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Kei Car Insurance Uk – When car enthusiasts think of giving the world Japanese cars, it’s easy to think of the best-selling cars in the world, such as the Toyota Supra, Honda NSX or the ultra-reliable Corolla.
However, Japanese drivers tend to avoid luxury kei cars, which are small cars unique to their home market.
Kei Car Insurance Uk
Originally introduced by the Japanese government after World War II to encourage more people to buy cars, kei car owners can benefit from cheaper road tax, not to mention a more suitable vehicle for Tokyo’s narrow and crowded streets .
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To be considered a car, the model must be no taller than 3.4 meters, 1.48 meters wide and less than 660 cm tall.
Although this may seem small, almost all Japanese car companies offer discounts on their regular models.
Japan’s best-selling new car of 2015 here’s the Honda N-Box, which seats four and costs less than £9,000 (Image: Jack Mortimer)
Currently, the best-selling car in Japan is the Honda N-Box, a minivan priced at ¥1,648,900 (£8,600).
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A small Honda box with a name and character, it seats four adults and their luggage, with rear passengers entering through sliding doors.
The Honda N-Box comes standard with a reversing camera, power brakes, heated front seats and a passenger table, making it an amazing car for the money.
The Nissan Sakura is one of the first electric cars with a range of 112 miles (Photo: Jack Mortimer)
However, not all Kei cars are just boxes on wheels, and the all-electric Nissan Sakura brings modern style to the segment.
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Modeled after the larger Nissan Ariya, the Sakura features an elegant trapezoidal grille with sculpted side indentations.
With government subsidies, the Nissan Sakura costs less than ¥2,000,000 (£10,200) and has a short but useful range of 112 miles.
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As with other areas of automobiles, SUVs continue to grow in popularity among Japanese consumers, and the Suzuki Hustler is one of the most popular examples of the large size.
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With twin bug-eyed headlights and ultra-matte black wheel arches, the Hustler manages to look both stylish and mean at the same time.
However, while the Suzuki’s sleek design makes it a delight on Japan’s crowded city streets, the soft suspension and small engine mean few drivers take the car off road.
The Daihatsu Copen isn’t as fast as many people think, but it costs less than £10,000 (Image: Jack Mortimer)
However, Japanese drivers looking for something affordable, economical yet fun to drive can get behind the wheel of a Kei sports car, and the Daihatsu Copen is one popular choice.
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With 0-102mph in 13.4 seconds and a top speed of 99mph, it certainly can’t compete with the likes of the Toyota GR Yaris or Mazda MX-5.
However, with the fastest models on the market, Japanese drivers can get behind the wheel of the all-new Daihatsu Copen for just ¥1,888,700 (£9,580).
View today’s front and back pages, download your newspaper, order an issue and access the daily newspaper archive. “If there was ever a time for some cars to do well in the UK, it would be now.” That’s according to Torque GT, one of the leading Japanese cars in the UK.
Faced with concerns about low-emission zones such as London’s ULEZ, the firm said demand for these microcars is growing as “excellent” new models emerge.
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Kei cars (short for keijidosha) are a Japanese market model with government-controlled limits on engine size and displacement, first introduced after World War II to help get the country moving again.
The reduction in taxes and insurance, as well as the non-exemption from the shako showisho rules, which require drivers to show they have no roads, for overnight parking, has increased the demand for these cars.
Despite a sharp reduction in financial incentives, today Kei cars remain among the most popular brands in Japan. They accounted for more than a third of the 4.2 million new cars sold in Japan last year, giving foreign automakers a big advantage from the coming years.
According to Torque GT, “demand [in the UK] is increasing”. Although customers are looking for sporty models with fans like the Honda Beat, Honda S660 and Suzuki Cappuccino, they are increasingly interested in other models. Among them are the Toyota Pixis Mega mini MPV, as well as the Honda Acty and Subaru Sambar pickups.
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Concerns about low-emissions zones like London’s ULEZ are often mentioned by customers, Torque GT says, but the seller doesn’t yet see this as a “key driver”. However, it added: “Hopefully this will change as more customers get used to Kei cars.”
Many new electric pier machines from western manufacturers reduce the large version that can fill the need by expanding such areas.
According to research by sister magazine Move Electric, the expansion of the ULEZ (which will cover all London boroughs) could see 39.8% of drivers within its boundaries switch to electric vehicles. However, costs remain an issue for many drivers.
Dacia Spring shows its love for affordable electric cars. The Romanian brand’s A-segment crossover is smaller than a Ford Fiesta, has a top speed of 102 mph and can travel just 140 miles on a charge.
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However, at around $14,000 (with local promotion in France), it got 50,000 customers in Europe last year, according to Jato Dynamics. The winners are cars like Cpira Born, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Polestar 2, which are fully equipped and best sellers.
The Citroen Ami is still available from £7,695 (or £19.99 per month with a £2,747.19 deposit). However, it was not successful on the scale of the spring because it was very broken: a speed of 28 mph, a trip of 50 kilometers and only two seats.
This opens a gap in the kei electric motor market, which has scaled-down models with springs, but is still used more than the Ultra-Ami.
Few cars can fill that hole better than the 2022-2023 Nissan Sakura Car of the Year. Launched last year for just ¥1.78 million (£11,220 including local bonus), it seats four, has a range of 112 miles and a top speed of 81 mph.
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“Sakura will do well in Europe,” says Torque GT. Such models will require manufacturer support to generate the necessary funds to be competitively priced.
Torque GT specializes in low volume, mainly bespoke via an independent delivery service, so could deliver Sakura to the UK for less than £20m. At that price, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a full-size MG 4 offering 218 miles of range for $26,995 (in SE spec).
If any manufacturer were to offer a car in Europe, they would face big problems. For starters, the boxy shape dictated by Kay’s limited rules is completely unfashionable among European buyers who prefer curvier crossovers. Special vehicles must also strictly comply with GSR2 safety regulations.
All new cars sold in Europe after 6 July 2022 must comply, and models on the market from 2024. should continue to be sold, subject to modifications if necessary.
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Necessary technology now includes advanced emergency braking, driver sleep detection and emergency lane keeping, among other systems. This change is a hindrance to some cars currently on sale. It is unlikely to be cost-effective for manufacturers to adapt to current trends in the Japanese market without such technology. However, many of Kei’s new cars offer advanced driver assistance (such as the Sakura with Nissan’s ProPilot package), so they may not need a major upgrade to sell here.
Premium cars will also have to overcome their historical failure in the European market. The only successful wagon maker in Europe was Suzuki, with a larger version of the Wagon R (called the Wagon R+) (enlarged to meet wagon regulations and equipped with a more powerful engine) peaking in annual sales of 119,008 . 2001 (in combination with the same Opel/Vauxhall Agila). Compared to its peers, it’s a hot cake, but lower than superminis like the Renault Clio (492, 308) and Ford Fiesta (255, 123).
Whether this trend can be replicated in today’s market conditions remains untested until the Japanese manufacturer goes where many have failed in the past.
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