Just discovered your channel today and subbed 😍 Love how you are teaching your girls all about cars so they can be proper petrol (electric?) heads when they grow up. Such a happy video for a Monday morning in winter. Now I want a Kei car lol
I am a Japanese SUZUKI engineer, thank you for telling me how good Kei cars are. I am angry that the government restricts the export of Japanese cars, when people like you would definitely buy them!
Speaking as a Japanese national who has lived in Britain for almost two decades and now back living in Japan, Kei cars are basically designed and made for the Japanese consumer market and were never designed to be sold outside of Japan so don't really comply with many of the regulatory requirements in other countries. That's not to say they are dangerous vehicles per se, but if I had a choice between my Honda SUV and a Kei car to be in an accident with, I would obviously choose the former. Kei cars are however, make great second cars for doing a little bit of shopping around town, great for first time drivers and as you pointed out, they are lot roomier than they appear so you can haul surprising amount of cargo. There are other variants of the Kei car, such as the Kei truck (gaining popularity with farmers around the world), Kei sports cars (Honda S660 Toyota Copen GR Sport, Suzuki Alto Works etc) and Kei vans (used heavily in delivery services like Amazon and Postal services) I honestly feel like the UK could do with many of these Kei variants. People talk about the narrow streets in Japan but UK is not that far off honestly. Especially outside of major city centres and villages sometimes get real narrow when everyone is driving around SUVs.
Japanese minicars meet Japanese safety standards.However, they are less safe than larger vehicles. For these reasons, the sale of Japan's latest minicars is banned in the United States. So why aren't motorcycles banned in the United States? No footage of motorcycle crash safety tests has been made public.
Back in 70 Indonesia getting Honda life from Japan(no changes in interior or engine) and in 2000s we get Wagon R+ (slightly larger version of Suzuki Wagon R gen 1, Sold as Suzuki Karimun). In 2006-2012 we get India version of Suzuki MR Wagon gen 1 as Karimun Estillo with bigger engines. In 2013-2019 we get India version of Suzuki Wagon R based on fourth gen Wagon R (slightly longer and bigger engines). But the core still the same, good car that can used for many things. Even the promotion in Japan that if you fold read seat will almost flat can become bed. It was true. You don't need to change much. Some trimming for different market and different engines and it's done.
Saw these Kei cars in Japan during our visit last year. Thought to myself, if I ever need a new car, I've got to get me one of these! Even if I previously never thought to drive a Japanese car. This year I got one which is as close as it can get here in the EU, a Suzuki Jimny 4th generation in light freight version (with an Omamori for safety on my dashboard :) ) . I love it and constantly drive around with a smile on my face!
Wow! I watched this video from Japan. First of all, I found it very smiling to watch. Most review videos are in the style of adults reviewing things, but this video has children in it. I love that the name of the channel is "Dad" and that he is actually a wonderful father in the video. It was very sweet to watch. And it was very fun to see Lapin introduced in this video! arigatou!
Japanese love the Kei Cars. Brits should have one because you drive on the left side of the road like Japanese do, and UK's got narrow road and small car port. It is ecologically friendly to the environment and consumes less resource compared to the full size SUV.
@@miskatonic6210 So your bus can carry everything the boot of my car can? Its going to stop outside the shop while I load it up? I don't have to walk in the rain/snow/cold to a stop half a mile away then stand there hoping it turns up? There are never people on it with diseases or who are smoking weed or doing other dodgey stuff? It goes straight from where I am to where I want to be? Its always full and never just being driven around with no one or very few people on it? It doesn't do more damage to the roads since its multiple times the weight? It doesn't make a huge line of traffic stop and start every half mile or so? Sounds great. When it happens let me know. Eco friendly isn't making people do twice the journey because they have to follow a set route. Its not running half or wholly empty, massive vehicles in the middle of a town and its certainly not holding up traffic with bus lanes, busses stopping in the middle of the road or the getting stuck around parked cars I see all the time. Busses are great if you want to move 50 people from one place to another only. Lets say you have a block of flats and all the workers at your factory live there. A bus is great because then they can all go both ways at the same time. In pretty much any other use case a private vehicle makes more sense.
Great video, you guys are amazing :) And the car is really cool too, all the hidden bunnies in the car are just a great example of Japanese culture. These cars just work, although most people don't understand them in Europe. There are more of these in the UK than I would expect, although having a right-hand-drive car is easier in the UK of course.
I didn’t realize how fancy the Lapin is as a Japanese until I found this footage😂 You know Kei-cars are everywhere here and there is so much variety like N-BOX, Hustler etc.I’m hoping many people around the world will realize how good Kei-cars are. Thank you Dadcars! You are a pioneer!
Here in NZ, ten years ago, we bought a 2005 Honda Fit import with 56K kms. We still have it and use it every single day. Coming up on 150K kms now. One seized brake caliper three years ago, tyres, regular servicing, 1.5 litre v-tec, smooth, peppy, the magic seats helped us move house three times, still looks cute, great dash with a DD, and fun to drive. Oh yeah, and runs on the smell of an oily rag. We would happily get in it and tour NZ. Our point is, is that old was better. It just needed a tweak. Not a revolution that isn't working. Small roomy reliable and safe. It's all we need.
Just watched this with my wife and had us in hysterics in the first couple of minutes! The production quality and interaction with your eldest are just so wholesome!! During my “JDM” years I considered getting a Kei car as a daily runner but you mentioned it in the video, to insure one was expensive and it was similar cost between a Kei or a Nissan Stagea with the RB25DET single turbo.. you know which one I took 😅
First he seems to be a very good father. Second K-car is the minimum car which can carry a family (4 persons) defined by Japanese government. Third you look so happy. Finally, I feel happy to see this video, too. That’s the power K-cars have. Thanks a lot.
Many kei cars are convenient, but some, like the Honda S660 and Mazda AZ-1, are interesting and sports car-like! It's a rare type of kei car, so it can be a bit pricey and at a premium over the years, but if you like it, you'll love it!
Great video; just stumbled on it. Love the girls' reactions. Dreadfully obvious ladies designed it. Thought the heart shaped exhaust was phenomenal. I wish the US had a Kei class car available.
