a slightly beefier battery pack and unlock the available power to the motor, for export markets, it would likely give the Chinese-made small EVs an arse-kicking.
They don't do this for the Sakura, but many kei cars are sold overseas with slightly bigger engines since they don't have to follow the kei car restrictions. India, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, they all have plenty of tiny Daihatsu, Suzuki and Nissans, under different names.
I believe there isn't actually a legal power cap for kei cars, the manufacturers just made a gentleman's agreement to keep the limit at 64 hp so they weren't in a never ending race to push more and more power out of a 660cc engine. I do agree that they could do with unrestricting the power for foreign markets, however.
The secret lies in selling cars like these under the L7e regulations. It's essentially Europe's Kei Car law, the safety regulations are considerably more relaxed than normal car regulations, but unfortunately no large manufacturer is touching or even willing to touch that market except for either small boutique brands like Microlino and Carice (the Carice TC2 costs 40.000€) or Chinese brands like YoYo with their XEV, which costs nearly as much as the Dacia Spring. The reason why the Sakura is so cheap is because Nissan has their industrial might behind them, they can churn these out by the thousands every day while most of the L7e cars being sold out there are made and assembled in small factories with 10-20 employees. If Euro brands like VW, Renault or especially FIAT, with their years of experience and technical know-how on how to make elegantly simple and small vehicles decided to enter the L7e market, they would crush it in sales. They could launch a sub-brand under one of the many names they acquired over the years and even go back to plunder their design catalogue from the 60's, 70's and 80's city cars to bring some of the most popular models back from the dead. Who wouldn't want a 2025 electric FIAT 850 Spider or Special? I know I would.
The best we get here in the US is the Nissan Leaf. I've had one since 2018 and I love it. For a typical two car family having one EV makes a lot of sense, especially as a commuter car.
Japanese cars are the best in the world! They are renowned for their durability and logical design. The build quality from Japan is consistently top-notch, making these vehicles highly reliable and desirable.
I wish they’d bring this to the UK. Perfect car for both city use and country village use popping to the shops. Great to have room for four when you want it plus a massive boot when you are just front seat 2 passengers with the back seat down. And a great footprint for ease of parking. I’d buy one !!! Surely this is what you need for the environment.
Well done Rory, good evaluation of a great car for UK roads. No one needs any more than this for single occupant driving now, with all the speed limits and cameras about. 87mph- more than enough, and 10secs 0-60, that is quicker than some hot hatches in the past. Brilliant proportions/room with a sliding back seat the boot size could easily be altered. I assume the back seats fold? Shame it is a Nissan, which means it will be awful for reliability. If only it had been Toyota, Honda or other superior brand.
I test drove one of these in New Zealand, brilliant little car, I wanted it but my partner wasn't keen. The space inside is brilliant, this is also platform shared with the Mitsubishi X as well. Hopefully we see more of these and maybe Nissan bring to local markets and not just relying on imports.
I just came back from Japan and driving there was a breeze. I only needed a few meterd to get used to it, with one little hick-up later on. As someone from central Europe, left hand drive manual is my norm. First car I rented and drove was a Toyota Aqua. Nice compact car. 900km with just under 30l of fuel. Automatic, so shifting wasn't distracting me for the time being. Wiper and indicator mix-up only happened once. Second car I rented was a Honda S2000 Type S. Driving was good, but it was a case of "never meet your heros". Still, manual, right hand drive, no assists and except for one tiny hick-up, nothing went wrong. The hick-up came turning right on what I thought was a oneway road, but it wasn't. So I turned right a little too sharp, almost ending up on the wrong side of the road. But only almost. Managed to quickly correct that and be in the right left lane.
Nissan should sell this in the UK - target London/Brum and the other big cities. Ideally give it 50% more battery - make it a 3-seater? More stylish and compact and cheaper than the new small EVs - eC3 and the like. Given Nissan's rocky state, this'd be a win for hearts, minds and sales
Regarding the wipers - *British* cars used to have the same setup. Indicators on the left are imported from automakers that predominantly make left-hand-drive vehicles... iirc it stems from the idea that when you change gear, the indicator should be under the hand that remains on the wheel... for RHD vehicles, you shift with the left, so indicators on the right, and the reverse for LHD vehicles... but with 'cost-optimisations' for vehicle production, automakers ended up using the same steering-wheel-assembly (and stalk-positions) for both RHD and LHD vehicles, and thus the position gets determined by the 'home market'... and because most automakers are based in LHD markets, UK vehicles end up with indicators on the left. Note: this was the same reason for the filler-flap placement (left side, for RHD vehicles, so you can just pull up next to the pump, in the old days), and the exhaust placement (right side, for RHD, so that the exhaust was in the centre of the road, rather than blowing over pedestrians)... and reverse for LHD. Again, changes to production optimisations means that placement of filler flap and exhaust is now determined by home country - thus so many cars in the UK have exhausts that emit onto the pavement now.
@@wadexyz Yes, but there was the Imperialism and warmongering of the 20th century, etc. So, I might say Japanese are more practical. I'm not sure I would use the word "elevated" for any human society.
