Japan has given us some iconic sports cars over the years. The Toyota Supra. The Nissan Skyline. The Mitsubishi Evo. The list could go on and on. And while these cars are undoubtedly legendary, there's another category of Japanese vehicles that also deserve the limelight: Kei cars.
Kei cars first originated in the late 1940s as a way of creating affordable transport, with many parts taken from motorcycles to help keep their cost down. They're the smallest highway-legal vehicles you can purchase in Japan, with regulations stating they must be no greater than 3.4 meters in length, 1.48 meters in width, or 2 meters in height. Further, their displacement can be no greater than 0.66 liters.
Perhaps one of the most popular you can buy today — if you live in Japan, that is — is the Honda S660, and for many good reasons: it's fun to drive, looks great, and comes with an affordable price tag. So, on that note, let's take a closer look at the Honda S660 and see what its coolest feature is.
We Love The Styling Of The Honda S660
The S660 is a bit of a cult favorite, and it isn't difficult to see why. With this vehicle, Honda developed a Kei car that takes everything that makes them so appealing — small, easy to navigate around cities, and affordable — and paired it with something that drives like a proper little sports car. But perhaps the best feature of all, though, has to go its styling.
You can immediately see where the similarities are, with the S660 looking like a shrunken-down version of the second-generation NSX. Yes, the 63 BHP, three-cylinder engine is never going to compare to the NSX, but its price tag — around $18,500 compared to the NSX's $157,500 — certainly can't be ignored. Should you disagree and think the S660's styling isn't quite enough, then fear not, as there are options if you wish to modify one, too.
The Honda S660 Is A Neat Ride
The Honda S660 was first shown to the world as a concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2013 and was designed to be the spiritual successor to Honda's famous Beat from the '90s. It was the result of an internal competition at Honda, where designers could pitch their own ideas with the chance of them being developed and then sold to the masses.
The prize went to the S660, and the designer behind it all was the youngest at Honda, Ryo Mukumoto. The approach, much like the Beat, was sporty and driver-focused, with a rear-wheel-drive setup and a mid-engine layout.
It was officially launched in 2015 and, according to Auto Express, came powered by the same three-cylinder engine found in the N-Box Kei car. This means the S660 develops the same 63 hp, though its turbos are revised and its redline raised to improve performance. The S660 comes with a specially-developed chassis, too, which, according to Drive Tribe, is stiffer than the Honda S2000's.