I am very grateful to Japan for accepting the "kei car," a uniquely Japanese car. In Japan, many people use kei cars because the roads are narrow. There are many different types of kei cars, and I am sure they will continue to be popular worldwide. Above all, the contrast between the cute "Lapin" and your masculine self is very interesting.
The first of your videos I've seen, and really enjoyed it. I loved recognising when you drove along the top of the hill, and spotting the pub and car parks, and nice to see a RUclipsr that lives local to me.
@@dadcars I loved the Lupin. Just imagining it with a Hayabusa 1300cc turbo engine swap. 😂 I won't mention where we live as some RUclipsrs get funny about people knowing where they live, especially with other family members in the videos.
I came from Japan, so these cars are all too familiar to me. But I noticed that the beautiful scenery of England increases the cuteness of small Japanese cars! No wonder there is a large NISSAN Figaro community in the UK 🤝🏻
My daughter is riding Lapin. It's popular with women in Japan. it doesn't have horsepower because the manufacturer self-regulated 40 years ago. At that time, young people remodelled the engine and there were a lot of K cars over 100 hp.
One of your best videos, your interaction with your kids is heart warming and I love the way you do your best to engage with them on their terms and include them in your passion. Future petrol heads for sure.
When I was a kid, I admired the small and cleverly designed Austin Mini, but today's BMW Mini is much bigger. I wonder if the real successor to the Mini will be Kei cars. And I would like to wish you and your family a long and happy life.😊
Great to see you're covering kei cars too now! I am a huge proponent of downsizing cars; people need to start looking at interior room instead of wanting to show off with an oversized, yet impractical projectile of a car. Also, at 19:40 - is that a Nissan Figaro?
I've had a couple Suzuki SJ's in the past, they were great cars. This one is actually pretty cute. "We were going down hill... what's the point!!!" - Love it.
‘His and Hers’ big and small cars are actually quite a normal arrangement in Japan! Dads will often end up in something like an SUV or (More typically) a Toyota Alphard/Vellfire, whilst mums will have a Kei to run about in. (Though plenty of dads will take the family Kei car to work, all the same…) I see it all the time there; my in-laws all have big/small car combinations, and I was no different when I lived there.
@@dadcars It really is a de facto dad car there! I remember a Japanese work colleague claiming it was his most wanted car. Maybe we’ll see one on the channel soon?
It makes sense, big cars for when the kid and all the stuff needs to be moved, small car for little trips that don't require bringing anything. We're looking at an NA MX-5 and Renault Grand Scenic combo. (The Renault is already overkill for one kid, but it can also move furniture, which happens more often than I'd like to)
It's funny - we used to get a few Kei cars and vans here - Daihatsu Cuore, Move, Suzuki Wagon-R, Old Jimny, Carry - even the Bedford Rascal. It's kind of sad we don't any more since they are clearly the perfect antidote to Europoean car bloat, and often all the car you need for 95% of situations.
Despite our love for the Classic Mini, Kei Cars have never done well in the UK, so I suspect it's never been sold here because Suzuki know it's not worth the effort. And with our obsession with ever bigger SUVs means Kei Cars would still not do well. The base Fiat 500 is a 69bhp mild-hybrid and so that Lapin seems like a much funkier, distinctive and unique version of that. It's definitely a cool little car.
As our appetite for SUVs becomes more and more the norm I fear for compact hatch popularity… the SUV is a sledge hammer when many of us only need a much smaller and lighter tool for the job 🤷♂️
日本では軽自動車は黄色いナンバーなので後ろ姿に違和感がないですね。 In Japan, Kei Cars are given yellow license plates, so the back of your car will look natural. ダイハツは前に軽自動車に1リットルエンジンを搭載してヨーロッパで販売していましたが、今でも走っていますか？ Daihatsu used to sell keicars with 1 liter engines in Europe. Are they still on the road?
@@makochin2670 Exactly, there are a few of them, and fitting them with a one litre engine for the European market makes sense if you consider our laws.
Honestly, if they sold all sorts of Kei cars new in Europe and more specific Norway where I live then I would 100% buy one. They are small, very practical amd cheap to run. Win win win
The car's car navigation system (made by Harman) has been customised to Japanese specifications, but is compatible with the global standard iOS Carplay and Android AUTO. So you can use your smartphone's audio and car navigation system by connecting it to your smartphone via a cable from the USB-A port on the lower part of the navigation system. Please try it out.
These cars make a lot of sense to me as a second/third car and as a city runabout. The maximal utilization of space is also incredible. While I wouldn't really want to see the Japanese system introduced here in the UK, I have to say that it makes a lot of sense for them, with very high density living, parking space at an extreme premium, and many more narrow city streets. I also think it makes no sense whatsoever for us to be encouraging huge EVs as central city conveyances, when what you really need is something akin to a Kei car. Given that pre-Covid you could buy a Dacia Sandero for less than eight grand, it's also not unreasonable to believe Kei cars could sell in the UK brand new for similar prices to what they sell for in Japan. And it's hard to understand why such car ownership is not being encouraged here in the UK, with tax breaks for owning such cars, especially for those living in inner-city postcodes. IMO, current transport policy in the UK simply doesn't follow the science and doesn't address congestion. What it does do is severely impact the poorest in society and greatly impact their freedom of movement by making every single aspect of car ownership very expensive. And it's not as if public transport in the UK is cheap, clean, efficient, or environmentally-friendly, like it is in Japan and Europe.
I fully agree with your comments about his and her Chelsea tractors. Totally unnecessary, particularly in urban areas. I am biased towards smaller cars (although back in the day when I had kids at home, my car of choice was a Saab 9-5). Nowadays, I don't need 4 seats, so have a little Honda CR-Z hybrid which has slightly less mpg around town than the Lapin, but is easily capable of 55 mpg on the motorway. Only £25 road tax and group 17 insurance.
This is my first time watching one of your videos, and I gotta say, I love it. As a father of two girls, I can really relate to wanting a decent, second, small family car that's safe but won't break the bank. Thankfully, living in South Korea (and formerly having lived in Japan), there's a lot to choose from. I just don't get the trend of going bigger and bigger with the family cars. In my home country (Australia) the rediculous Yank Tanks are becoming more and more popular. I can almost understand it if the owner lives in the outback, but in Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne, where you need to take up two car parks just to be able to go shopping? And NEVER using it for anything other than a city run-around? It just boggles the mind. Anyway, great video. Thanks for sharing. Hopefully you'll check out a couple of the new Korean small cars, like the Ray, or Casper to compare. :)
Beautiful car! I'd love to drive one. I own a Subaru Vivio 4WD that I'm attempting to restore, it is somewhat similar, but mine has pretty old and outdated interior. These type of cars are amazing in many ways.
