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Past Issues

752: Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon
A reborn classic earns a (near) perfect 10
748: Nissan GT-R
It’s fast, sexy and a bargain. So what’s the catch?
744: Jaguar XF
The new sedan from Britain’s storied automaker proves that appearances are, in fact, deceiving
736: Suzuki Swift Sport
Suzuki’s bargain hatch proves big fun can come in small packages
732: Dualis & X-Trail
Nissan introduces a new SUV while its marquee model continues to play tough
728: Toyota Vanguard
Head off to the concrete jungle with a bit more vehicle than you need
724: Subaru Impreza S-GT
Japan’s automotive loudmouth learns some manners
720: Tokyo Auto Salon 2008
Get ready for some modification mayhem at Makuhari Messe
716: Dodge These!
Chrysler introduces three muscle-bound imports to Japan
712: Licensed to Drive
We guide you through the bureaucratic jungle
708: Tokyo Concours D’Elegance
Exotic autos from the past and present glide into Roppongi
704: Car Knows Best
Automakers are introducing technology that will let your ride decide if you’ve had one too many
700: Range Rover & Land Rover
We put three SUVs from the fabled British maker through their paces
696: Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Channel 007 in this latest incarnation of the marquee automaker’s “baby”
692: BMW R1200GS Adventure
The storied bike maker competes with itself to create a three-in-one masterpiece
688: Lexus LS460
The new sedan is big, fast, safe, classy—and unremarkable
684: Alfa Romeo Spider
We unleash the Italian monster on a 1,200km road trip
680: Ford Mustang
The American classic goes back to its roots
676: Citroën C6
The French automaker's latest eccentricity pushes its own boundaries
672: Nissan’s Pino and Otti
Japan-friendly K-cars pack a big punch
668: Jaguar XK
Forget James Bond—this is the UK’s sexiest export
664: Mazda’s Axela, RX-8 and Roadster
Here’s the word on Japan’s resurgent automaker: buy, buy, buy!
660: Mazda’s Axela, RX-8 and Roadster
Here’s the word on Japan’s resurgent automaker: buy, buy, buy!
656: Alfa Romeo Brera
This gorgeous Italian coupe is both poised and sexy
652: Premium wheels
Business is good for Rolls-Royce in Japan, with an eagerly awaited convertible due out next year
648: Citroen C3 Pluriel
The quirky French automaker barrels into the 21st century
644: Jeep Commander& Grand Cherokee
Off road and on, these 4×4s do their military heritage proud
640: BMW Z4 M Roadster
Beemer’s monster convertible provides the most fun you can have sitting down
636: Name dropping
What your car is called says something about you—and even more about automakers’ marketing departments
632: BMW Mini Cooper S
All hail the mighty Mini!
628: Mazda Roadster
Redesigned and retooled, this two-seater is now a car for enthusiasts
624: Hyundai Sonata
A rev-happy South Korean import tries to find its niche in Japan
621: Lexus IS350
Toyota brings its upmarket brand to Japan—finally
616: Volvo XC90 V8
A bit sleeker and a lot more spacious, this SUV still puts a premium on safety
612: Chrysler 300C
This black beauty recalls the golden age of motoring
608: The Big Ideas
Tokyo Motor Show 2005 was a concept car bonanza
604: Tokyo Motor Show 2005
The automotive world’s big players zoom into Japan with some high concepts in tow
597: Three brothers
We put a trio of Nissan sedans through their paces
593: Ducati 1000S DS Multistrada
The boys from Bologna deliver an Italian masterpiece for your garage
589: Mazda Demio Sport
A worthy cousin to the Atenza and RX8, this roomy sedan is happy around town and in the country
585: BMW K1200S
The boys from bavaria clothe an iron fist in a velvet glove
581: Chrysler’s Cruisers
The American auto manufacturer concentrates on the body beautiful
577: Suzuki Skywave 650LX
If you thought scooters were just for kids, think again
