From NBC News: President Donald Trump has praised trucks called kei” cars – tiny, lightweight, low-powered and low-noise vehicles – and wants to replicate their success as U.S. cars soar in price and swell in size.
A Daihatsu kei truck typically costs around $10,000 in Japan, a quarter of what an F-150 costs. It’s also half the size and comes with an engine of around 60 horsepower, compared with the over 300 horsepower engines that power most F-150s.
Trump saw the trucks firsthand while visiting Japan in October and has since talked about bringing the phenomenon to the U.S. “They’re very small. They’re really cute. And I said, how would that do in this country?” he told reporters in the Oval Office on Dec. 3.
Two days later, he said he had “just approved TINY CARS to be built in America.” He wrote on Truth Social: “These cars of the very near future are inexpensive, safe, fuel efficient and, quite simply, AMAZING!!!”
Kei cars face challenges in the US market due to safety concerns and a preference for larger, more comfortable vehicles.
“It’s easy to want to drive one of these cute kei cars. It’s another thing to put your family in them and travel down the highway at 70 mph between a Suburban and an F-150,” said Tifani Sadek, director of the University of Michigan Law School’s Law and Mobility Program.
Take a look at the kei car — the Japanese tiny cars that made an impression on President Trump. @Max_Gorden reports. pic.twitter.com/ULL5LqydIb
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) December 11, 2025
From hot hatches and off-roaders, to vans, MPVs and even sportscars, the segment covers all bases. These are some of the very best kei cars of all time! 👇 #Kei #Keicars https://t.co/yB3ElIuIEf pic.twitter.com/G0RLEhJsDv
— Goodwood FOS (@fosgoodwood) December 24, 2025
Read more at NBC News
The Dennis Michael Lynch Podcast archive is available below, with the most recent on top. Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the show by downloading The DML News App or go to Apple Podcasts.
