The thing you pointed to at the end is for the Japanese toll roads. You insert a toll card and it automatically charges your bank when driving through toll roads, rather than having to stop at a toll booth and paying via cash etc
So… I went to the link provided, searched Honda and… there’s no S660 in the model selection dropdown… :-( I thought… I’ll see if there’s any Suzuki Alto Works Turbo RS’s… err… no. :-((
Fun fact: the stock ecu backs off the drive by wire throttle to 40% at redline, to keep the power under 64hp, even if the pedal is matted. Reflash the ecu to allow actual full throttle, and you get 76hp with no other mods.
Hey, thanks for the info, I'm a guy that's looking to learn more about cars, so can you please share the source or hub where you got such info during my free time?
@@aadidevnair8507 If you hook up a scantool to the ECU and view the throttle position data, you can see that the throttle opening reduces dramatically above 4000rpm to cap the power. Boost can be observed reducing to half by redline too. Scantools are inexpensive, get one and see for yourself 🙂
@@aadidevnair8507 you can verify this easily enough with a scantool. Set it to display a readout of throttle position and boost pressure, and you can observe throttle reducing dramatically above 4000rpm, and boost is cut by half by redline. Scantools are inexpensive nowadays, get one and try it out on your own car 😀
You are right Matt. The little Honda is probably the coolest car you own. Full of character and cheerful in its looks. Being a manual shifter is a big bonus for me.
Ohhhh, we import a lot of little Jap ecos here and they all say that. It's nice to know finally wtf she's saying💀💀💀 the only word I understand was "please"
Happy to see you enjoy S660, Mat. I'm an owner of the small car and it's my ever favorite! Driving S660 on public twisty road delivers you full of joy.
Fun fact - indicators on the right side of the steering wheel is the correct location for a right hand drive vehicle. It means you can indicate whilst changing gear with a manual gearbox. Vehicles with indicators on the left side of the steering wheel usually started life as left-hand drive cars. Japanese cars are designed to be right-hand drive from the very start. 🤓
Yes and the older UK cars had it the same way as the JDM cars still do, AFAIK ... So the "modern" change was to make it no different to other European cars ... 🤷♂🙅♂
I had a Honda Beat imported new from Japan. 1992 model. That had a naturally aspirated 660 cc engine also producing 64 bhp and revved very high. It had a speed limiter at 84 but you could get a black box fitted which removes this. Wonderful little car - proper soft top and it had a boot behind the engine - of sorts. First day I took it to work, a van drove into the back of me! Not much damage but had to import a new bumper from Japan. I had a luggage rack fitted on the back so we could go away for a weekend. The radio was the same as yours in that the frequencies in Japan are different but there was a device available that changed this so that the radio worked fine - it also had noise sensitive volume control so it got louder as the engine got louder. Fabulous fun - I am just over 6'1" and it was fine for me - my wife was less keen on the passenger seat as this was 2/3rds the width of the driver's seat and did not recline! I kept it for a couple of years but we moved house and got dogs so it was traded in for a Toyota Camry estate 3.0 GX - the one with twin rear wipers - sublime to ridiculous!
Indicator stalks on the right-side is actually the correct configuration for a RHD car, so you can indicate and change gear at the same time (important on roundabouts) we've just got used to cars built for predominantly LHD markets having indicators, exhausts, and fuel fillers on the wrong side.
You shouldn't need to be changing gear and indicating at the same time on a roundabout. Same with corners. Get your braking and gear changing done in advance..
The S660 is absolutely lovely, I really can’t understand why Honda hasn’t sold it abroad. Specially in sunny places, like Italy, Spain or California, I think it could have been a hit, in a 100bhp version. Saw a few of then in person, and its cuteness and “tinyness” is even more shocking.
HKS actually has a turbo kit for this to achieve a reliable 100+hp, and there is one out there with 150hp, which I could imagine becoming somewhat scary.
Fun car! Yes, when you start the motor it's the ETC (highway toll). It says: "Please insert your card". I know because I live in Japan (since 1997!). Enjoy you mini car!