573: Cadillac STS 4x4
America’s flagship automaker recaptures its former glory
569: Tour de Force
Yamaha’s FJR1300A offers an unbeatable blend of poise, power and price
565: Alfa Romeo GT and 156 GTA
With stunning looks and power to spare, these two Alfas are an enthusiast's dream
560: Driving the Future
The talk of the auto industry in 2004 was hybrids, safe driving and intelligent vehicles
556: Deja vu
Blast to the past on Harley-Davidson’s Road King Custom
552: Sports sensation
Nissan's new SUV breaks out of its class
548: Lean machine
Lighter, faster, stronger and sexier—a diet works wonders for BMW’s R1200GS
544: Kings for a day
The Honda Elysion is master of all it surveys
539: Rules of the road
New traffic laws are on the horizon. Turn off your cellphone, watch where you park and don’t ride in gangs, Chris Betros warns.
537: Open roadster
William Bonds gets up-close with the elements courtesy of the Nissan Fairlady 350Z convertible.
535: Extreme makeover
Volvo sheds its stodgy-but-safe image for sleek-and-sporty with the new S40 T5. William Bonds likes what he sees.
533: Sporting chance
Mazda has brought the station wagon up to speed with its Atenza Sport Wagon 23Z. William Bonds takes one for a spin.
531: Street smarts
Automakers are taking car safety to new levels with sophisticated warning systems that almost do the driving for you, reports Chris Betros.
529: Speed zone
Just down the road from Ueno Zoo, a virtual hog heaven has everything for the motorcycling enthusiast. Steve Trautlein cruises on over.
527: Italian Stallion
The Alfa Romeo 147 carries on its maker’s reputation for hot cars with unmatched sex appeal. William Bonds gets carried away.
525: Hot wheels
A cross between a snowboard and a scooter, the Wheelman is a quirky Australian invention that's grabbing attention worldwide. Tim Colquhoun takes one for a ride.
523: Mean Machine
William Bonds gets behind the wheel of the Nissan Skyline 350GT.
521: Show stealers
Toyota stunned attendees at the recent Geneva and Melbourne auto shows with two concept cars that represent a powerful vision for the future of motoring. Tim Colquhoun reports.
519: Mighty mouse
Subaru goes boldly against the tide with its new R2 minicar. Justin Gardiner admires this latest feat of audacity and engineering.
517: Trail blazer
Nissan's top-selling 4x4 features cool touches for winter sports fans. Justin Gardiner drove the latest X-Trail to the slopes
515: Up to speed
The Formula One circus is gaining momentum as the season opener in Australia draws near. Tim Colquhoun takes a look at the latest developments.
513: Good save
Hybrid cars are the rage this year with Toyota, Honda and Subaru touting their gas-electric vehicles. Chris Betros looks at what they're offering.
512: The road ahead
Despite the lack of a full-fledged Tokyo Motor Show in 2004, domestic manufacturers have a bevy of weird and wonderful offerings in store for this year. Justin Gardiner previews the lineup.
509/10: Top of the class
Justin Gardiner finds his favorites from this year's Metropolis test drives.
507: Mom-mobiles
Japanese mothers are trading in their once ubiquitous mama-chari bicycles for a new breed of K-car. Justin Gardiner tries a couple of the most popular mini-cars.
505: Cubic's rube
Nissan has lengthened its highly successful Cube a few centimeters and added an extra row of seats. But, as Justin Gardiner finds out, the result is a bit puzzling.
503: Globe trotters
Kerstin Gackle and Volker Aldinger left their native Germany on April 1 and pointed their Yamahas toward Australia. Eight months later Justin Gardiner caught up with the couple in Tokyo.
501: Back to the future
Cutting-edge technology and futuristic vehicles highlight the 37th Tokyo Motor Show at Makuhari Messe through November 5. Justin Gardiner offers a guide.

