QOTD: Where Do You Stand On Kei Cars?

by Tim Healey

Published: June 12th, 2025

Today's QOTD is a simple one -- do you like Kei cars?

I am not asking if they should be allowed on American roads -- I am generally in favor, as long as they meet safety standards (or come close) or can be exempted under the 25-year-old import rule.

I am asking you if you like them.

A lot of car enthusiasts do, but I am indifferent. Some look cool, I suppose, but my automotive interests lie elsewhere.

Well, it's your turn. Sound off below.

[Image: Art Konovalov/Shutterstock.com]

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Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

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2 of 62 comments

Haze3 on Jun 16, 2025

Kei's are a great option in the right situations (urban). OK with highway use so long as the given model is capable of running at the listed speed limit (too slow is a risk on high-speed highways).

Safety concerns are real but small vehicles and motorcycles are, mainly, risks for the driver/occupants and not for others. As such, so long as they are tested and ranked and that we allow insurance companies to charge appropriately when injury risk/severity is higher, then all good.

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Lorenzo on Jun 16, 2025

I have no opinion, but maybe someone should ask a Fiat 500 dealer.

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