A single-seat ultra-compact car was posted to 5ch under the heading “this actually looks pretty good.” Priced at 800,000 yen (roughly $5,300), the photos show a slim, narrow body. The thread saw a string of questions about regulations — can it go on the highway, what fuel does it run on, does it have to make a two-stage right turn like a moped — while other posters praised how easy it’d be to park and that you stay dry in the rain. Some worried about it tipping over or getting hit from the side, and pointed to its low production capacity as a sign it “might just end up a passing fad.” Opinions split largely along comparisons to kei cars and motorcycles.
What people said
1AnonymousOct 27, 2026 10:32
Price tag: 800,000 yen (~$5,300)
2AnonymousOct 27, 2026 10:32
Even drivers who hate parking can relax with a body this slim
3AnonymousOct 27, 2026 10:34
Can this even go on the highway?
And what fuel does it run on, gas?
4AnonymousOct 27, 2026 10:34
If there's no space to park it at the station, a regular kei car works just as well
5AnonymousOct 27, 2026 10:40
I bet pizza-style delivery bikes all end up switching to this
11AnonymousOct 27, 2026 10:42
There's one of these parked at a house in my neighborhood!
I always figured it was some kind of delivery vehicle, like what the Yakult ladies ride (Yakult's door-to-door delivery staff who get around on little bikes).
13AnonymousOct 27, 2026 10:44
Fine for getting around a big property, but public roads look scary
14AnonymousOct 27, 2026 10:44
Scary how easily this looks like it'd tip over
And if you got hit while it's lying tipped over…
15AnonymousOct 27, 2026 10:45
Seems like something you'd use for grocery runs out in the countryside, where there's barely any traffic and nobody's speeding
16AnonymousOct 27, 2026 10:46
Since it's so tiny, making it a loud color so it grabs everyone's attention is actually a smart safety call, no?
18AnonymousOct 27, 2026 10:47
Well, if this catches on and a major automaker puts out their own version, I might actually buy one
25AnonymousOct 27, 2026 10:58
So it can't go on the highway?
26AnonymousOct 27, 2026 11:01
Re: #25
Have you ever seen a moped on the highway?
30AnonymousOct 27, 2026 11:07
You'd have to hug the edge of the road and drive apologetically, right? It's bigger than a moped too, so it'll probably get tailgated for being in the way…
36AnonymousOct 27, 2026 11:16
Re: #30
The speed limit's 60 km/h, so normally you wouldn't get tailgated
31AnonymousOct 27, 2026 11:08
I want to show up to a date in this thing
32AnonymousOct 27, 2026 11:09
Might as well tailgate them right back
'Go ahead and pass me if you can'
Easier said than done, though! (a pun on 言うだけ, 'all talk')
34AnonymousOct 27, 2026 11:12
I'll put this on my list once these things are actually common on the streets
It's dangerous while everyone else isn't used to seeing them yet
Because it's not just a matter of you being careful yourself
40AnonymousOct 27, 2026 11:26
Production capacity is pretty low, so the buzz will die down and this'll just fade away
42AnonymousOct 27, 2026 11:30
They should make it pivot in place and U-turn like a tank
44AnonymousOct 27, 2026 11:41
Don't really need a 4-wheeler smaller than a kei car
And it's not as nimble as a motorcycle either
It's stuck in this awkward in-between category
45AnonymousOct 27, 2026 11:43
Average car speed in central Tokyo is like 20 km/h anyway
Might as well make everything this
46AnonymousOct 27, 2026 11:44
A sports car in central Tokyo doesn't get to do much 'sport,' huh
47AnonymousOct 27, 2026 12:00
This would totally get in the way of people waiting to do a two-stage turn lol
48AnonymousOct 27, 2026 12:07
Having a roof is a big plus
No need for rain gear even when it's pouring
49AnonymousOct 27, 2026 12:09
If the seat reclines, you could probably even sleep in this thing
51AnonymousOct 27, 2026 12:10
Good for a quick run to the supermarket
52AnonymousOct 27, 2026 12:10
Driving this in strong wind sounds terrifying
53AnonymousOct 27, 2026 12:13
Just driving behind this normally would basically look like tailgating
54AnonymousOct 27, 2026 12:18
Since the plate's light blue — the 'minicar' category — you can't pass it the way you would a motorcycle
55AnonymousOct 27, 2026 12:21
This one isn't subject to the two-stage right turn rule
56AnonymousOct 27, 2026 12:26
Looks like it'd go flying easily if you got hit
58AnonymousOct 27, 2026 12:38
Cornering looks scary
Crosswinds look scary
Worried about durability
Can maintenance and repairs even be handled properly?
Might as well just get the cheapest kei car out there, like an Alto or a Mira e:S
59AnonymousOct 27, 2026 12:40
This looks like it'd tip over instantly
Does it even have some kind of gyro balance control?
61AnonymousOct 27, 2026 12:48
Probably just for hauling groceries back and forth from the supermarket
Reminds me of the old Midget II (Daihatsu's classic little three-wheeled hauler), and I mean that in a good way
63AnonymousOct 27, 2026 12:50
Micro-mobility is a field even Toyota has pulled out of
There's just no way this beats a kei car
Background and Key Points of the Debate
Ultra-compact mobility vehicles occupy a category wedged between mopeds and kei cars, one that Japanese manufacturers have repeatedly entered and exited over the years — and the vehicle discussed here fits squarely into that lineage. The thread’s disagreement centered mainly on safety and how regulations apply to it. Because rules like the two-stage right turn and top-speed limits vary depending on a vehicle’s classification, posters in the thread weren’t even agreed on the basics. The worries about tipping over or getting hit from the side are really just the flip side of having a small, lightweight body, and balancing that convenience against safety is where opinions diverge. Some pointed to low production capacity, but that’s a detail specific to this particular vehicle, not necessarily a sign of where the micro-mobility market as a whole is headed.
Leave a Reply