ISSUES 499-
ISSUES 449-
ISSUES 399-
ISSUES 349-
ISSUES 299-

Cars&Bikes

Text and photos by William Bonds

Nissan’s Pino and Otti

Japan-friendly K-cars pack a big punch

Nissan Otti

Japan’s supermini cars—K-cars—currently account for around 35 percent of passenger vehicle sales in Japan. And while sales figures of normal cars are falling, theirs are growing. Around 2 million of the yellow-plated vehicles were sold in Japan in 2006, and it really isn’t that difficult to understand why.

K-cars (the term comes from kei jidosha, or light vehicle) are very small and cheap to run. By Japanese law, they must be less than 4.4 meters in length and have an engine displacement of no more than 660cc, producing less than 64 horsepower. Movies do not usually feature car chases involving K-cars. There are turbo-charged K-cars and even four-wheel-drive models, but upsizing is missing the point; these cars are all about downsizing.

They are, effectively, the people’s car of Japan, equivalent to the Volkswagen Beetle, the Citroen 2CV or the original Mini—all cars meant to be easy to drive and cheap to buy (some for under ¥700,000) and run. The Japanese government adds some incentives by waiving the requirement to prove you have a parking space, by making the car tax literally a fraction of that for “normal-sized” vehicles, and by reducing highway tolls by 20 percent. Insurance is also substantially less.

K-cars are now a part of the market that all the big manufacturers need to contest and, against their better judgment, all auto journalists need to drive. On January 22, Nissan proudly unveiled its latest K-car, the Pino, and Metropolis was honored with the first test drive. For comparison purposes, we also took out the recently updated Otti.

You may be asking, “Why didn’t he take out a car from a different manufacturer?” Well, I did. In fact, the two test cars are “made” by three different manufacturers. Confused? The answer is surprising but simple: Nissan doesn’t actually produce its own K-cars; instead, they are supplied by other automakers. The Pino is made by Suzuki, while the Otti is produced by Mitsubishi.

Nissan Pino

So what do you get in a K-car? Actually, plenty of space. The Otti, in particular, is almost cavernous. It is described as “functional” by Nissan, meaning it’s good for zipping around town on business and loading up with samples, etc. There is as much passenger room as there is in many large sedans. The roof is very high, so even tall people will have enough room, while the front seats are very broad. There’s also plenty of leg room for those in the front and the rear. The Pino, which is aimed at young women who might be purchasing their first car, feels somewhat smaller. The front seats are narrower than in the Otti, but still big enough, and there is also a decent amount of space in the rear. Both cars have limited trunk space—perhaps enough for an average shopping trip. Luggage space can be increased by lowering one or both of the rear seats in a simple maneuver. With women in mind, getting into the Pino is easy; the rear doors open almost at right angles to the car, so all modesty is protected. The Otti has an option of a sliding electric rear door.

Nissan Otti

Nissan Pino

In terms of style, the Otti is all business (“genderless,” says Nissan), although Mrs. Bonds gave it high marks for the pop-up storage boxes on the dash and the bed-like quality of the front passenger seat (a very important sales point for the narcoleptic). The Pino is designed to be cute. In fact, Nissan has teamed up with Sony Plaza in developing ways of accessorizing the Pino (the name is a contraction of Pinocchio). These include bright customizable fabric covers and cuddly toys. “The target is young women,” Nissan’s Miwa Ishii explained to Metropolis. “The cute aspect is important for these customers.” Color options range from soft pastels to red, pink and lime green.

Nissan expects the Pino to be attractive to “young women who don’t live in the center of big cities; more on the outskirts.”

“Country girls?” I suggested as a look of horror spread over the Nissan reps. The fact is that the countryside is a large part of the market for these cars. There is limited public transport in rustic areas, so everyone (yes, even “girls”) must drive, and cars like the Pino, available from ¥861,000, are vital to lifestyles of rural dwellers. With the Pino, Nissan is trying to bring both the cuteness and a bit of sophistication of the city to the countryside.

Personally, I prefer the Otti, which sells for just under a million yen. It’s actually quite an elegant car (that central speedometer is cool) and it drives much better than the Pino. The Otti’s handling was also superior, as I found the gear change on the Pino to be too abrupt (at times, there was also a worrying power surge). The Otti felt happy to be thrown around the streets of Tokyo, and while both cars were “comfortable” on the expressway, that’s clearly not their home turf. They have enough power to go anywhere, but heavy loads will slow them down.

If you’re looking for a cheap new car for the city or the country estate, then a K-car just might be the answer.

Autofile

The 40th Tokyo Motor Show will be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba from October 27 through November 11. This year, the organizers have added special events to promote audience participation—including test rides.

In addition to the usual attractions (which includes, of course, the babes adorning the various cars), a full lineup of funky concept vehicles will be unveiled. Nissan is showing off its battery-powered Pivo 2 (pictured), a state-of-the-art electric car that can move laterally and has a small robot to assist with navigation—and to keep an eye on things in general. The round-eyed ’bot head sitting on the dashboard has cameras that can tell when a driver is getting sleepy. It’s also bilingual, and can say things like “You look tired. There’s a coffee shop 500 meters ahead on the left.”

Meanwhile, Mazda’s theme for the show is “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom,” and the automaker will be debuting its all-new Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, which visitors will have the opportunity to take on a test spin at the “clean energy vehicle demo drive course.”

www.tokyo-motorshow.com/show/2007/eng. Chris Betros

Got something to say about this article? Send a letter to the editor at letters@metropolis.co.jp.

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