A glimpse into the Smallest Roadster Kei Car – the Honda Beat

by Masashi S. JDM Enthusiast

The Honda Beat is a two-door roadster Kei car manufactured from 1991 to 1996 by Honda and was designed by the Italian car design firm Pininfarina. Kei cars are considered the smallest cars in Japan which allow a maximum engine displacement of 660 cc enabling car owners to pay less insurance and tax.

The Honda Beat is a sports car that falls in the Kei car category and is available in two models: the PP1-100 and PP1-110 with a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, and a three-cylinder engine.

Exterior and Interior

The Beat is a convertible car with a manually operated soft-top and features a good combination of headlights in the front with the front bumper and hood, a rear spoiler, small taillights at the rear, and air vents for the air to cool the engines located at the top of the trunk lid and the rear bumper.

The interior was built as an economy-minded car thus it only features a basic air conditioning system, heater, a radio, instrument panel with simple gauges, and white dials. The speedometer is placed to the right, the coolant and fuel temperature gauges are located to the left, and the tachometer is at the center. Additionally, it offers zebra print upholstery on the carpets and seats.

Underneath the Hood

The Honda Beat is powered by a 0.7L (656 cc) E07A with Multi Throttle Responsive Engine Control (MTREC) straight-three cylinder petrol engine producing power and torque of 64 hp, 44 lb-ft paired with a five-speed manual transmission. The Beat achieves a top speed of 140 km/h and 0-100 km/h in 13 seconds and an average fuel economy of 17 km/L.

The Beat was built as a small vehicle, though the space inside the cabin is quite roomy and the headroom won’t be a problem for it is a convertible car. But there doesn’t seem to be any additional room for storing things. There is space for a spare tire at the front beneath the hood and a trunk at the rear which is relatively close to the engine.

Generally,

The Honda Beat is an exquisite, adorable, and unique sports car. It is a classic compact sports car that looks tiny compared to the other sports car and offers an enjoyable driving experience. If you’re looking for an exotic sports car with good performance and will stand out on the road why not consider the Honda Beat. You can check the Honda Beat stocklist now to get yours.