When President Donald J. Trump recently suggested that America should build and sell Japanese-style “kei cars,” the comment set off a ripple of curiosity. These tiny runabouts are iconic in Japan, beloved for their thrift, charm, and maneuverability. Yet they are practically nonexistent in the U.S. Before imagining them filling American streets, we need to understand what kei cars are, why they matter, and whether the U.S. market could ever embrace them.
What Is a Kei Car?
In Japan, kei cars represent the smallest class of road-legal automobiles. They’re officially categorized as keijidōsha — “light automobiles.” These vehicles must conform to strict dimensional limits: very short, very narrow, and powered by engines no larger than 660 cc.
Those constraints define the category and, in many ways, define its purpose.
Because of those hard caps on size and output, kei cars often surprise people unfamiliar with them. They aren’t just small for small’s sake. They’re cleverly engineered: tall roofs, boxy shapes, and space-efficient layouts create cabins that feel larger than expected. In Japan, you’ll find kei hatchbacks, vans, tiny pickup trucks, and pint-sized SUVs serving everything from daily commuting to last-mile deliveries.
Where the Name Came From
The kei-car class didn’t emerge by accident. After World War II, Japan needed inexpensive transportation options as the nation rebuilt. In 1949, the Japanese government established the “light car” category to encourage ownership and spark domestic industrial growth. Over decades, regulations evolved, but the mission remained: create affordable, fuel-efficient transportation suited to narrow streets and dense neighborhoods.
The current standards — including the now-famous 660 cc engine cap — have been in place since 1998. These rules helped kei cars flourish, at one point capturing roughly one-third of all new-vehicle sales in Japan.
Why Americans Import 25-Year-Old JDM Vehicles
Despite their absence from U.S. showrooms, kei cars have a niche following here. Under federal rules, vehicles at least 25 years old can be legally imported even if they never met U.S. crash or emissions standards. That loophole created a cottage industry of enthusiasts snapping up older Japanese domestic market (JDM) kei vehicles.
Some buy them because they’re quirky. Others want a tiny runabout that stands out in a sea of crossovers. Kei trucks, especially, have found fans among farmers, landscapers, and urban dwellers looking for low-cost utility.
Still, it’s not all smooth motoring. Some states restrict kei cars on public roads, while others ban them outright out of safety concerns. Even devoted owners acknowledge they’re not ideal for long commutes or high-speed highways.
Could New Kei Cars Be Built in the U.S.?
The idea of building modern kei cars in America faces enormous regulatory friction. U.S. vehicles must meet stringent crash-safety standards — far stricter than Japan’s kei-class requirements. A true kei car, built to Japanese specifications, would fail nearly all of them.
To sell such vehicles here, automakers would need to redesign frames, strengthen structures, add more airbags, and possibly enlarge the vehicles. But once you increase size and weight, you lose the defining kei characteristics.
Some have floated the idea of creating a new U.S. microcar category with relaxed standards, similar to the treatment of neighborhood electric vehicles. Still, automakers tend to avoid building products for tiny segments. Unless they foresee real volume, the investment rarely pencils out.
Would U.S. Consumers Even Want Them?
There’s a case to be made. Kei cars offer outstanding maneuverability. They’re easy to park. They sip fuel. And as American cities densify — and as buyers grow weary of oversized trucks — the idea of something small and simple can feel refreshing.
Yet history suggests otherwise. America has not embraced ultra-small cars in meaningful numbers. Attempts to market pint-sized commuter cars have typically fizzled. Buyers expect comfort, power, and crash protection. A vehicle with a 660 cc engine and featherweight construction may feel underpowered or unsafe, even if regulations were revised.
Most likely, kei cars would remain niche products here — adored by enthusiasts, accepted in dense cities, but far from mainstream.
Parting Thoughts
Kei cars thrive in Japan because they solve Japan-specific problems: narrow streets, high fuel prices, and tax incentives tailored to compact living. The U.S. landscape is different. Long commutes, wide highways, and a culture of larger vehicles create a rough environment for true kei cars.
Even if regulators opened the door, automakers would need to reengineer these vehicles significantly. And after all that work, they might no longer be “kei” in spirit or function. For now, kei cars will likely remain what they’ve long been in America — a curiosity and a cult favorite rather than a mass-market solution.
References
Tucker, S. (2025, December 4). President wants ‘cute’ Japanese kei cars in America. Kelley Blue Book.
Dow, J. (2025, December 4). If you think Trump will bring tiny kei cars to the US, you might be as dumb as he is. Electrek.
Collins, A. P. (2025, December 4). Why Trump’s call for legalizing kei cars in the US is fake news. The Drive.
Takahashi, N. (2025, December 4). Trump wants Asia’s pint-sized kei cars to be made and sold in the U.S. Los Angeles Times.
Bell, L. (2025, December 3). President Donald Trump appears to approve kei cars for the U.S.A. Road & Track.
Car and Driver. (2025, December 5). Trump wants to build and sell kei cars in America, but don’t hold your breath. Car and Driver.
Axios. (2025, December 5). The problems with building ‘micro cars’ in the U.S. Axios.
TTTNIS, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