@@sonholee5769 japanese society still has issues to this day, but i agree there is no perfect world. we just learn from the good things people from all over can do.
So why don't Kei cars get sold in the UK ? We drive on the same side of the road so no conversion needed. Is it because of crash ratings and certification ? The Renault Zoe got zero stars yet they sold well
The Sakura was developed with Mitsubishi Motors & their version the EK X EV looks quite different but underneath is the same. When you consider the Hyundai Inster which is also a Kei car will cost £23,435 in the UK and the interior looks cheaper compared to the Sakura, you can’t help but wonder why it costs £10k more. Perhaps if the Inster does well, the Sakura may make it to Europe eventually.
By the time it got imported it would cost the same as a used model 3 but with less than half the range. I'm sure that's the real reason they never sell kei cars in the UK. They can't compete with a used car when there's no tax benefit like there is in Japan
Hopefully Nissan will succeed with cheaper sensible cars many of us want. There's been so much bloat in size, tech and price that people are becoming more reluctant to buy new. BTW liking the shirt Rory.
The Sakura is a superb little car! 👌 Bring it to India to rejuvenate your operations here, Nissan! And please provide proper physical buttons and dials/knobs for the HVAC system.
They have been making this for years. This needs to come to the UK, Nissan would absolutely kill it here with this car especially if it is a similar price.
I’ve said this before on everything since the first look videos came out. Release it everywhere. They obviously only cost tuppence to build. The tech is “mature” = scaled and cheap. The infotainment is straight up from the leaf with some shiney bits glue gunned on. This thing would fly. Think of all the smart cars, Kia Picanto (before it got fat), Fiat 500s, Peugeot 107s, C1s and the like that people fall over to keep hold of. Small city runabouts. I’d consider having one of these as a 2nd car in the UK if I could. As would my parents.
I used to own a kei car. Suzuki Alto 2005. Was an absolutely brilliant inner city urban mode of transport. Even drove it from Glasgow to Newcastle and it was absolutely fine, managed about 50mpg. Best thing was it could squeeze in between Qs of traffic if the lanes were wide enough and skip the Qs! Our governments could be less stupid and allow them to be sold officially again.
This car can be used in city only, in daily commute scenario, say you drive it from home to train station or street market. And that is particularly useful in Japan or any dense Asian city.
When, when, when are we going to get Kei type cars in the UK and Europe? I had a Daihatsu Move for years in the early 2000s and loved it and in the 1960s had a Fiat 600 Multipla, a 6 seater with footprint the same size as a Kei car and a 650 cc engine. The four rear seats folded flat into the floor making it a massive load carrier. If it hadn’t rusted away, I would probably still have it. And does driving a small, low-powered car really make you look silly? I think it shows you are practical. But if it does, I’d be happy to look silly any day driving the Sakura or one of the dozens of Japanese Kei cars, vans or wagons. I would even import one direct if it weren’t almost impossible to get insurance at a reasonable price. Come on AutoTrader, import and sell some and do some kind of insurance deals.
UK and Europe used to get Kei type cars, now they don't anymore due to regulations. The emissions standards, crash safety standards, repairability requirements, and other stuff such as mandatory foglights all make it too much of a hassle to export kei cars to Europe.
@@noseboop4354 Now the UK isn't in the EU, there's no reason why our government can't re-lift most of those EU regulations. But unfortunately they'd much rather follow EU regulations to the dot and let our economy go down the drain with the rest of Europe. I don't know why we're so attached to copying everything the EU do, the whole point of Brexit it so open up regulations and allow stuff like this. I guess we can only go so far with stupid governments.
People have been avoiding Nissans because of the dodgy reliability ever since they became half-Renault. But with the dodgy combustion engine gone... why not? Looks like a winner.
thanks for the info.. In the United States, lung cancer kills more than 361 people each day. This is the highest number of deaths from any type of cancer, and more than breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancers combined. WHY? According to various sources, engine exhaust contains over 40 identified toxic chemicals, including benzene, arsenic, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, 1,3-butadiene, lead, and a variety of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are considered cancer-causing substances;
I own a small Nissan ...its called rediGo here in India. Its 800cc 5 door small hatchback....it gives 22 kmpl average fuel consumption. I love my small nissan. I also own a renault MUV for family. But RediGo is good for me.
Nissan, don't do a Jaguar here and miss an opportunity to sell your brand to a market that is crying out for a good small EV, the market for these sorts of cars is what any sensible person would have, I love the Honda N-Box.
I've said this for years. Congestion and co2 problems would be solved if we all drove A segment/kei cars. 660cc and electric cars would please everyone and honestly most people over estimate how much space they need in a car. Make them tax free for 5 years to bolster the support for them and build a network and you're laughing.
It’s great, but will be double that price in the UK. Vat 20% for a start, Chinese tariffs, shipping, other taxes, dealers etc. etc. It’s a real shame, we will never get cars like this for a decent price.
Awsome Car a real shame its not available here i would buy one immediately. ts 20 miles per hour all around here with speed bumps and if that's not enough we have road width restrictions all over the place and then the ULEZ and Congestion Charge.