One of my biggest pet peeves about living here is how everything is constantly talking. You can’t turn anything on without it immediately yelling something at you. It’s especially annoying if you’re stressed out and trying to get whatever it is to shut up lol
@@conor7154 My EU spec 330i E90 got delieverd new in Japan with some japan only options (spent 11 years there, now in Belgium) and my mirror just beeps on startup displaying 'no card' but no talking out loud
These Kei cars ARE SUCH A WONDERFUL ANSWER to UK driving, a fun, economical choice for younger drivers that COULD also be cheaper in regards to insurance too (IF car manufacturers started mass/officially importing them)! I'm 53, ex biker, and what with parking issues around where I live, I WOULD buy a Kei car! We NEED a 'Kei car category' here! Japan has SO MANY fun looking Kei cars (MUCH BETTER than the bland, fugly jelloy mold Crossovers/SUVs that the market is FLOODED with!
Lovely little car! And you’re right, weight is everything. I had fun in my very first car, a VW Scirocco Mk1 with 110bhp engine. It weighed only 800kg.
I had one too, great car unfortunately the Golf Gti took all the credit which I didn't understand as the Scirocco was a better looking car. Jeremy Clarkson also owned one, he rated it as a great car to.
The reality is that this car is quite heavy for its size and engine. Plenty of sporty hatchbacks were under 900kg in the 80s. Then in the 90s, cars started getting fat.
It's amazing that you go out of your way to order from Japan. Kei cars are really useful in Japan. My wife is also have Daihatsu Copen. I'm glad you seem to be having fun.
@@sharpbhai2018 It's a very difficult question, I've driven both cars, and both of them are fun to drive. but I think S660 is cooler than Copen because of its mechanism and nice shape. However, Copen is easier useful than S660 because it has a hard top, so the roof opening is large, and it can be opened and closed by electricity.
Don't even need to do that anymore he has a Samsung so has circle to search point your camera at the writing and keep the Home button pressed and it will allow him to translate making google lens obsolete 😉
No doubt the little Honda S660 is adorable and it's probably a hoot to drive around, especially in town but in all fairness, I really love that Suzuki Jimmy. I've seen a few japanese Jimny pictures on Pinterest with aftermarket wheels and tires, plus modified front grills and bumbers and they're just absolutely gorgeous go-everywhere little cars. Ideally you do like Mat: you have both cars in your garage!
Hey Matt. Congrats on the baby nsx from Pakistan. I owned the Alpha Trim auto for more than a year. Drove the hell out of it. Went from one city to another cruising on the highway. Mine had cruise control as well. Have taken it to the hillside countless times and its so stupidly fun driving doing a hill climb on it with the roof down. We actually have a massive Kei car group that has tuned snd upgraded s660s called Kei Nation. I still miss this car. Would definitely buy it again. And yes every single lane turns into 2 lanes when you're in this.
The Jaoanese voice on startup is indeed for the ETC card reader(toll pass), it says your device is active with a reminder that no card is inserted. You can get special ETC cards in Japan which are connected to a credit card, you slot the ETC card in the device in passenger footwell and you can drive through toll fast lanes - the toll charges will go straight to your credit card.
Love the small hand print on the door of the Suzuki :) . That Honda is super cool looking. And it looks fun to drive. It is not supossed to be fast. A call it a good buy for sure.
safe drives on the UK roads Mat. Just assume that your cute Honda is greeting you every time you start the engine (ignore the fact that it is coming out from the ETC unit).