Boy's Version of Suzuki Lapin RS is really massive, equipped with 5-speed manual transmission (but manufacturing this was stopped sadly😢). I bet you will love it, that is so cute, too, available to have a bunny hunt, too (maybe).
That car is cute. Here over the pond in the States it would be run over as we really have large vehicles with a lot of horse power. I think it would be great to have if you live in the city. But I wouldn't want to drive it on the highway/motorway in fear I would get hit from behind. It's really cute, and people need affordable transportation. Great review. Thank you for posting. 😊
AWD drive on Kei cars are not for the hills, but it is primarily for the regions with lots of snow. like Hokkaido and Tohoku, Echizen, Nagano area, where the mountains are high as swiss alps with snows that falls more than human height every winter.
Nice drive along the top of Portsdown Hill - great review. Gracias! I think the Daihatsu Kei cars are more appealing than this particular one - and mercifully, most of them aren't painted pink...
In the Philippines, there is a company called Porto Coeli (Latin for "Door of Heaven") that imports knocked down Suzuki Kei cars from Japan, and reassembles them here, converting them to left hand drive. They are sold at Multicab dealerships throughout the Philippines. They have everything from a small five door hatchback called the Wago, to 4x2 and 4x4 dual cab pickups and 8 seater vans. They all run the brilliant Suzuki 660 c.c. turbocharged three cylinder engine, mated to a five speed automatic transmission. They have an infotainment system, reverse camera, front fog lights, and the 4x4 versions come with a snorkel. The van versions have troop carrier style seats rearmost, and conventional centre rear seats. All the rear seats fold away to produce a large van suitable for commercial use. Both the van and dual cab pickup versions have sliding rear side doors for easy entry and loading items. The 4x4 versions are priced at 399000 Philippine Pesos. I'm Aussie, married to a Filipina grandmother, and living in Cagayan de Oro City Mindanao Philippines. That's a little over $10,000 AUD. It's in markets like this that these vehicles make a lot of sense. My wife has a farm, and a 4x4 Multicab van or dual cab pickup will be what we will buy when finances allow. I know the durability of Suzuki vehicles, having owned two Suzuki Grand Vitaras and an S-Cross in Australia, and my adult son there has over 300,000 km on the clock of his 2013 Suzuki Alto.
I used to think of it as a light vehicle unique to Japan, but I think the Lapin fits well in overseas landscapes as well. Previously, there was a sports model called Lapin SS, so I would like you to try it out.
Kei cars are awesome. My Missus has a K13 Micra, which is brilliant. It's a not a Kei car, but it is very small compared to most traffic on the road these days.
You mentioned about 'lots of hills' in Japan. Well you aren't wrong, but Japan is mostly very mountaineous and many areas have heavy snowfall throughout the winter months. Therefore, 4WD/AWD is necessary, although in paticularly heavy snowfall, kei cars like the Lapin do have a tendency to bottom out. Whilst I myself do not live in a particularly snowy area, I do often go for both work and pleasure to snow country. My job also requires me to occasionally go off-road in the mountains, however, I drive a Land Rover Discovery 5 (I tow a caravan and cargo trailer for pleasure and work respectively). I understand the point and fully agree about having a 'his & hers' large SUV in the driveway. Two I feel is unnecessary for most, but I think judgement should be based not so much on where people live as to where they need to go with that vehicle. That said, the majority of people even then will never take their very capable 4WD vehicles off-road, which I find very disappointing and such a waste. However, thanks to these people buying these cars, it means that manufacturers will continue to make them and that is good for those of us who need them. Nevertheless, @Land Rover, the dimensions of the Discovery 5 doesn't need to be quite as big as they are. The braking abilities, the engine, the towing capabilities, even the storage inside is something I need, but as Dadcars points out, many car designers should take a lesson from kei car designers to achieve the same sort of storage in a smaller (especially narrower) body. Incidentally, my trailer (Imported from Hungary) is built to meet Japanese kei car dimensions and is therefore classified as a kei. That means cheaper road tax (yes, trailers have road tax too) and in my area where the population is smaller, no need to obtain a parking space certificate when registering the trailer and the MOT (shaken) is biannual instead of every year if it were an ordinary commercial car classification.
Oh, this is so cute!!! Cities would be much nicer places if we could have more kei cars on the streets instead of suv's. Underpowered cars with higher drag resistance usually achieve worse mpg on motorway. Guess it might be emission-related that they are not importing them to the UK, or perhaps something to do with exchange rates. Pitty, anyway. Although Europeans are not particularly fond of underpowered micro cars, so earlier on some Japanese manufacturers used to equip their kei cars with larger engines for the European market.
Well, you should test run K-car somewhere. It's not underpowered. It's acceleration and versatility are sometimes better than compact car. Because of low weight around 700kg and less friction by small tires, You should know Japanese concept for economic and environmentally friendly car is low weight and small engine. That's why Japan do not shift to the Heavy 2 tons, big tires EVs.
@@土生泰山 I own a Copen :) With the 1.3 engine. Have driven the proper kei 660 cc too: yes, it feels punchy, the teapot size turbocharger makes funny noises, and it is a fun drive. But leaving the city, you realize that you're a lot slower than you think :) And motorways are definitely a no go.
Funny this video should come up as im in the process of importing a daihatsu kei van! 1996 vintage so much more character than the euroboxes on offer here
In Japan, there are no safety standards just for K-Cars, and the government imposes the same safety tests as for ordinary cars. The K-Car is designed with safety as an important consideration because of its small size, including an automatic braking system and numerous airbags. The challenge of how to fit the engine and transmission into a small space and provide comfortable space for the driver and passengers has not changed since the classic Mini. The Mini was probably born because it makes sense to the UK. Personally, I dream of a UK version of the K-Car.
I think kei cars are great, and they are definitely quite twitchy and fun to drive, though as you point out, they are not in their element on the highway or situations where a sudden burst of power is required. Sadly, with so many regular cars and SUVs driving around these days that weigh 2-3 times that of the Lapin, the safety concerns are probably warranted. It's honestly sad how huge and overpowered cars have become, and it's got very little to do with practicality.
