The Smallest Engine Currently Available In A Production Car

When it comes to average engine sizes, the US definitely leads the world in passenger car displacement. The age-old saying “There’s no replacement for displacement” still rings true here, albeit on a smaller scale than, say, the 1960s. With that being said, the rest of the world has adapted to smaller engines in their cars at a much faster rate, and while we may scoff at this over here in the Colonies, it seems there’s no avoiding it as the world continues to eke more on the side of environmental friendliness.

One such country has always preferred smaller engines. In Japan, they have what are called kei cars, tiny little things meant for bounding about the cities with tiny engines, tiny frames, and great tight-space maneuvering. The kei car was created in order for owners to enjoy lower taxes on excise, weight, and insurance, as well as a lower annual road tax. Currently, a kei car offers the smallest engine you can buy in any market: the 2025 Honda N-VAN.

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Honda’s N-VAN Is The Embodiment Of Tiny

Key Facts About The Honda N-VAN

• Offers a tiny 0.66-liter gasoline engine
• Production of the N-VAN commenced in 2018
• Comes with a choice between four grades
• Only offered in Japan

There’s a very glaring reason behind the Honda N-VAN’s use of a 0.66-liter engine. In Japan, kei cars are strictly regulated, as you’d expect, since their only function is to circumvent government-mandated taxes. Current regulations state a kei car cannot have an engine larger than 0.66 liters, otherwise it’s subject to normal taxes and fees that ordinary passenger cars must also pay when driving on Japan’s road network.

In case it isn’t obvious, 0.66 liters is tiny, just 658 cubic centimeters in the N-VAN’s case. However, Honda has provided its N-VAN with just enough oomph to get the job done. On top of this, Honda also offers a turbocharged version that can throw out a bit more power when needed. The N-VAN is part of Honda’s N-line of kei cars, which is made up of our N-VAN along with the N-One, N-Box, and the N-WGN. If you’re wondering what the “N” stands for, it supposedly stands for New, Next, Nippon, and Norimono, at least according to Honda.

Its interior is designed to be extremely versatile, which is a great thing to have considering how tiny these things are. All of its seats – excluding the driver’s – can be folded flat into the floor, and numerous mounting points exist in its cargo hold for shelving units, tie-downs, or hangars. In total, there are 28 different mounting screws throughout the N-VAN, all of which boast the same size screw for easy installation.

N-VAN Grades And Pricing

At the core of the N-VAN’s list of objectives is its place as a work vehicle. The tiny thing is perfect for tradesmen such as contractors, handymen, or mobile mechanics operating within the confines of Japan’s congested and narrow-streeted cities. Of the N-VAN’s four grades, the “G” and “L” trim levels are positioned as work vehicles, whereas the “FUN” and “COOL” models are meant for regular consumers.

Below, we’ll break down each N-VAN variant and its starting price:

• N-VAN
  • G
    • Prices start at ¥1,174,000 ($7,856)
  • L
    • Prices start at ¥1,242,000 ($8,311)
• N-VAN +STYLE
  • FUN
    • Prices start at ¥1,445,000 ($9,670)
  • FUN TURBO
    • Prices start at ¥1,545,000 ($10,340)
  • COOL
    • Prices start at ¥1,445,000 ($9,670)
  • COOL TURBO
    • Prices start at ¥1,545,000 ($10,340)

More Than Just A Mouse On A Wheel

Sure, that 658cc engine is small, smaller than many American motorcycle engines. The thing is, though, Honda managed to squeeze an adequate amount of power out of the little three-pot. After all, the days of 20 or 30-horsepower city cars have long since passed, and the future of the kei car has a bit more pep in its step. Just for clarification’s sake, there are no regulations regarding the amount of power a kei car can produce, only its engine size.

*Specs courtesy of Honda

Honda provides a choice between a CVT or a six-speed manual transmission, the latter of which is, reportedly, more popular. The N-VAN boasts front-wheel drive as standard, although all-wheel drive is offered as an option. Honda SENSING, Honda’s driver assistance suite, is offered on all N-VAN trim levels and offers the standard accouterment of goodies including rain-sensing wipers, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keep assist.

World’s Tiniest Engine Runner-Up: The Suzuki Jimny

That’s right, one of the world’s most adorable off-roaders also offers one of the world’s smallest engines currently in production for a passenger vehicle. Like the N-VAN, it boasts a 0.6-liter inline-three motor as its base powertrain to help circumvent those pesky Japanese congestion charges and taxes for cars with motors larger than 660 cubic centimeters. The motor in question, which carries the production code “R06A”, is based on the older Suzuki K engine, which saw use in the Suzuki Cappuccino, one of the world’s highest-revving road cars ever produced.

Unfortunately for us in the States, we can’t buy a Suzuki Jimny at a local dealership. In fact, Suzuki hasn’t operated in the United States since the end of 2013 after deciding to pull out of the US market amid poor sales and lackluster buyer interest. However, we can’t help but wonder, would the release of the Jimny in the States spark an interest in the Suzuki brand over here again? After all, we’ve seen the resurrection of the Ford Bronco, another retro-styled, boxy SUV. Most signs point to Suzuki not coming back, but we can hope, right?

The same sentiment goes for the little N-VAN, although to a lesser extent. It may be a bit more obvious that the microvan wouldn’t do as well over in the States, but being able to own a tiny, new Japanese van that’s also ridiculously useful would be a good thing for those of us who live and work in major cities.

Sources: Honda, Suzuki