Kei Vehicles

Kei cars come from shortening of the Japanese word kei-jidōsha, which translates to "light vehicle" in English. Created by the Japanese government in 1949, Kei cars were inteneded to stimulate car ownership and the automotive industry by creating smaller vehicles with a lower cost of ownership. Limited to a length of 3.4 m (11.2 ft), width of 1.48 m (4.9 ft), height under 2.0 m (6.6 ft), and an engine displacement of under 660 cc, Kei cars enjoy lower taxes, lower insurance rates and less parking restrictions than full sized vehicles. While not the fastest, Kei cars provide more smiles-per-hour than any other type of vehicle!