@@ahyaan2552 toll system is probably just guled and only connected to power, but with infotainment its more complicated as it depends how hard it will be to access memory to just rewrite interface by hand
Hi. I've imported a Honda S660 into the UK from Japan. I used a different importer based here with offices worldwide who sorted everything, even checking for recalls in Japan and getting them fixed there before shipping. Many parts are standard Honda ones but for its last service (5k km!) my mechanic said it might need new front disc pads but Honda don't have them on their system anymore. My Honda mechanic mate there said perhaps a Civic one might double up. Apparently an air filter is coming from Belgium for it. My importers supply a range of service parts and I've got a top spec front set from them in 24 hrs. (Reasonably priced too) I use a specialist insurer for imported cars and actually it's not stupid money. The Japanese voice is a kei car thing. It's like a 'welcome'. Mine's newer and there's another cup holder on the passenger side of the centre console. I have 2 keys. Mine's a cvt which actually flies. Reviews reckon it's sluggish but mine isn't. (Unmodified too) At lights it streaks away leaving many staggered. Yes it's restricted top speed etc but I find it amazing. On the cvt one it does say 'sport' on the button. Yes, it changes the dash to red and alters the screen guages. Having translated the handbook, when on it switches off the auto stop. (P 86 I think.) Fortunately the infotainment system has pictures beside the Japanese so you can set most things. (Date/time etc) Pairing the phone can be done but you can't hear much. Don't bother. Before this I had a Beat for 12 years. Similar spec but the S660 would leave it standing. Honda UK knew I'd got it and sadly the cambelt snapping required an engine rebuild. Honda Japan emailed my mate a 600 page document from their factory to help him. (He could have done it I'm sure) Fortunately he can read enough Japanese! He's called his son Jenson! Oh, the S660's capacity is 658cc. Some useful/less facts: Japan's MOT is from £500 I was told. (shaken) In Japan they measure the street parking space which determines the size of car you're allowed. KEI cars are exempt. (Driveways must be different) Having been to Japan I was amazed how many streets in Tokyo don't have names. Residents use PO boxes on corner buildings. I've been fortunate to travel the world and Japan's my number 1 destination of all. If you haven't been already you should go. I've watched many of your videos. How do you remember all of the facts? I can waffle but facts are facts!
I used to import cars from japan to the uk and Australia in the 90s. The uk is great because you can import cars quite easily once a car is 10 years old. It was much cheaper years ago for shipping. You can fit a radio band expander to the aerial that will find the british frequencies
Great drag race. The slow ones are the funniest, You can get a frequency converter for the radio and can probably translate the language? These cars make so much sense in the UK cities. Why the hell did we not get them? Just love it. It's like a real life hot wheels. Got to do some mods air box and exhaust 😁👍
We had the Smart in two sizes, the Forfour is roughly Kei size and came up to 108BHP. Nobody bought them. No point in importing when most British people look at cars by size not quality or performance.
12:20 the indicators on the right are actually much better especially in a manual for us in the uk. Means you don’t have to indicate and change gear at the same time when turning corners
I've wanted one of these for a long time. Thanks for doing the videos and confirming how good it is... and cheap. I'm sorry, but it's going to be slightly less rare soon! You are correct about the little box being for toll roads too (lots of them in Tokyo). It's asking you to 'Please insert your card' by the way.
Small is beautiful. This car demonstrates that a small engine, low power, compact dimensions, interesting design, can be fun and rewarding on many levels. More relevant to today’s motoring than many will ever realise.
Mat awesome video, we need cars like this in Europe, I would definitely have one if available here in Slovenia. This Honda S660 actually looks great, now you just need to modify it to proper pocket rocket ❤
Oh, yes, totally getting the feeling. I have a Copen with the 1,2 aspirated engine, 87 hp, it is a riot, although only FWD. These cars are not about top speed, but cornering and general agility. They are literally go-carts in traffic. Drop down tops are a bonus. Guess you can mount a luggage rack on the rear bonnet, if necessary. Too bad they never exported them to Europe, and did not have a LHD variant (for us, living on the continent).
Cities really should be adopting some of these Kei cars from Japan. The city cars we have now are good but Kei's have benefits in Japan as mentioned in the video. If we get Kei cars here in the UK with those benefits would be awesome.
We used to have plenty of Kei cars available in the UK, they didn't sell very well which is why they stopped selling them to us. Probably because we didn't really need them back in the 90s as cars were more reasonably sized so more room for everyone. But we need them so much now!
The 64hp limit is self-imposed, so there's nothing you can do about it (SUZUKI is to blame). 100-140hp is the standard in the aftermarket. SUZUKI's Works kei cars used to have a crazy 220hp.
Damn, I really think cars like these should've been introduced to various markets....Like some people do want to have a 2 seater car for a fun drive. So they can have a Sedan or SUV or daily commute and a car like this, maybe slightly more power and big engine and it's done, lighter it is so it'll be such a grt car...