CVT's take a bit to get used to but once you learn how to drive with one it becomes super simple. If you bury your foot, it'll rev massively, just ease it on and it'll get there
The smart 450 fitted Kei car terminology / sizing standard from what I remember of the Wikipedia entry. (they are very comfy bar the short wheelbase crashiness over speed bumps, spacious, have a bigger boot than a modern mini
Order today to get in time for Father’s Day! www.dadcarsshop.com/ 👈😜
The Lapin LC, released on June 17, 2022, is even more remarkable.
Just discovered your channel today and subbed 😍 Love how you are teaching your girls all about cars so they can be proper petrol (electric?) heads when they grow up. Such a happy video for a Monday morning in winter. Now I want a Kei car lol
I am a Japanese SUZUKI engineer, thank you for telling me how good Kei cars are. I am angry that the government restricts the export of Japanese cars, when people like you would definitely buy them!
K-car are safe, that depends on road design and the size of other cars on road. No one ban the motorcycle or pedestrian, right
クリントン大統領の時代の日米自動車協定とそれまでの経緯を知る必要がある。
1970年代後半からこの問題は両国の間にあった。現代にまで遺恨を残すほどの問題だった。
あの時代のアメリカの自動車業界は日本のことをよく思っていない人ばかりだったから敵視して難癖付けて全力で潰しにかかってた。彼らは今でもデトロイトの自動車産業が崩壊したのを日本のせいだと思ってる。
迂闊に動けば軽自動車も新たな火種となり得る。
I love Japanese K cars, and surely buy one.
ジムニーの4ドアを何とかして出してください！おねげーします。
All the Kei cars and trucks would be welcomed in Europe.
Japanese kei cars are perfect for the narrow streets of England. Like the old MINI.
To be fair, the Swift is already the nearest thing on the road to Issigonis' vision for the Mini.
The current minis are too big.
いかついパパがピンクのラパンに乗ってるの、ホント好き。
💪😅
@@dadcars The UK needs to start to import cars from China other wise the car industry will fail and allow Big Oil to move in...
ギャップ萌えしますね👍
I love dad❤
リアルBreaking Bad
Speaking as a Japanese national who has lived in Britain for almost two decades and now back living in Japan, Kei cars are basically designed and made for the Japanese consumer market and were never designed to be sold outside of Japan so don't really comply with many of the regulatory requirements in other countries. That's not to say they are dangerous vehicles per se, but if I had a choice between my Honda SUV and a Kei car to be in an accident with, I would obviously choose the former. Kei cars are however, make great second cars for doing a little bit of shopping around town, great for first time drivers and as you pointed out, they are lot roomier than they appear so you can haul surprising amount of cargo.
There are other variants of the Kei car, such as the Kei truck (gaining popularity with farmers around the world), Kei sports cars (Honda S660 Toyota Copen GR Sport, Suzuki Alto Works etc) and Kei vans (used heavily in delivery services like Amazon and Postal services)
I honestly feel like the UK could do with many of these Kei variants. People talk about the narrow streets in Japan but UK is not that far off honestly. Especially outside of major city centres and villages sometimes get real narrow when everyone is driving around SUVs.
Japanese minicars meet Japanese safety standards.However, they are less safe than larger vehicles. For these reasons, the sale of Japan's latest minicars is banned in the United States. So why aren't motorcycles banned in the United States? No footage of motorcycle crash safety tests has been made public.
Back in 70 Indonesia getting Honda life from Japan(no changes in interior or engine) and in 2000s we get Wagon R+ (slightly larger version of Suzuki Wagon R gen 1, Sold as Suzuki Karimun). In 2006-2012 we get India version of Suzuki MR Wagon gen 1 as Karimun Estillo with bigger engines. In 2013-2019 we get India version of Suzuki Wagon R based on fourth gen Wagon R (slightly longer and bigger engines). But the core still the same, good car that can used for many things. Even the promotion in Japan that if you fold read seat will almost flat can become bed. It was true. You don't need to change much. Some trimming for different market and different engines and it's done.
子供たちがウサギ探すの可愛すぎる。
🙌😅
Saw these Kei cars in Japan during our visit last year. Thought to myself, if I ever need a new car, I've got to get me one of these! Even if I previously never thought to drive a Japanese car. This year I got one which is as close as it can get here in the EU, a Suzuki Jimny 4th generation in light freight version (with an Omamori for safety on my dashboard :) ) . I love it and constantly drive around with a smile on my face!
Suzuki Jimny is a great car but I believe a lot more expensive than this kei car.
Great Kei car!
Great review!
...and great that you pretty much drove past my house!
Wow!
I watched this video from Japan. First of all, I found it very smiling to watch. Most review videos are in the style of adults reviewing things, but this video has children in it. I love that the name of the channel is "Dad" and that he is actually a wonderful father in the video. It was very sweet to watch. And it was very fun to see Lapin introduced in this video!
arigatou!
日本では経済的なので40%の人が軽自動車に乗ってます、日本のkei carがイギリスで使って貰えて本当に嬉しです。ありがとうございます☺
japanese kei cars are everywhere in Sri Lanka too and we love them.
@@__patriot_1776What!? I didn’t know that!
スリランカは下手したら日本よりもワゴンアールがはしってる
@@Shinobitate Suzuki Wagon R (JDM version) is the best-selling Kei car in Sri Lanka.
Japanese love the Kei Cars. Brits should have one because you drive on the left side of the road like Japanese do, and UK's got narrow road and small car port. It is ecologically friendly to the environment and consumes less resource compared to the full size SUV.
Driving by bus or train is eco friendly. Everybody owning his own car will never be eco friendly.
@@miskatonic6210 So your bus can carry everything the boot of my car can? Its going to stop outside the shop while I load it up? I don't have to walk in the rain/snow/cold to a stop half a mile away then stand there hoping it turns up? There are never people on it with diseases or who are smoking weed or doing other dodgey stuff? It goes straight from where I am to where I want to be? Its always full and never just being driven around with no one or very few people on it? It doesn't do more damage to the roads since its multiple times the weight? It doesn't make a huge line of traffic stop and start every half mile or so?