![The TRUE COST Of Fixing An Electric Car Battery | High Mileage Tesla [Episode 5]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QstBDw7UJ6Q/mqdefault.jpg)
If Nissan sold this in Europe it might turn things around for them. Cool little car.
@@liamrochford3649 if selling in Europe, the car will be more than 13000 as tax will come into it
If it were to be sold in Europe, the price of the car will be higher due to taxes etc
@Readyplayerf1 I know but it would be under €20k and be competing with the Dacia spring and the new Kia.
But they dont.
Nissan is heavily dependent on North American sales. They need to please Americans and Canadians and not Europeans to turn things around
The UK should for sure have the same tax breaks for this class of car as Japan does.
There are too many massive SUVs in cities, encouraging smaller vehicles is a great idea, and as Japan already makes these with right hand drive, the stock is available for the manufacturers to sell.
Agreed. With how small some UK roads can be, a kei car makes so much sense.
This would never meet euro safety standards. Never forget that in a 軽自動車 you are the crumple zone.
Kei cars do pass some safety tests, just not all of it... maybe the idea is worth considering, not as in "the UK should be buying more Japanese cars" but the idea of kei-like urban subsidized car segment could make sense
Europe also has l7e category with even less safety. Its just bullshit to make regular car makers happy, but now that you are Brexited UK can just make k-cars legal. But no politician care about this stuff.
@@TheWave251 They could be bulked-up to meet the standards, look at the Suzuki Jimny, which is available in Japan as a Kei but has also been sold in the EU. It was withdrawn from the EU due to emissions but the Nissan Sakura wouldn't have that problem.
As an owner of a Kei car I have only one thing to say: A curse on the EU and carmakers for not allowing their import anymore!
Need in USA too
in the US, we only get them if they are 25+ years old, and that us just to get I onto the states, getting it registered and on the road, thats a whole headache.
Can't you still import/register them second hand?
@@AnthonyHiggins-x2n I guess, but we want the new ones like we had until 2012.
I'm pretty sure you are allowed to make and own microcars in the EU, we have even smaller vehicles than this. I think it might be some trade rule thing, which is still annoying. I'd love a car like this.
I'm surprised Kei cars are not more ubiquitous in the UK. Considering how little 1L hatchbacks and other A segment cars serve the mass market in Europe. People just want transport.
Safety. They wouldn't pass regulations
@@LarryNgetich Yeah some of them, but the Skoda e-up got a decent euro ncap rating and it's basically the kei car size
@@LarryNgetich Let people decide; I don't want lane keep assist and all that other crap that tries to take over the car while I'm driving.
I think it's mostly to do with your knees being the crumple zone and not all ADAS things@@deanchur
Their tall centre of gravity could be a tough sell. Most driver in the UK would want their car to at least not be thrown around on Motorways. Kei cars might be aright for Japan where the motorways have a speed limit of 80km/h (Whether or not it is followed is another question) whereas in the UK it is 70miles/h. Kei cars would not feel safe (and probably not safe) on UK motorways
Kei cars are wonderful. Affordable to buy, affordable to fuel, excellent visibility, excellent maneuverability, excellently efficient use of space. No they're not rockets, but because they're so small and light, they're not even as slow as people would expect. They generally feel like a normal economy car imo. Small footprint but every inch is utilised and recognizes that most ppl very rarely use the entirety of their standard vehicles, so yes the boot/trunk is small, but most ppl rarely have 4 passengers and a full trunk anyway. In most cases it's sufficient to either put stuff in the back row or fold them down and use that space plus the boot. For a regular commuter/daily vehicle kei cars are top notch.
My brother in Tokyo has had one for several months, and loves it. His first EV too.
Big congrats to him. I would love to have a car like this, a Honda E or even a BYD as my first electric, and second ever car.
We need this in Europe
Renault Zoe isn't enough for you? It's almost the same size as Sakura
@@HyperVanilo The Zoe is a lot bigger, being almost 70cm longer than this model, and it has also been discontinued in most markets with a replacement in the form of the 5 E-tech.
@@HyperVanilo we have one in my family, great car to drive and they are quite cheap used, but you have to buy the 41kwh version if you want to go anywhere.
@@HyperVanilo ZOE is expensive..over 22K in my country
Rory, the indicators on the right stalk is the correct way for RHD cars. Years ago (for cost reasons) it was switched to LHD. Coming to a junction you would indicate using your right hand while changing gear with your left. Who remembers when that was the norm?
@@bjmullan it's ev there is no gear and if u buy one u will adopt within few days
The Nissan Juke changed the indicator stalk to left hand drive. Now they expect you to use your left hand to push the indicator and gear shift at the same time.
I rememeber this, there was a big kurfuffle in the 90's about it and then call cars changed to indicators on the left. Still makes no sense for a RHD car and I wish it had gone the other way but we are where we are!
It's such a joy to have someone friendly and RELAXING doing car reviews !
Cheers Rory 🍻
“Sometimes less is more…” PRECISELY
They're nerfing the cars now. "On a windy day you do feel it swaying around, especially if you drive next to a lorry and the wind hits you & you start to rock. A bit scary at first, but you get used to it." Why should anyone get used to it? This is forced on us by regulation. This is all because of propaganda.
