Honda S660 (japan Only)

[RSchneider]

In 2017 smart sold 3017 in the US. Mercans don't like small cars.

No different in Europe. A VW Golf is the standard small size for people there and there's something that makes matters worse, they really like SUV's and CUV's. Those things are multiplying like rabbits. Only difference is that they are mostly all diesel (just like every other car). I don't know what is going on but they are starting to think like Mericans. Small cars are there but not the popular choice. What even is more strange are there are brand new Ford Rangers all over the place. Same for the VW Amarok. Just like everything else, they come in diesel and that's what people buy. I guess they will need the price of gas to get to $8/gallon before they get smart and buy small cars again.

 

[RSchneider]

The Elio is nowhere near as green as a Tesla, or any other BEV, and that's reflected in the efficiency ratings:

Elio: 49* City/84* Hwy (*target)
Model 3: 131 City/120 Hwy

I agree that hyper-efficient ICEVs should get proportionally similar tax incentives, however.

Remember, the tax incentive is there to push a new technology, not old school. The Elio is old school where people will save lots because it's proven technology and will work reliably without having to upgrade for many years. Thus the reason for no tax incentives.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

In 2017 smart sold 3017 in the US. Mercans don't like small cars.

Could be that the Smart Car is really not that good a car.

Americans seem to love the Prius. So go figure.

 

[mkiker2089]

"Top speed is 140 km/h, about 87 mph, and 0-60 mph times are irrelevant."

No... it is VERY RELEVANT!!

A car reviewer outright saying that the 0-60 time is irrelevant is a car reviewer that is bought an paid for.

Not really, Kei cars don't need to be super fast or even very fast. They are Chevrolet Sparks that look cool. Asking a 0-60 on a Spark makes no sense.

 

[RSchneider]

C&D says a Spark 0-60 is 10.8 seconds and it'll go 105 mph. So quite similar to the current Elio. Seems the S660 is about the same for 0-60 but limited to 85 mph (as per law). So seems to accelerate about as fast as the current Elio and just electronically limited. Since it's a turbo, I suspect that a reflash would change the speed limit and acceleration.

A junkyard that I used to go to years ago had a Kei pickup truck. He'd throw on a "repair towing" license (which you can just put about anything) and take it out for a drive. I rode in it a few times and it's way too small as compared to what else is out there. Even small cars look huge next to it. An old 70's VW Beetle looked like a monster next to it.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

Not really, Kei cars don't need to be super fast or even very fast. They are Chevrolet Sparks that look cool. Asking a 0-60 on a Spark makes no sense.

Still, it does.
Although not for impressing anyone, but there really IS a minimum safe performance limit.
Through personal experience, 0-60 in 15 seconds is the maximum time to be considered safe for highway use.

 

[mkiker2089]

Perhaps a super slow car could be unsafe. I think 30 seconds would hit the unsafe barrier as I've driven turds in my time and most starts are given either a decent ramp or it's from a stop light.

Kei cars are limited to tiny engines by US standards. That may indeed be part of why it's thought that they wouldn't sell here. I'm sure they could be beefed up but if Japan thinks they wouldn't sell we won't see them.

I just don't get it. Do people in the US all want to drive trucks and SUVs all the time? Are we turning into sheeple at that extreme a level? Those who do drive small cars (Smart, Fiat 500 etc..), do they really want that much headroom? Isn't it unsafe to have a short and narrow car with that high a roof?

 

[RSchneider]

Do people in the US all want to drive trucks and SUVs all the time?

Not just the US. It's happening in Europe and the middle to upper class in China. As for trucks, they are showing up everywhere but not the size of the F150, just the Ranger right now.

The Kei car is just for the Japanese market. You need to go to Japan and talk to people there and you'll see why people buy them. In general they are a starter car for the younger generation as the older go for regular cars.

 

[Ty]

Perhaps a super slow car could be unsafe. I think 30 seconds would hit the unsafe barrier as I've driven turds in my time and most starts are given either a decent ramp or it's from a stop light.

Kei cars are limited to tiny engines by US standards. That may indeed be part of why it's thought that they wouldn't sell here. I'm sure they could be beefed up but if Japan thinks they wouldn't sell we won't see them.

I just don't get it. Do people in the US all want to drive trucks and SUVs all the time? Are we turning into sheeple at that extreme a level? Those who do drive small cars (Smart, Fiat 500 etc..), do they really want that much headroom? Isn't it unsafe to have a short and narrow car with that high a roof?

I agree that smaller vehicles make WAY more sense... less gas, not as hard on the roads, easier to park, and of course, the list goes on. But, I'll put this in my wife's words (she drives an Explorer) "I'd drive a car but I can't see over or past all the big trucks so I like something a little taller." We've created our own problem and I don't see a way out of it. What, trucks will start getting lower to the ground? No. There will have to be some huge change in profits on trucks before the manufacturers stop advertising them so much and shaping people's opinions in a way that encourages truck sales. I just don't see it.

 

[RSchneider]

What else you need to remember, Japan is about the size of California with 3X the population and it's an island. So small cars make sense. In the US it makes no sense because we got way too much open space. With all of that open space means we have bug houses with big yards and to finish it off, big cars. Plus our transportation are not so good thus people in the US so people buy bigger cars to put all of their stuff in. In Japan and most other developed countries, you can almost live without a car. In the US, you better live in a place like NYC.