Sounds great. When it happens let me know.
Eco friendly isn't making people do twice the journey because they have to follow a set route. Its not running half or wholly empty, massive vehicles in the middle of a town and its certainly not holding up traffic with bus lanes, busses stopping in the middle of the road or the getting stuck around parked cars I see all the time.
Busses are great if you want to move 50 people from one place to another only. Lets say you have a block of flats and all the workers at your factory live there. A bus is great because then they can all go both ways at the same time. In pretty much any other use case a private vehicle makes more sense.
Great video, you guys are amazing :) And the car is really cool too, all the hidden bunnies in the car are just a great example of Japanese culture. These cars just work, although most people don't understand them in Europe. There are more of these in the UK than I would expect, although having a right-hand-drive car is easier in the UK of course.
I didn’t realize how fancy the Lapin is as a Japanese until I found this footage😂 You know Kei-cars are everywhere here and there is so much variety like N-BOX, Hustler etc.I’m hoping many people around the world will realize how good Kei-cars are. Thank you Dadcars! You are a pioneer!
Have to love it.I like the Honda N Box,and Daihatsu Tanto.Have been a UK Kei car owner,Honda Acty,and Daihatsu Copen,for forty years.
Awesome! We enjoyed our first Kei experience 10X more than expected 🙌😊
日本から、SUZUKIラパンはとても可愛い車で主に女性向けの車らしいけど、あなたはこの車を使いこなしていてとても嬉しい。素晴らしいです。ありがとう
「カワイイ」に全振りした「ラパン」に乗る家族がもはや萌えでしかない。🐰兎
🙌🥰
先日ワゴンRを修理に出した際に代車として15年位前のラパンが出てきて
乗ってるうちになんか気に入ってきました。
ラパンは女性向けのイメージが強いですがレトロデザイン好きの男性にも
受けるような気がします。
ラパンは日本でも人気の軽自動車です。 イギリスが軽自動車を解禁したとの事を嬉しく思っています。 軽自動車は日本が誇る独自の自動車文化です。 きっと気に入って頂けると思います。 たぶん１０年くらいでイギリスの自家用車の半分近くは軽自動車になるのでは？ と思っています。 素晴らしい車です。 ありがとう。
イギリスでラパンが走っている姿を見てとても面白かったです!
恐らくなのですが、このラパンにターボが装着されていないのであれば、カタログでの馬力は64horsepowerではなくて52horsepowerだと思われます
馬力規制は存在しないので、昔の日本みたいに馬力競争になるんじゃないかな？😅
@@紙パック-m4w ケータハムスーパーセブン170のエンジンはラパンと同じスズキR06Aの660cで
ターボ＋チューンで85PS
スズキがこれを供給すれば85PSのラパンになる。
@@紙パック-m4w日本モデルをそのまま輸出してるから52馬力じゃないかな
この方のラパンにターボ設定はないですよ
Here in NZ, ten years ago, we bought a 2005 Honda Fit import with 56K kms. We still have it and use it every single day. Coming up on 150K kms now. One seized brake caliper three years ago, tyres, regular servicing, 1.5 litre v-tec, smooth, peppy, the magic seats helped us move house three times, still looks cute, great dash with a DD, and fun to drive. Oh yeah, and runs on the smell of an oily rag. We would happily get in it and tour NZ. Our point is, is that old was better. It just needed a tweak. Not a revolution that isn't working. Small roomy reliable and safe. It's all we need.
Sounds awesome 🤙
But Honda Fit is not a K-car. Now try Honda N-Box turbo, which is much versatile and economic.
Great video, I love Kei Cars. Definitely a case for them in the UK. Great to see you driving around familiar roads in Hampshire.
Just watched this with my wife and had us in hysterics in the first couple of minutes! The production quality and interaction with your eldest are just so wholesome!! During my “JDM” years I considered getting a Kei car as a daily runner but you mentioned it in the video, to insure one was expensive and it was similar cost between a Kei or a Nissan Stagea with the RB25DET single turbo.. you know which one I took 😅
Thanks man! 🙏 yeah you made the right choice 👌😮💨 I must drive a Stagea one day
First he seems to be a very good father. Second K-car is the minimum car which can carry a family (4 persons) defined by Japanese government. Third you look so happy. Finally, I feel happy to see this video, too. That’s the power K-cars have. Thanks a lot.
Many kei cars are convenient, but some, like the Honda S660 and Mazda AZ-1, are interesting and sports car-like!
It's a rare type of kei car, so it can be a bit pricey and at a premium over the years, but if you like it, you'll love it!
Beautiful family in beautiful scenery. I bet the Lapin is happy with them.
Greetings from Germany. Just found your video, and loved it. It's always great to see that kei cars find friends also in Europe. :)
Great video; just stumbled on it. Love the girls' reactions. Dreadfully obvious ladies designed it. Thought the heart shaped exhaust was phenomenal. I wish the US had a Kei class car available.
I am very grateful to Japan for accepting the "kei car," a uniquely Japanese car.
In Japan, many people use kei cars because the roads are narrow. There are many different types of kei cars, and I am sure they will continue to be popular worldwide.
Above all, the contrast between the cute "Lapin" and your masculine self is very interesting.
妻がLapinの四駆に乗っています。大き過ぎず車重も軽いので、燃費が良く、乗りやすいですよ。
我が家の車は６台すべてが軽自動車です。（Lapin、ALTO、EVERY、PINO、N-ONE、copen l880k）
ちなみに父が買った最初の車は、画像にもあったスバル360でした。
街乗りに軽はおすすめです。イギリスにも合いそうですね。
Gorgeous family loved all the giggles the Lapin did the job brilliantly ❤❤
The first of your videos I've seen, and really enjoyed it.
I loved recognising when you drove along the top of the hill, and spotting the pub and car parks, and nice to see a RUclipsr that lives local to me.
Awesome glad you found the channel 😊
@@dadcars I loved the Lupin. Just imagining it with a Hayabusa 1300cc turbo engine swap. 😂
I won't mention where we live as some RUclipsrs get funny about people knowing where they live, especially with other family members in the videos.