Kei cars used to be sold in the UK, Vauxhall Agila, Bedford Rascal van, Suzuki Splash etc.
The UK has never "outlawed" Kei cars, so Nissan should bring it here, even with Chademo charging!
Yep, there were actually some Kei EVs in the UK sold up to 2019ish. Check out Citroën C-Zero or Peugeot iOn, it's a rebadged Mitsubishi EV. They had a bit less range than the Nissan though so a pretty tough sell. Cheap on the used market, I love mine :)
We used to have the original Issigonis mini before BMW turned it into a monstrosity. And the Hillman Imp, which had a rear engine but you still managed to get exhaust fumes in the car if you opened the window.
Even today cars there were engineered as Kei cars are sold worldwide, for instance the Suzuki Jimny is sold as 660cc car in Japan. The shell is the same between this and the "bigger" 1.5l Jimny.
@@WonkoTheSaneUK The UK never outlawed Kei cars. The EU basically did through regulations.
But now we're not in the EU, there's zero reason these should still be "banned". These could be the default option for 90% of the population, and be incentivised with tax breaks.
Japan are the masters in efficient packaging for small vehicles. These are the sort of EVs' that should have been built from the start and not high end baloney no one can afford.
Nearly all EV's have useless huge front grilles, integrating solar panels within would certainly give it some purpose.
The amazing thing about Japanese made Kei car is they are incredibly tough and reliable despite their cutesy exterior. I am from Pakistan and I own a 2007 Suzuki Cervo imported from Japan. Despite not being made from Pakistani roads where the asphalt is just painted with a brush on uneven dirt, it has served me well with no major issues for 15 years.
I would buy one of these tomorrow if they were available in the states.
I have a 1992 Subaru sambar van. Unfortunately, the only way to get them in the states is they need to be 25 years old.
I drive it daily , it's very reliable , and at 6 ft 4, I have plenty of room in this van.
Bring it to the UK, Nissan.
We all know that it would be £30k if it came to the UK. GWM Ora / MG4 all predicted prices rose by another 20% after they finally arrived.
But its 13k pounds in Japan, not China. There are barely any tariffs for Europe or UK, so they coyld sell it for less than 20k.
Tariff, VAT and dealer greed.
@@DanRyzESPUKOnce you factor in shipping, import duty, VAT, insurance, dealer cut etc, then it will probably be around £20k or so. Margins are very tight. And this car has similar specs to the Dacia Spring which is £15k.
No longer tariffs to import cars from Japan to EU. I believe the UK has a similar deal with Japan (needs to be checked).
@@shabs2134 Shipping is virtually nothing, if important en masse, it would only be a few hundred quid at most. Especially for a tiny car like a kei car.
The UK recently joined the CPTPP free trade agreement, which Japan is part of. So these wouldn't have any tariffs or duties to import
And finally (and the hardest part) Kei cars should have a tax & VAT break, like what the Japanese government do. To help keep the costs down.
These could be a really good and affordable option, and directly help the UK economy and the cost of living crisis. So of course our government won't give any tax incentives on them. They'd rather give incentives on a £100k 3 ton 1000bhp EV instead .
I am Japanese. Thank you for highlighting Japanese cars. Speaking on behalf of Japanese people, while the world is moving toward EV adoption, most Japanese likely believe that kei cars (lightweight vehicles) are the most ecological option when considering the total lifecycle, from production to disposal. That’s why you’ll hardly see EVs on Japanese roads. In Japan, hybrid cars and kei cars (gasoline-powered) dominate.
Kei cars offer excellent fuel efficiency and durability, making it easy to own them for 20 years or more. In the not-so-distant future, EVs will face significant challenges related to battery disposal. For that reason, I believe the 660cc engine is truly a game-changer.
Thank you for the great video! 😊
As the very happy owner of a mazda 3, and someone who thought his next car would be Japanese. I think Japan car industry is going to be doomed if they don't rapidly turn to electric. 1 year ago I did not see even 1 BYd car in my country, now I cannot go out and not see at least one. You want it or not, the future is electric. Not everyone wants a 600 cc car, even in my small country. Paying like 4x less for your recherche vs gas and the car getting cheaper and cheaper as battery price are crashing, is a revolution no one can stop..
和丸-j9x, What is being said in Japan regarding Nissan's position and loss of sales?
I saw an article headline concerning Nissan adopting the wrong EV strategy. Toyota's strategy is new the way forward, even if some think that it is the worst of both worlds. A friend of mine ordered her Corolla Hydrid AWD in September 2023 and delivery is scheduled for early January 2025. Toyota states that they are intentionally keeping inventory low as we know that full EV's consume a lot of minerals.
I live in Canada and I see a Kei car drive by everyday, even in winter. I know that you cannot import them unless they are 15 years old and they would fail modern crash tests. In the US, it seems to vary per state and most require an emissions and vehicle safety.
@@danielvilliers612
Good morning!
Thank you for your reply.
So, you’re driving a Japanese car! In Japan, many EVs are available, including HEVs, PHEVs, FCEVs, and BEVs. The first one I mentioned, HEVs (hybrids), can also be considered part of the electric vehicle category since they run on batteries.
