TL;DR: Sitting in the Oval Office this month, President Donald Trump praised the miniature Japanese vehicles known as kei cars, which are popular across Asia but largely absent from US showrooms. "They have a very small car. It's sort of like the Beetle used to be with the Volkswagen," he said. "They're very small. They're really cute."
The president went further, claiming that "you're not allowed to build them" in the US but that he had authorized the Secretary of Transportation to approve production immediately. The remark came unexpectedly during a press conference largely focused on his administration's rollback of federal fuel economy rules – a policy shift expected to favor large, less-efficient vehicles already popular among US consumers.
The announcement caught America's small but devoted kei car community off guard. Enthusiasts were pleased to hear national attention on their niche, but also puzzled: it is not illegal to build such vehicles for the domestic market. The real obstacle is regulatory. Kei cars produced in Japan and other foreign markets do not meet the crash protection, lighting, and emissions standards required by US law, and therefore cannot be imported unless they qualify as antiques – that is, vehicles at least 25 years old.
Members of the Capital Kei Car Club in Northern Virginia are well acquainted with these restrictions. At a recent meetup, every kei vehicle was at least 25 years old. Imported under the federal antique exemption, the cars, trucks, and vans are small, slow, and adored by their owners for their personality and practicality alike.
Andrew Maxon, the club's founder and owner of one such vehicle, said the president's comments could have a positive impact. "If this is going to be a kick in the right direction to maybe get the domestic auto industry to reconsider cars like this, I'm all for it," he told NPR. "I'll take what we can get."
Drivers say part of the appeal is the efficiency of space. Ryan Douglass, who replaced his midsize American pickup with a Japanese kei truck, noted that his vehicle is shorter than a modern Mini Cooper but manages a 6-foot bed – longer than many full-size trucks on the market.
These vehicles also cost far less than domestic models. In Japan, a new kei car or truck typically sells for under $15,000. Douglass paid $8,000 for his imported antique – a price he said was on the higher side, largely because he outsourced the import process.
By comparison, the average used pickup in the US now tops $34,000, according to listings on Carfax.com. "I think I could get five or six of these and customize them to my heart's desire and still be cheaper than a brand-new truck I can buy out of a dealership today," Douglass said.
Kei vehicles, defined by strict Japanese rules on dimensions and engine displacement, are optimized for narrow streets and urban congestion. Their diminutive design brings both charm and vulnerability. Short front ends and lightweight frames make them nimble but less protective in collisions. Douglass's own license plate reads "VRYSLW," an apt warning for a truck that's diminutive in both speed and scale.
"I accept the terms and conditions," said Sergey Hall, who drives a 1992 Suzuki Cappuccino. He described the car as lacking modern protections: "I know that there are no safety features on it. No airbags, ABS, no throttle position sensors or anything like that."
That trade-off – delight versus danger – defines much of the kei experience in the US. Though federal rules permit antique imports, some states impose additional restrictions citing safety concerns. The inconsistency frustrates owners, who note that motorcycles, with even less protection, face no such bans.
Dan Kobayashi, who drives a Honda Acty kei truck, challenged conventional ideas of vehicle safety. He pointed out that smaller, slower vehicles tend to cause less harm to pedestrians, and that kei cars' upright cabins provide excellent visibility compared to modern SUVs. "I don't have to worry about hitting kids in front of me," he said, referring to the well-documented front blind zones of large SUVs.
Yet kei car owners remain acutely aware of their exposure on highways filled with oversized trucks and SUVs. Even as they praise maneuverability and personality, there is an understanding that visibility cuts both ways: drivers in larger vehicles may simply not see them.
Trump's declaration that companies "can't build" small cars in the US does not align with current law. A Transportation Department spokesperson confirmed that safety standards are not being waived for tiny cars. The real challenge lies in consumer behavior.
Jessica Caldwell, head of insights at Edmunds, explained that market demand – not regulation – shapes automakers' choices. Subcompacts already make up less than one percent of the market, she said, and the figure continues to shrink. Economics also play a role: automakers earn higher margins on larger vehicles, and federal fuel-economy rules have long been criticized for indirectly encouraging bigger models.
The fate of Daimler's Smart fortwo illustrates these pressures. Marketed as an affordable ultra-compact city car, it was withdrawn from the US in 2019 after a decade of poor sales. Tiny cars, however cute, have repeatedly failed to attract American buyers accustomed to larger, faster vehicles.
At the Virginia meetup, even seasoned devotees acknowledged this reality. "If I had to bet, I would bet against it, unfortunately," said Andy Creedon, reflecting the consensus among participants. Kobayashi, however, remained optimistic. His Acty is both utilitarian and fun, and he sees no reason similar vehicles couldn't succeed in the US. With a touch of admiration, he summed up the international contrast: "Everybody else in the world has it."
