10 weird Japanese cars that will blow your minds!

Think of Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) cars and you’re definitely thinking of legends such as the Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R, the EK Honda Civic Type R, or even the Suzuki Alto Works. But beyond those legends lie a few utterly unique cars.

As much as we love those legendary JDMs, they’ve all been covered numerous times by various media sites. Instead, we want to put the spotlight on the weird cars that were sold in the Land of the Rising Sun. For this list, we are strictly limiting to models that were only offered in Japan.

We haven’t covered these ten cars in detail so just to let it out of the way, we won’t be featuring the Autozam AZ-1, Toyota Sera, Toyota Mega Cruiser, or any of the Mitsuoka models as we’ve already featured them.

Daihatsu Midget II

The original Daihatsu Midget had a cute name but it became the basis for tuk-tuks or autorickshaws which became a common transportation mode in countries like Thailand, India, and Indonesia. So, when Daihatsu revived the name on a modern successor in 1996, the quirkiness remained even if it gained an extra wheel.

With its 660-cc engine (31 PS/50 Nm), the Midget II qualified as a Kei truck. Its distinct bug-eyed headlamps and spare tire mounted on the front added the cute appeal. Just like its predecessor, it was meant to haul things.

As a hauler in the narrow city streets of Tokyo or Osaka, the Midget II was a favourite, especially among bar owners. Though one seat was the default arrangement, there was a two-seater option too and both were equipped with a 4-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic that powered the rear wheels.

Production for the Midget II lasted for 5 years until 2001 but it achieved a cult following around the world with a few units brought in through the grey market.

Daihatsu Mira Walk-Through Van

Perodua fans would recognise the Mira as the basis for the Perodua Kancil and Perodua Kelisa but apart from a conventional hatchback, the Mira also had a commercial van variant. However, Daihatsu being Daihatsu, the Japanese carmaker took their van design to another level.

Looking like a wardrobe closet that’s mashed with the front of a Mira, the Daihatsu Mira Walk-Through Van was initially powered by a 550-cc engine before revised Kei car regulations in the 1990s saw the engine size bumped to 660-cc.

Lasting for two generations between 1986 and 1994, the Walk-Through Van came with a sliding door and it didn't operate like in a conventional MPV. Instead, you slide it open just like one of those bathroom stall doors.

This was located on the passenger side and was the only way to get into the tall van before a regular driver’s door was added for its successor.

Honda Vamos

The oldest model on this list, the Honda Vamos was an open-aired recreational vehicle that was Japan’s answer to the Citroen Mehari and the Volkswagen Thing. Powered by a 360-cc 2-stroke air-cooled petrol engine placed in the middle, it was not a quick car.

Despite looking ready to go off-road, that was nigh impossible as the Vamos only came with rear-wheel drive. Still, it was intended to be brought as a simple beach buggy with the switches being water- and dust-proof.

The Vamos came with removable rear seats and a simple canvas convertible top. For a fun little vehicle, it has the same hippie vibe as a Volkswagen Kombi but it sold poorly between 1970 and 1973.

Only 2,500 units were built but as a result of not following the counter-culture movement sweeping America, Japan looked into the future instead in the ensuing decade with massive growth.

Mitsubishi RVR Open Gear

Launched in 1991 at the height of the Japanese Bubble Era, the Mitsubishi RVR was a shortened 4- or 5-seater version of the Space Wagon MPV. It was Mitsubishi’s attempt to woo younger buyers with its sporty image. It even brought Bugs Bunny as its spokesperson.

While the spacious rear seats are enough selling points for the youth who wanted more room for recreational activities, it’s the targa-top RVR Open Gear that we’re focusing on.

The RVR Open Gear was introduced in 1993 and unlike the regular RVR, it was strictly a 3-door minivan with 4-seats. It was powered by a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre 4G63 (160 PS/186 Nm) engine and came with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.

While unique, the RVR Open Gear wasn’t offered with the second-generation RVR and production ended in 1997.

Nissan Autech Zagato Stelvio AZ1

If there is a single car that best represent the madness of the Japanese Bubble Era, it would definitely be the Nissan Autech Zagato Stelvio AZ1. A limited production unit that was done in collaboration between Nissan and Italian carrozzeria (coachbuilder) Zagato, it looked as bonkers as the white powder that defined the eighties.

Autech was brought in to develop the engine and chassis, which was taken from a Nissan 300ZX (a 3.0-litre VG30DET V6) and a Nissan Leopard respectively. Meanwhile, Zagato was responsible for the design and by the looks of it, it was eccentric.