However, if BEVs were to rapidly gain popularity in Japan, we’d face the need to build more nuclear power plants or burn large amounts of fossil fuels in thermal power plants to generate electricity. Additionally, a significant amount of copper wiring would be required for charging infrastructure, which could trigger a global competition for copper resources.
Furthermore, we’d need to construct new charging stations, but their viability as a business is questionable. Unlike fueling a car, charging takes as long as charging an iPhone, which lowers the turnover rate. It’s uncertain how many customers these stations could serve effectively. As a result, their revenue would be low, making it difficult to sustain them as a business.
Battery prices are unlikely to decrease, probably due to continuous developments in new technology. If you look at iPhones, you can see they’ve become more expensive every year.
Instead, I think new, affordable fuel technologies will emerge, and reciprocating engines will still have a role for some time. Personally, I believe HEVs and PHEVs, which I consider the most eco-friendly options, are the best solution. Japan has such clean air, after all.
Such common sense, we meed people like you in US govrernment. Hoping we van get a little of that in next 4 years
@@mrdeeds83
Good morning! 😃
Thank you for your reply.
As you said, Nissan isn’t very popular in Japan either. It seems significant reforms will be necessary. I’ve also heard that their collaboration with Honda isn’t going very well. Additionally, in Japan, it’s common for car deliveries to take about a year or even longer. People usually plan ahead and order accordingly.
You’re absolutely right that battery production will face limitations in the near future. It requires a vast amount of mineral resources, after all.
And in Canada 🇨🇦, it’s amazing to hear that kei cars over 15 years old are still running. That’s truly wonderful! Taking care of things and using them for a long time is the best form of eco-friendliness.
Thank you, my friend for world peace! 😊
Indicator stalk on the right is the correct side for a right hand drive car. In general indicators should be the opposite side to the gear stick allowing the driver to change gear and operate the indicator stalk.
Most cars made in the UK until the early 80s were this way around and it was only when European cars and ones made for the whole European or world markets became more popular this change to the left.
The problem is these cars only ever get sold in Japan so they never really catch on anywhere else
I think it would sell very well in every Asian country. Sales in France, Italy and Scandinavia would also be likely.
I wonder if Japanese incentives and rebates specific to their market makes it a non starter in other countries. Or perhaps equally meeting safety regulations of other markets.
Make it slightly wider and give it 5 seats and job done.
@ALMX5DP NCAP Ratings would definitely be a problem for all Kei cars.
@@richardtracey7216
You TOTALLY missed the point.
It's a Kei car, its size is regulated by law, it's not meant to be a people mover for 300lb Americans ...🙄
This thing would do great in India. They need to find a way to get it here
@@ferdinandelaanzo MG comet is a hit
13.5 k pound?? seriously , it is tata nexon EV money
@@appujosephjose6129 Not really. It wasn't a flop but it didn't sell much either. Comet's sales are declining even after the price cuts.
@@ferdinandelaanzo For context, MG Comet (around 1200 units per month) is outselling Honda City for the past few months in India
I'll take MG Comet anyday over this
This is giving me the feels of top gear, when you were last in Japan and I love it
Perfect city car or a second car, for a quick run to the supermarket. Really wish Nissan would sell these in India. Suzuki's Wagon R is already a bestseller in India for over a decade, so I don't see why Nissan can't assemble it locally at their Chennai plat.
Applaud your accurate and entertaining review.
Love it perfect for UK cities
I really like the look of this. They've done well disguising the proportions.
This was an awesome review buddy! Great job
I am a college student studying at a university a few blocks away from Nissan headquarters (the building with the Nissan flag in this video).Thanks, Auto Trader, for introducing me to Japan's best-selling EV, which is more popular than the Tesla!
I just rented this a few days ago from a car share operated by Nissan (and in front of Nissan's headquarters).
So I've driven most of the places in this video. It's kind of interesting to see a road that you normally see covered by foreign media.
This car is really nimble to drive. And yet, it can run at a comfortable 8.2 km/kwh. It's excellent, really.
In fact, if anyone I know were to buy an EV, I would recommend this one, because it and the OEM Mitsubishi eK-X EV are the only light cars that don't have to be fed up with the engine roaring up a hill.
Ladies and gentlemen of the car-loving world in the UK, when you travel around Japan, you can look forward to always being able to witness this car in any region you visit...
I'd buy this in America in a heartbeat
Another jealous American checking in. I know that there are many forces at play that make cars like this uncommon here, but I kind of love this thing. The combination of a decently spacious cabin in such a small form factor is very compelling. And it's ridiculously cute. Why can't we have such nice things??
@@abnorc8798 because that's not a real car. It's a toy car. The japanese live in a fantasy land. "On a windy day you do feel it swaying around, especially if you drive next to a lorry and the wind hits you & you start to rock. A bit scary at first, but you get used to it." Why should anyone get used to it?
@@ehaaron Who decided that there need to be such huge trucks on every highway? The same guys who made it impossible in America to expand freight rail? The same guys who favored sprawl so that it's impossible to use freight rail to reach the big stores?