レンタカー会社で働いていますが、スズキやホンダの軽自動車には色々な遊び心が鏤められています。窓枠にうさぎやミニカーのプリントとかね🐰🚗そういう所も楽しみの一つ🥰気に入って貰えて嬉しい！
空間効率と経済性を突き詰めた日本の軽自動車は、MINIが登場した当初のコンセプトに極めて近いものがあると思います。
MINIを愛したUKの方々にはきっと気に入ってもらえるでしょう。
なるほど納得。MINIが大型化した今、当初のコンセプトに近い。
I came from Japan, so these cars are all too familiar to me.
But I noticed that the beautiful scenery of England increases the cuteness of small Japanese cars!
No wonder there is a large NISSAN Figaro community in the UK 🤝🏻
😊
It's a shopping cart that you can carry home.
自宅まで持ち運べるショッピングカートのようなものです。
Most Japanese people use it that way.
日本人の大半はそのように使用しています。
Great video, I want a Honda N-Box or N-Van, the girls added their own little stardom to it 👍
My daughter is riding Lapin.
It's popular with women in Japan.
it doesn't have horsepower because the manufacturer self-regulated 40 years ago.
At that time, young people remodelled the engine and there were a lot of K cars over 100 hp.
One of your best videos, your interaction with your kids is heart warming and I love the way you do your best to engage with them on their terms and include them in your passion. Future petrol heads for sure.
Ah thanks man! 🙌 I hope subscribers watch it 🙏
I'm happy to see your family seeking the hidden rabbits. Lapin made us happier.
こんなにウサギがいるのは知らなかった。かわいい。
ラパンのレビューではうさぎ探しはお決まりですね。
When I was a kid, I admired the small and cleverly designed Austin Mini, but today's BMW Mini is much bigger.
I wonder if the real successor to the Mini will be Kei cars.
And I would like to wish you and your family a long and happy life.😊
You’re right. Really right. I believe
Great to see you're covering kei cars too now! I am a huge proponent of downsizing cars; people need to start looking at interior room instead of wanting to show off with an oversized, yet impractical projectile of a car.
Also, at 19:40 - is that a Nissan Figaro?
I've had a couple Suzuki SJ's in the past, they were great cars. This one is actually pretty cute. "We were going down hill... what's the point!!!" - Love it.
‘His and Hers’ big and small cars are actually quite a normal arrangement in Japan! Dads will often end up in something like an SUV or (More typically) a Toyota Alphard/Vellfire, whilst mums will have a Kei to run about in. (Though plenty of dads will take the family Kei car to work, all the same…)
I see it all the time there; my in-laws all have big/small car combinations, and I was no different when I lived there.
That’s interesting thanks for sharing :) I love an Alphard 👌😎
@@dadcars It really is a de facto dad car there! I remember a Japanese work colleague claiming it was his most wanted car. Maybe we’ll see one on the channel soon?
It makes sense, big cars for when the kid and all the stuff needs to be moved, small car for little trips that don't require bringing anything. We're looking at an NA MX-5 and Renault Grand Scenic combo. (The Renault is already overkill for one kid, but it can also move furniture, which happens more often than I'd like to)
What a beautiful country road driving experience in UK Summer.
It's funny - we used to get a few Kei cars and vans here - Daihatsu Cuore, Move, Suzuki Wagon-R, Old Jimny, Carry - even the Bedford Rascal. It's kind of sad we don't any more since they are clearly the perfect antidote to Europoean car bloat, and often all the car you need for 95% of situations.
I agree 😊
これは、セカンドカーには最適！
ある意味old fashionでしょ、小さなクルマ、経済的、気楽で乗る人も笑顔。昔のMINIみたいに。
A charming car, two charming children and a charming presenter. Great work.
Thanks man 🙌😊
Despite our love for the Classic Mini, Kei Cars have never done well in the UK, so I suspect it's never been sold here because Suzuki know it's not worth the effort. And with our obsession with ever bigger SUVs means Kei Cars would still not do well.
The base Fiat 500 is a 69bhp mild-hybrid and so that Lapin seems like a much funkier, distinctive and unique version of that. It's definitely a cool little car.
As our appetite for SUVs becomes more and more the norm I fear for compact hatch popularity… the SUV is a sledge hammer when many of us only need a much smaller and lighter tool for the job 🤷♂️
I love this car! What a modern Mini should be.
Yeah I’ve always said they should have made a modern classic mini! As small as they possibly can 😅 but mini just keep making larger versions
The new should be renamed as MAXI. They’re huge and overrated!
Just like phones nowadays, companies keep making them bigger
ミニ、はミニを忘れた？
Lovely car and heartwarming video
Glad you enjoyed it!
ラパンがこんなに良い車だとは知りませんでした。
楽しい動画をありがとうございます😊
めっちゃ多い軽カーの中で 普通ならN-BOXやタントなどに目が行くところが
ラパンを選択したってーのがすごいな~
@user-hu2ce7zp5jアリエル
日本では軽自動車は黄色いナンバーなので後ろ姿に違和感がないですね。
In Japan, Kei Cars are given yellow license plates, so the back of your car will look natural.
ダイハツは前に軽自動車に1リットルエンジンを搭載してヨーロッパで販売していましたが、今でも走っていますか？
Daihatsu used to sell keicars with 1 liter engines in Europe. Are they still on the road?
@@asdfafgf The Toyota Aygo is still around, which is another 'kei car with one litre engine.'
@@maggiepie8810aygo is not a kei car and a kei car has to have an Engine under 660cc
@@ChinesemomlovemassagingJapan The original aygo was based on a Japanese kei car chassi, I think, but with a one litre engine for the European market.
@@maggiepie8810Yup, example Suzuki Samurai etc….
@@makochin2670 Exactly, there are a few of them, and fitting them with a one litre engine for the European market makes sense if you consider our laws.
I am a Japanese. I am so happy to see your lovely family having a wonderful day with Japan's K car :)
🙌😊
This was an unusual car review but I couldn't stop laughing and smiling. Sending positivity and happiness to you and your family from Newcastle ❤
Welcome to the Dadcars channel 😅
I remember a time where the Brits made a very nice car before… I think it’s an Austin Mini Cooper! Nice Review Ben. Thanks a lot
このクルマを見た目だけで
決め付けてはいけない。
まるで高級車のように売り方の
マニュアルがあって、
無理に売り付けるのではなく
｢自分はこれが欲しい｣という人に
買ってもらっているクルマ。
だから手軽に乗れるクルマでも
とても綺麗に乗る人が多い。
ラパンのデザインだと、イギリスを走っていても合いますね😄
She's so cute this Lapin ! not sure to could have one in my country ! Thanks for sharing, take care ; )
Honestly, if they sold all sorts of Kei cars new in Europe and more specific Norway where I live then I would 100% buy one. They are small, very practical amd cheap to run. Win win win
軽自動車は海外では珍しいですよね😅
日本では馴染みすぎてるので、外国で見ると新鮮でデザインもより可愛らしく見えるww
In Europe, light cars are very common.