This was the same design house that penned the Alfa Romeo SZ and the resemblance is shown with its blocky, angular design. Inside, the Stelvio AZ1 was bathed in luxuriously soft Italian leather, Alcantara, and genuine wood veneers.

Nissan had bold ambitions and an equally bold price for the Stelvio AZ1; 203 units were planned and each cost JPY 18 million in 1989 which was the price of two Honda NSXs. However, the actual number of units made was 104 as Nissan saw costs spiraling during development.

Nissan S-Cargo

Besides reinventing the convertible and creating Italian-Japanese mashups, the Bubble Era also launched an interesting craze of retro-styled vehicles in Japan. Nissan introduced four unique concept cars that were collective called the Pike Cars at the 1987 Tokyo Auto Show that set the world alight.

These four were later greenlit for production but our focus lies squarely on the snail-shaped van with an equally snail-inspired name. The Nissan S-Cargo was the second Pike Car launched and also had the least number of units built with 8,000 made between 1989 and 1992.

While the rest of the Pike Cars were built on a Nissan March platform, the S-Cargo was built on the same platform as the humble B11 Nissan Sunny/Datsun 130Y. It was powered by a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine that was paired to a 3-speed automatic transmission.

Its design was inspired by Citroen 2CV which gave inspiration to its name. Though some publications called it one of the ugliest cars, I beg to differ as it’s a unique take on an old design with a particularly clean post-modern look.

Suzuki Twin

Kei cars have always looked small and boxy but the Suzuki Twin is a cute lil’ Kei car that resembled a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe. Looking very much like a toy car than an actual car, the Twin’s main competitor was the Smart Fortwo.

Launched in 2003, the Twin was designed primarily for women and its small size meant that it can easily squeeze in even the narrowest of parking spaces. It was one of the first Kei cars to come with a hybrid engine and interestingly, there was even a 5-speed manual transmission available for the petrol-powered version.

As it was a lil’ car, Suzuki made the Twin a 2-seater and boot space was only accessible through a glass hatch. It was probably due to this restriction that saw only 10,106 units built in its two-year production.

Toyota bB Open Deck

The Toyota bB was a unique boxy hatchback that shared the same platform as the first-gen Toyota Yaris. But if that wasn’t quirky enough, Toyota went ahead and made a pick-up version of it.

The bB Open Deck only lasted for a couple of years between 2001 and 2003 but it had a very smart design for its cargo space. Sure, it might have a tiny bed, but if you needed more room, you could fold the seats flat, open up the rear cabin wall, and voila! Extra cargo room.

Even loading items was easier than on a standard pick-up truck thanks to its low height. The practicality of the original bB was retained and so were the powertrains. It didn’t have the same toughness of a pick-up truck but what it lacked in grunt, it easily made up for its quirkiness.

Toyota Classic

Following the success of Nissan’s Pike Cars, Toyota wanted to introduce its own retro tribute. Unlike its rival which looked at older Western cars for inspiration, Toyota sought to look at its own past instead.

So, in 1996, the Japanese giant launched the simple-named Toyota Classic. Limited to only 100 units, the Toyota Classic’s design resembled the Toyota AA, which was Toyota’s first-ever car produced in 1936.

As classic as it looked, it was resplendent with luxurious features including leather seats, wooden steering wheel, and wood-grained instrument panels. Powering this classy modern-retro hatchback was a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine that produced 97 PS and 160 Nm.

But here’s the real kicker, underneath all that classy style, the Toyota Classic shared the same platform as the Toyota Hilux. That meant the Classic was also massive measuring 4,885 mm long and weighing in at 1,480 kg.

WiLL Cypha

Looking similar to a first-gen Perodua Myvi, the WiLL Cypha had some features that we consider normal now but it was a revolutionary car from nearly 20 years ago. However, behind all that funky appearance is the brand on which this was marketed as.

WiLL was a collaboration between numerous Japanese companies including Kao, Panasonic, Toyota, Glico, and Asahi. It was designed to be youth-oriented and its products were only offered online. Under this collaboration, WiLL sold three models, the WiLL Vi, the WiLL VS, and the car we’re featuring on this list, the WiLL Cypha.

The Cypha replaced the WiLL Vi with a more futuristic look. Underneath all that rounded style was the first-gen Toyota Yaris and just as the looks showed, the Cypha represented the future.

It was one of the first cars to come installed with a vehicle telematics system which was called G-Book. Besides that, the Cypha was also sold through a subscription service. It’s something that is currently offered by Renault and Toyota, but this was considered ahead of time back then.

These ten JDM cars are definitely interesting and while some of these won’t see a rise in value or even gain a huge fanbase, at least these quirky cars deserve some unique retrospection.