Sprawl is the fantasy land, not Japan. Half the world's population now lives in urban areas & it will keep growing. Sprawl worldwide would be a disaster.
@@warheadsnation Efficiency, Practicality & size of shipping containers is what decides the size of trucks. Japan is an over-regulated country, it's a dense Sprawl. Which is what makes their cars, "city cars", Impractical & tiny. Can't blame the Japanses they have limited land. Have you seen their homes? It's like a chiken coop, but for humans. It's sad. But It's way worse in china. Greed is what makes you build a 1000 homes in a tiny piece of land. You should be thankful of the American sprawls. Buy more land! more! Spread out!. I thought sprawls were the answer to urban areas. aren't they called "sub-urban". Yes, America needs to build more rail. there's more freedom in road travel.
@@ehaaron Americans are staggeringly in personal debt thanks to "Buy more land! more! Spread out!" It caused the '08 crash. You could actually see the moment when we couldn't afford gas because we had to commute so far. Because we were already overwhelmed by the mortgages on our McMansions.
Love it!! Love kei cars, love this one, love Rory's videos! You should spend more time in Japan!!
i love Japan. hope i visit someday ❤
well before you do, read my book on japan. black passenger yellow cabs. Ive been here since 2001
I’m amazed how funny you can be while staying true to yourself.
I live in Tokyo and bought the best most popular used car. It's the Honda MILF. It has a few miles on it, and there are some scratches and dents here and there, but it runs great and always ready to please.
I love Nissan. A great company. I already bought two Nissans over the last decade.
Excellent as usual Rory! Thanks for the discovery. Where did you get your shirt from, it's as beautiful as the car
I'm lovin' this little dinkey. It has so much going for it. Although I'm not sure about reclining in the back for long journeys. With a range of 112 miles, and you won't hit that number, range anxiety will be an issue. Unless the seats come with built-in anti-anxiety technology 🙂
My goodness! Japan is super clean!
We want all the k-cars to be available in Europe. Pretty please Nippon 🙏🏾
If they were to be available in Europe where you are from this would definitely compete with the European car makers a segment
i've seen reviews from other channels when this car came out, i always thought nissan should release this car in europe too! it's like the perfect second, drive-around-town car, even if they would bump up the price to €15k or something, it would still be an awesome deal. and you know small cars are popular here as well. i really don't understand their reasoning for not releasing it outside japan.
What a super positive review! And I love the jumper!
I've always loved kei cars, make sense
5:50 what is this song?! Please someone help!!!
Great review mate
Correct me if I'm wrong, but currently in Japan there doesn't seem to be a seperate category within the Kei class for pure EV models. As such, they have to limit the electric motor's power output to the equivalent of ICE's 64bhp, which is the power cap in the Kei class. If Nissan were to ever put a slightly beefier battery pack and unlock the available power to the motor, for export markets, it would likely give the Chinese-made small EVs an arse-kicking.
They don't do this for the Sakura, but many kei cars are sold overseas with slightly bigger engines since they don't have to follow the kei car restrictions. India, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, they all have plenty of tiny Daihatsu, Suzuki and Nissans, under different names.
I believe there isn't actually a legal power cap for kei cars, the manufacturers just made a gentleman's agreement to keep the limit at 64 hp so they weren't in a never ending race to push more and more power out of a 660cc engine. I do agree that they could do with unrestricting the power for foreign markets, however.
the fact that the electric motor makes exactly the same power as the little engines do.
The secret lies in selling cars like these under the L7e regulations. It's essentially Europe's Kei Car law, the safety regulations are considerably more relaxed than normal car regulations, but unfortunately no large manufacturer is touching or even willing to touch that market except for either small boutique brands like Microlino and Carice (the Carice TC2 costs 40.000€) or Chinese brands like YoYo with their XEV, which costs nearly as much as the Dacia Spring.
The reason why the Sakura is so cheap is because Nissan has their industrial might behind them, they can churn these out by the thousands every day while most of the L7e cars being sold out there are made and assembled in small factories with 10-20 employees.
If Euro brands like VW, Renault or especially FIAT, with their years of experience and technical know-how on how to make elegantly simple and small vehicles decided to enter the L7e market, they would crush it in sales. They could launch a sub-brand under one of the many names they acquired over the years and even go back to plunder their design catalogue from the 60's, 70's and 80's city cars to bring some of the most popular models back from the dead. Who wouldn't want a 2025 electric FIAT 850 Spider or Special?
I know I would.
Or change the law to have the same as Japan for keicar
Nissan is by far the coolest Japanese automaker because they’re the ONLY ones who keep going bankrupt. There! My flawless logic 😂
I wish there's a proper usage regulations to allow importing new Kei cars in the US. I can't even import as a golf cart or private property runabout.
US wants you to buy huge shitty SUVs instead so that manufacturers can make a lot of money
The best we get here in the US is the Nissan Leaf. I've had one since 2018 and I love it. For a typical two car family having one EV makes a lot of sense, especially as a commuter car.
Japanese cars are the best in the world! They are renowned for their durability and logical design. The build quality from Japan is consistently top-notch, making these vehicles highly reliable and desirable.