The car's car navigation system (made by Harman) has been customised to Japanese specifications, but is compatible with the global standard iOS Carplay and Android AUTO.
So you can use your smartphone's audio and car navigation system by connecting it to your smartphone via a cable from the USB-A port on the lower part of the navigation system.
Please try it out.
I love more people are knowing K Cars like the Lupin
Can you try make a review of the Honda N-One or N-Wagon next?
These cars make a lot of sense to me as a second/third car and as a city runabout. The maximal utilization of space is also incredible.
While I wouldn't really want to see the Japanese system introduced here in the UK, I have to say that it makes a lot of sense for them, with very high density living, parking space at an extreme premium, and many more narrow city streets.
I also think it makes no sense whatsoever for us to be encouraging huge EVs as central city conveyances, when what you really need is something akin to a Kei car.
Given that pre-Covid you could buy a Dacia Sandero for less than eight grand, it's also not unreasonable to believe Kei cars could sell in the UK brand new for similar prices to what they sell for in Japan.
And it's hard to understand why such car ownership is not being encouraged here in the UK, with tax breaks for owning such cars, especially for those living in inner-city postcodes.
IMO, current transport policy in the UK simply doesn't follow the science and doesn't address congestion. What it does do is severely impact the poorest in society and greatly impact their freedom of movement by making every single aspect of car ownership very expensive. And it's not as if public transport in the UK is cheap, clean, efficient, or environmentally-friendly, like it is in Japan and Europe.
Looks fabulous and makes perfect sense for the city - wish it came to South Africa !
Family laughing makes the review better!❤🎉
ラパン良いですよね😊軽自動車だと漫画から飛び出てきたようなハスラーも良いですよ。発売当初はドラゴンボールの作者である鳥山明のキャラを使ったCMでした。今でも人気車です。
BEST car review I’ve seen !…2 little girls !….then surprised with little “A-hee-hee”! (though she didn’t get much air-time)….a lot of fun !
I've had 4 Kei cars, I'm in Australia and if people are really honest with themselves I would say that a Kei car would be a good "Only" car.
For a lot of people (like me) this Lapin would be a nice first car.
I fully agree with your comments about his and her Chelsea tractors. Totally unnecessary, particularly in urban areas. I am biased towards smaller cars (although back in the day when I had kids at home, my car of choice was a Saab 9-5). Nowadays, I don't need 4 seats, so have a little Honda CR-Z hybrid which has slightly less mpg around town than the Lapin, but is easily capable of 55 mpg on the motorway. Only £25 road tax and group 17 insurance.
Nice! 👌
This is my first time watching one of your videos, and I gotta say, I love it. As a father of two girls, I can really relate to wanting a decent, second, small family car that's safe but won't break the bank. Thankfully, living in South Korea (and formerly having lived in Japan), there's a lot to choose from. I just don't get the trend of going bigger and bigger with the family cars. In my home country (Australia) the rediculous Yank Tanks are becoming more and more popular. I can almost understand it if the owner lives in the outback, but in Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne, where you need to take up two car parks just to be able to go shopping? And NEVER using it for anything other than a city run-around? It just boggles the mind.
Anyway, great video. Thanks for sharing. Hopefully you'll check out a couple of the new Korean small cars, like the Ray, or Casper to compare. :)
Beautiful car! I'd love to drive one. I own a Subaru Vivio 4WD that I'm attempting to restore, it is somewhat similar, but mine has pretty old and outdated interior. These type of cars are amazing in many ways.
Boy's Version of Suzuki Lapin RS is really massive, equipped with 5-speed manual transmission (but manufacturing this was stopped sadly😢). I bet you will love it, that is so cute, too, available to have a bunny hunt, too (maybe).
Thanks!
Wow thank you Frank!!!! 🙌🤩
@@dadcars Your welcome Ben.
We had a Suzuki Wagon R Plus and were amazed at how much you could get in it. We have a relative who used one to transport hay bales around the farm.
Fantastic 😅
That car is cute. Here over the pond in the States it would be run over as we really have large vehicles with a lot of horse power. I think it would be great to have if you live in the city. But I wouldn't want to drive it on the highway/motorway in fear I would get hit from behind. It's really cute, and people need affordable transportation. Great review. Thank you for posting. 😊
AWD drive on Kei cars are not for the hills, but it is primarily for the regions with lots of snow. like Hokkaido and Tohoku, Echizen, Nagano area, where the mountains are high as swiss alps with snows that falls more than human height every winter.
Lived in Yamagata for over a year. Never had any issues with my suzuki K wagon! How I wish I could buy one in the UK
Intelligent dad and girls. Enjoyed your report from Japan.
逆に私はミニに15年間乗ってました。ああいう名車を生み出した方々に敬意を払いたいです。
私もMINI です😄
Cute car, I like the diversity of cars reviewed on this channel
🙌😅
Gorgeous looking car! Better than a trendy SUV!
Nice drive along the top of Portsdown Hill - great review. Gracias! I think the Daihatsu Kei cars are more appealing than this particular one - and mercifully, most of them aren't painted pink...
In the Philippines, there is a company called Porto Coeli (Latin for "Door of Heaven") that imports knocked down Suzuki Kei cars from Japan, and reassembles them here, converting them to left hand drive. They are sold at Multicab dealerships throughout the Philippines. They have everything from a small five door hatchback called the Wago, to 4x2 and 4x4 dual cab pickups and 8 seater vans. They all run the brilliant Suzuki 660 c.c. turbocharged three cylinder engine, mated to a five speed automatic transmission. They have an infotainment system, reverse camera, front fog lights, and the 4x4 versions come with a snorkel. The van versions have troop carrier style seats rearmost, and conventional centre rear seats. All the rear seats fold away to produce a large van suitable for commercial use. Both the van and dual cab pickup versions have sliding rear side doors for easy entry and loading items. The 4x4 versions are priced at 399000 Philippine Pesos. I'm Aussie, married to a Filipina grandmother, and living in Cagayan de Oro City Mindanao Philippines. That's a little over $10,000 AUD. It's in markets like this that these vehicles make a lot of sense. My wife has a farm, and a 4x4 Multicab van or dual cab pickup will be what we will buy when finances allow. I know the durability of Suzuki vehicles, having owned two Suzuki Grand Vitaras and an S-Cross in Australia, and my adult son there has over 300,000 km on the clock of his 2013 Suzuki Alto.
