Japanese Engineering At Its Weirdest
Japan is known for producing some of the weirdest and most out-there products on Earth—and cars are no exception! From cars that are too tiny to ones that just look like something out of a Saturday morning cartoon, Japan has given us loads of bizarre vehicles over the years. Get ready for a fun ride through the 20 most unusual cars ever made by Japanese automakers.
1. Nissan S-Cargo
Styled like a cartoon delivery van, the S-Cargo was Nissan's late '80s experiment in retro quirk. Its name plays on "escargot," and it actually resembles a snail. Designed for both charm and function, it offered modest speed and practical space. S-Cargo gained cult status among niche collectors.
2. Mazda R360
Mazda’s first passenger car, the R360, looked like a toy and actually drove like one, too. Built for Japan’s kei car regulations, it weighed 838 lb. The car had a 16-horsepower engine and a bubble-like roofline.
3. Mitsuoka Orochi
Mitsuoka calls it a “fashion supercar,” but the Orochi feels more Halloween than haute couture. Its oddly shaped grille and bulging curves earned it nicknames like “the fish car.” Underneath, it’s mostly Toyota parts, but the outside is all wild.
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4. Toyota WiLL Vi
The WiLL Vi looked like a car drawn by someone who had never seen a car. Its reverse-sloped rear window and origami-like angles confused many buyers. Part of Toyota’s short-lived “Will” project, it targeted young adults but ended up more popular with retro-loving minimalists and Japanese domestic market fans.
5. Subaru Sambar Dias Classic
This one’s a microvan trying to pose like a British classic. It had round headlights and chrome accents. The Dias Classic had a faux vintage grille. It couldn’t go fast or haul much, but it did stand out parked next to your average commuter car.
6. Nissan Figaro
Originally released in 1991 with only 20,000 units, the Figaro was retro before retro was trendy. It had a folding roof and porthole-like windows. Despite its tiny engine, people adored Figaro for its style and city-friendliness. This car looked like something from a 1960s European postcard.
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7. Autozam AZ-1
Imagine a kei car and a Lamborghini had a love child. That’s the Autozam AZ-1—a tiny, gullwing-door micro sports car from Mazda’s Autozam brand. Released in the early '90s, it was impossibly small and a bit impractical. However, futuristic looks and a mid-engine layout made it impossible to ignore.
8. Honda Vamos
Originally marketed as a fun, open-top leisure vehicle in the '70s, the Honda Vamos looked like a golf cart on steroids. It had no doors, no roof, and barely any power. Made for beaches and backroads, Vamos wasn’t exactly practical.
9. Daihatsu Move Canbus
This car blends boxy and bubbly in a way that looks cute but confusing. Canbus was designed for trendy urban drivers, with sliding doors and a flat floor. Its styling hinted at retro vans, but the color palettes and toy-like proportions made it feel more like a grown-up’s oversized lunchbox.
10. Toyota Pod
Built as a concept with Sony, the Pod wasn’t just a car—it had moods. This egg-shaped electric vehicle could change its “expression” with lights and movement. You can call it an emotional robot rather than a vehicle, flashing happy faces or sulking when mistreated.
11. Honda P-NUT
The Personal Neo Urban Transport (P-NUT) looked like a futuristic peanut on wheels. A three-seater with the driver in the center, it was Honda’s stab at a compact, urban commuter for tomorrow. The car never made production, but its spaceship styling and odd proportions made it unforgettable among concept cars.
12. Daihatsu Copen
Think convertible but fun-sized. The Daihatsu Copen was a kei car with a hardtop roof that folded into the trunk like magic. It had the spirit of a sports car yet was much wider than a motorcycle. Driving a Copen would be like you’re playing with a remote-controlled toy.
13. Subaru BRAT
Short for Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter, the BRAT was Subaru’s mini-pickup with rear-facing jump seats bolted into the bed, mainly to dodge import taxes. It had a rugged stance and a bizarre layout that screamed function over comfort.
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14. Toyota Classic
Built in the mid-’90s, styled like a 1930s cruiser! The Toyota Classic rode on a modern platform but looked like it came straight out of a black-and-white film. It had wood paneling and running boards. Toyota only made 100 of them to show off what nostalgia could buy.
15. Isuzu VehiCROSS
This SUV was designed to look futuristic. With chunky fenders, floating taillights, and body cladding that belonged in an anime, the VehiCROSS didn’t play it safe. Most people remember this car for how unapologetically weird it looked parked at the mall.
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16. Suzuki X-90
Is it an SUV? Is it a coupe? Is it a joke? The Suzuki X-90 came with T-tops, two seats, and the stance of a roller skate. The car had four-wheel drive but barely any storage. Its design was so confusing it became an instant oddball.
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17. Daihatsu Midget II
The one-seat truck came with a spare tire mounted on the front like it was going on safari. Designed for small deliveries in tight Japanese alleys, the Midget II was more like a mascot than a machine. Some even had side-by-side seating, but space remained a polite suggestion.
18. Subaru Rex Combi
The Subaru Rex Combi had tiny wheels and a powertrain that squeaked rather than roared. Subaru built it to fill kei car quotas but gave it strange proportions and toy-like charm. The ride wasn’t fast or flashy, just oddly loveable in its awkward way.
19. Mitsuoka Viewt
Take a Nissan Micra and dress it like a vintage Jaguar Mark 2. That’s the Mitsuoka Viewt, a compact car wearing a tuxedo from another century. It’s oddly charming and somehow works despite its mixed identity.
20. Toyota Century Royal
This ultra-luxury limo was made only for the Japanese Imperial family. With lace curtains and wool upholstery, it felt more like a palace than a car. The Century Royal wasn’t flashy, but every inch whispered tradition and exclusivity. Talk about rare and undeniably strange.