Reliable yes, but a bit boring to drive.
@@tomedward8652 most people just want something to get them from point A to B. Not everyone wants to be Michael Schumacher.
I wish they’d bring this to the UK. Perfect car for both city use and country village use popping to the shops.
Great to have room for four when you want it plus a massive boot when you are just front seat 2 passengers with the back seat down. And a great footprint for ease of parking. I’d buy one !!! Surely this is what you need for the environment.
Lovely car- the UK needs more of such kei cars. Pity there are no plans to bring them here
Perfect city EV for our narrow city streets ❤❤
What song is playing on time stamp 6:35? Would really appreciate it
Well done Rory, good evaluation of a great car for UK roads. No one needs any more than this for single occupant driving now, with all the speed limits and cameras about. 87mph- more than enough, and 10secs 0-60, that is quicker than some hot hatches in the past. Brilliant proportions/room with a sliding back seat the boot size could easily be altered. I assume the back seats fold? Shame it is a Nissan, which means it will be awful for reliability. If only it had been Toyota, Honda or other superior brand.
I test drove one of these in New Zealand, brilliant little car, I wanted it but my partner wasn't keen. The space inside is brilliant, this is also platform shared with the Mitsubishi X as well. Hopefully we see more of these and maybe Nissan bring to local markets and not just relying on imports.
I just came back from Japan and driving there was a breeze. I only needed a few meterd to get used to it, with one little hick-up later on.
As someone from central Europe, left hand drive manual is my norm. First car I rented and drove was a Toyota Aqua. Nice compact car. 900km with just under 30l of fuel. Automatic, so shifting wasn't distracting me for the time being.
Wiper and indicator mix-up only happened once.
Second car I rented was a Honda S2000 Type S. Driving was good, but it was a case of "never meet your heros". Still, manual, right hand drive, no assists and except for one tiny hick-up, nothing went wrong.
The hick-up came turning right on what I thought was a oneway road, but it wasn't. So I turned right a little too sharp, almost ending up on the wrong side of the road. But only almost. Managed to quickly correct that and be in the right left lane.
They need to start exporting these kei cars... This Sakura is 🔥🔥🔥
My sister has one. She's in Tokyo so the car is perfect for daily commute
honestly it looks so good
They should introduce this in India! Lovely car.
Nissan should sell this in the UK - target London/Brum and the other big cities. Ideally give it 50% more battery - make it a 3-seater? More stylish and compact and cheaper than the new small EVs - eC3 and the like. Given Nissan's rocky state, this'd be a win for hearts, minds and sales
Regarding the wipers - *British* cars used to have the same setup. Indicators on the left are imported from automakers that predominantly make left-hand-drive vehicles... iirc it stems from the idea that when you change gear, the indicator should be under the hand that remains on the wheel... for RHD vehicles, you shift with the left, so indicators on the right, and the reverse for LHD vehicles... but with 'cost-optimisations' for vehicle production, automakers ended up using the same steering-wheel-assembly (and stalk-positions) for both RHD and LHD vehicles, and thus the position gets determined by the 'home market'... and because most automakers are based in LHD markets, UK vehicles end up with indicators on the left.
Note: this was the same reason for the filler-flap placement (left side, for RHD vehicles, so you can just pull up next to the pump, in the old days), and the exhaust placement (right side, for RHD, so that the exhaust was in the centre of the road, rather than blowing over pedestrians)... and reverse for LHD. Again, changes to production optimisations means that placement of filler flap and exhaust is now determined by home country - thus so many cars in the UK have exhausts that emit onto the pavement now.
This is what society needs. Efficient, light cars that are slow and just gets people from place to place.
Japanese society is elevated, and that's why they understand these things, while North American society is devolving before our very eyes.
@@wadexyz Yes, but there was the Imperialism and warmongering of the 20th century, etc. So, I might say Japanese are more practical. I'm not sure I would use the word "elevated" for any human society.
@@sonholee5769 japanese society still has issues to this day, but i agree there is no perfect world. we just learn from the good things people from all over can do.
Love the car! We need it in EU!
Hey Auto Trader do more videos like the EQS one where he visits some cool place and we all learn and also enjoy a good review.
So why don't Kei cars get sold in the UK ?
We drive on the same side of the road so no conversion needed.
Is it because of crash ratings and certification ? The Renault Zoe got zero stars yet they sold well
The Sakura was developed with Mitsubishi Motors & their version the EK X EV looks quite different but underneath is the same. When you consider the Hyundai Inster which is also a Kei car will cost £23,435 in the UK and the interior looks cheaper compared to the Sakura, you can’t help but wonder why it costs £10k more. Perhaps if the Inster does well, the Sakura may make it to Europe eventually.
Your sharing is simply amazing
The UK deserves this car😊😅
By the time it got imported it would cost the same as a used model 3 but with less than half the range. I'm sure that's the real reason they never sell kei cars in the UK. They can't compete with a used car when there's no tax benefit like there is in Japan
Hopefully Nissan will succeed with cheaper sensible cars many of us want.