I used to think of it as a light vehicle unique to Japan, but I think the Lapin fits well in overseas landscapes as well.
Previously, there was a sports model called Lapin SS, so I would like you to try it out.
Cute car and beautiful children. Even if we lose motorsports, there is still happiness😌
Kei cars are awesome. My Missus has a K13 Micra, which is brilliant. It's a not a Kei car, but it is very small compared to most traffic on the road these days.
I remembered classic mini when I watched this video!
I'd like to own one of them in the future!
Greeting from Japan🇯🇵(Sorry for my unnatural English)
You mentioned about 'lots of hills' in Japan. Well you aren't wrong, but Japan is mostly very mountaineous and many areas have heavy snowfall throughout the winter months. Therefore, 4WD/AWD is necessary, although in paticularly heavy snowfall, kei cars like the Lapin do have a tendency to bottom out.
Whilst I myself do not live in a particularly snowy area, I do often go for both work and pleasure to snow country. My job also requires me to occasionally go off-road in the mountains, however, I drive a Land Rover Discovery 5 (I tow a caravan and cargo trailer for pleasure and work respectively). I understand the point and fully agree about having a 'his & hers' large SUV in the driveway. Two I feel is unnecessary for most, but I think judgement should be based not so much on where people live as to where they need to go with that vehicle. That said, the majority of people even then will never take their very capable 4WD vehicles off-road, which I find very disappointing and such a waste.
However, thanks to these people buying these cars, it means that manufacturers will continue to make them and that is good for those of us who need them. Nevertheless, @Land Rover, the dimensions of the Discovery 5 doesn't need to be quite as big as they are. The braking abilities, the engine, the towing capabilities, even the storage inside is something I need, but as Dadcars points out, many car designers should take a lesson from kei car designers to achieve the same sort of storage in a smaller (especially narrower) body. Incidentally, my trailer (Imported from Hungary) is built to meet Japanese kei car dimensions and is therefore classified as a kei. That means cheaper road tax (yes, trailers have road tax too) and in my area where the population is smaller, no need to obtain a parking space certificate when registering the trailer and the MOT (shaken) is biannual instead of every year if it were an ordinary commercial car classification.
そもそも軽で山には行かないよ、
日本の市街地は丘が多くアップダウンに対してラパンは力負けしないで
良く走りますよ。
ラパンの話しましょう！
Oh, this is so cute!!! Cities would be much nicer places if we could have more kei cars on the streets instead of suv's. Underpowered cars with higher drag resistance usually achieve worse mpg on motorway. Guess it might be emission-related that they are not importing them to the UK, or perhaps something to do with exchange rates. Pitty, anyway. Although Europeans are not particularly fond of underpowered micro cars, so earlier on some Japanese manufacturers used to equip their kei cars with larger engines for the European market.
Interesting! 😊
Well, you should test run K-car somewhere. It's not underpowered. It's acceleration and versatility are sometimes better than compact car. Because of low weight around 700kg and less friction by small tires, You should know Japanese concept for economic and environmentally friendly car is low weight and small engine. That's why Japan do not shift to the Heavy 2 tons, big tires EVs.
@@土生泰山 I own a Copen :) With the 1.3 engine. Have driven the proper kei 660 cc too: yes, it feels punchy, the teapot size turbocharger makes funny noises, and it is a fun drive. But leaving the city, you realize that you're a lot slower than you think :) And motorways are definitely a no go.
Glad this video is doing so well. I had never heard of this car.
😊
Funny this video should come up as im in the process of importing a daihatsu kei van! 1996 vintage so much more character than the euroboxes on offer here
Awesome 😅🙌
良い車ですよね。オイル交換さえそこそこしていれば、壊れないし燃費も良い。多くの人は日本の軽自動車で十分なはず。
でも事故ったら、、、笑
@@ro4na160軽自動車は国の安全基準をクリアしているから公道を走っています。
◆事故全体の死亡率
軽自動車0.26％
普通自動車0.22％
◆車両同士の衝突事故
軽自動車0.22%
普通自動車0.19%
◆単独事故
軽自動車4.47%
普通自動車4.51%
@@ro4na160 想定的比較として、現在世界で開発を考えられているスマートモビリティってのは軽自動車よりはるかに小さいのですよ。
@@kengo7273日本と速度が違うのよ
@@6nem3ktumi イギリスの制限速度は住宅街32km市街地48km高速112km。(日本30/60/100)
A small Kei car is environmentally friendlier than nomal BEV, I think.
In Japan, there are no safety standards just for K-Cars, and the government imposes the same safety tests as for ordinary cars. The K-Car is designed with safety as an important consideration because of its small size, including an automatic braking system and numerous airbags.
The challenge of how to fit the engine and transmission into a small space and provide comfortable space for the driver and passengers has not changed since the classic Mini. The Mini was probably born because it makes sense to the UK. Personally, I dream of a UK version of the K-Car.
I love family friendly videos! Cool channel
I think kei cars are great, and they are definitely quite twitchy and fun to drive, though as you point out, they are not in their element on the highway or situations where a sudden burst of power is required. Sadly, with so many regular cars and SUVs driving around these days that weigh 2-3 times that of the Lapin, the safety concerns are probably warranted. It's honestly sad how huge and overpowered cars have become, and it's got very little to do with practicality.
CVT's take a bit to get used to but once you learn how to drive with one it becomes super simple. If you bury your foot, it'll rev massively, just ease it on and it'll get there
The smart 450 fitted Kei car terminology / sizing standard from what I remember of the Wikipedia entry.
(they are very comfy bar the short wheelbase crashiness over speed bumps, spacious, have a bigger boot than a modern mini