There's been so much bloat in size, tech and price that people are becoming more reluctant to buy new.
BTW liking the shirt Rory.
The Sakura is a superb little car! 👌
Bring it to India to rejuvenate your operations here, Nissan! And please provide proper physical buttons and dials/knobs for the HVAC system.
They have been making this for years. This needs to come to the UK, Nissan would absolutely kill it here with this car especially if it is a similar price.
My BEST review. 😎
Brilliant video!... new subscriber here...
Sakura! Just call it Suzuka and see the sales go wroom
Sometimes, less is more! Very true...
I’ve said this before on everything since the first look videos came out. Release it everywhere. They obviously only cost tuppence to build. The tech is “mature” = scaled and cheap. The infotainment is straight up from the leaf with some shiney bits glue gunned on. This thing would fly. Think of all the smart cars, Kia Picanto (before it got fat), Fiat 500s, Peugeot 107s, C1s and the like that people fall over to keep hold of. Small city runabouts. I’d consider having one of these as a 2nd car in the UK if I could. As would my parents.
Would love to see these in the USA. We need consumer cars again.
I used to own a kei car. Suzuki Alto 2005. Was an absolutely brilliant inner city urban mode of transport. Even drove it from Glasgow to Newcastle and it was absolutely fine, managed about 50mpg. Best thing was it could squeeze in between Qs of traffic if the lanes were wide enough and skip the Qs! Our governments could be less stupid and allow them to be sold officially again.
This car can be used in city only, in daily commute scenario, say you drive it from home to train station or street market. And that is particularly useful in Japan or any dense Asian city.
The car looks cute and awesome !
When, when, when are we going to get Kei type cars in the UK and Europe? I had a Daihatsu Move for years in the early 2000s and loved it and in the 1960s had a Fiat 600 Multipla, a 6 seater with footprint the same size as a Kei car and a 650 cc engine. The four rear seats folded flat into the floor making it a massive load carrier. If it hadn’t rusted away, I would probably still have it. And does driving a small, low-powered car really make you look silly? I think it shows you are practical. But if it does, I’d be happy to look silly any day driving the Sakura or one of the dozens of Japanese Kei cars, vans or wagons. I would even import one direct if it weren’t almost impossible to get insurance at a reasonable price. Come on AutoTrader, import and sell some and do some kind of insurance deals.
UK and Europe used to get Kei type cars, now they don't anymore due to regulations. The emissions standards, crash safety standards, repairability requirements, and other stuff such as mandatory foglights all make it too much of a hassle to export kei cars to Europe.
@@noseboop4354 Now the UK isn't in the EU, there's no reason why our government can't re-lift most of those EU regulations.
But unfortunately they'd much rather follow EU regulations to the dot and let our economy go down the drain with the rest of Europe.
I don't know why we're so attached to copying everything the EU do, the whole point of Brexit it so open up regulations and allow stuff like this.
I guess we can only go so far with stupid governments.
People have been avoiding Nissans because of the dodgy reliability ever since they became half-Renault. But with the dodgy combustion engine gone... why not? Looks like a winner.
thanks for the info..
In the United States, lung cancer kills more than 361 people each day. This is the highest number of deaths from any type of cancer, and more than breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancers combined. WHY? According to various sources, engine exhaust contains over 40 identified toxic chemicals, including benzene, arsenic, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, 1,3-butadiene, lead, and a variety of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are considered cancer-causing substances;
Wish it was available in the US
I own a small Nissan ...its called rediGo here in India. Its 800cc 5 door small hatchback....it gives 22 kmpl average fuel consumption. I love my small nissan. I also own a renault MUV for family. But RediGo is good for me.
This would be perfect for school runs and local shopping.
Nissan, don't do a Jaguar here and miss an opportunity to sell your brand to a market that is crying out for a good small EV, the market for these sorts of cars is what any sensible person would have, I love the Honda N-Box.
Do the back seats fold down for more trunk space?
I wish the US was into these and other small cars VS the Massive Compensation mobiles they're told they *need* at every breath
Why can't we have these in the EU? These kei cars are amazing!
I've said this for years. Congestion and co2 problems would be solved if we all drove A segment/kei cars. 660cc and electric cars would please everyone and honestly most people over estimate how much space they need in a car. Make them tax free for 5 years to bolster the support for them and build a network and you're laughing.
Well, you've covered everything, but you missed its safety features. Does it have airbags, ESP, ABS, etc?
I agree with others,,m this car would sell so well in the uk. ,, I think I’d buy one
It’s great, but will be double that price in the UK. Vat 20% for a start, Chinese tariffs, shipping, other taxes, dealers etc. etc. It’s a real shame, we will never get cars like this for a decent price.
It's Japanese.
It isn't Chinese.
@@entropy5431 Still the same price in UK though - even with lower tariffs!
Anywhere else this car looks awkward but in Japan it just fits perfectly
Awesome vlog
It's like a modern Skoda e-up, nice!
or VW Citygo
Awsome Car a real shame its not available here i would buy one immediately. ts 20 miles per hour all around here with speed bumps and if that's not enough we have road width restrictions all over the place and then the ULEZ and Congestion Charge.