It will be so fun to drive when it's remaped. 100 hp and 140 Nm on a 800 kilo car that is so low to the ground is not bad at all. We want the video quickly Mat😜
You so should make this the fastest and best handling one in the uk. Get the engine out and fully built, big(er) turbo, induction and free flow exhaust. That’s a project I’d watch!
In the UK, there has long been a culture of driving small sports cars, so I thought this car would be very well received in the UK. I'm glad that people liked it after all.
My art teacher had a honda beat when I was in school, she was dinky, I think around 4ft 8 or something she was not a tall woman. It must have felt like an s2000 to her!
If you like this car then you might like Honda CR-Z too. It's more usable version but with similar values - small-ish, nimble, economic, very pleasant to drive with manual and hybrid system giving plenty of torque. Would be great to see your review of the car as there isn't one from any of big car UA-camrs.
These little Hondas are quite popular in Sri Lanka, where I am currently living. I very nearly bought a genuine Mugen version of the 660, but in the end, I went for a Daihatsu Copen, purely because it had a useable boot, whilst the Honda's 'frunk' was not practical at all. Looking forward to what tuning mods you will be adding to the car, and where you will source the parts .
I have S660 for 2 years and enjoy massive fun with it. You definitely need some sort of power limiter cut off as it is restricted to 64ps by voluntary regurgitation. My recommendation is HKS flash editor (ECU Reader/righter)with 44G shop special mapping. After removing limitations, Jimny is not fast enough to catch it. With regards to the shake, it is known issue in Japan and there are loads of solutions from specialist shops. In fact, it is not scuttle shake but weakness of steering gearbox mounting. You can have Spoon reinforced bracket. Anyway, you will need your wheels aligned properly! Enjoy modern interpretation of MG Midget!!
A lovely little car at a not half bad price. I'd really need some storage though. I find it hilarious that you're keeping the ETC card reader. Yes, it is for their toll roads.
I`m desperate to see this wee thing get tuned! Matt, you gotta start a poll at how much power us viewers reckon a modern day tuning shop can squeeze from a 660cc engine starting from 64bhp, I doubt you`ll get anywhere over 70! Anyone else wanna have a stab at how much he`ll (they`ll) get?
Wish we could get a left hand drive version for germany. Really like that car. Will you make an episod on how it drives once you upgraded it to 100 hp?
Mat, the little voice when you start it up is asking you very politely, to put your ETC (Electronic Toll Collection card) into that little box. And you're right; it's for our motorways, here in Japan. Utterly pointless over there, but yep, a little bit of Japaneseyness is fun, isn't it. Cheers mate, Simon In Japan. 🇬🇧💛🇯🇵
That was a fun video. I wish more companies offered mini sportscars in modern times. I think it'd be interesting to watch you compare the Honda with an old, tiny British roadster like the Austin-Healey Sprite or MG Midget. I'd bet the size and performance are similar. The insurance thing was nothing new. Insurance is more about the cost to fix than anything else. I live in America, and I had a $6,000 used Mazda that cost double the yearly insurance of my $30,000 Jeep because Jeeps are so ridiculously easy to fix and cheap to buy parts for.
The wiper/turn stalk swap is the one thing that always gets me when I travel to Japan or Australia. Don't really have a problem driving on the other side of the road, I'm in the US, but I never get use to the stalk swap. Does leave me with the cleanest windscreen on the road though. lol
my dream car is a cadillac despite my chances of owning one or seeing one in real life are less than my hopes but in UK roads that car is perfectly suited
Someone in my neighborhood in Japan has a Cadillac Escalade. I see them driving around occasionally too. You should try to save up and get one, it might help you make connections. I’ve befriended a lot of people who have interesting cars.
If you want to import a car from Japan check out Autocom Japan here: bit.ly/autocom_japan_inc2
You can also call them on +81-45-227-7095
Hey Mat why cant you drive on your side of the road like a safe driver
Awh Matt, that wee car is calling out for a CBR600RR engine swap!
The thing you pointed to at the end is for the Japanese toll roads. You insert a toll card and it automatically charges your bank when driving through toll roads, rather than having to stop at a toll booth and paying via cash etc
@@MatWatsonCars I did look at it, but nothing was really exciting (high performance sport cars).
So… I went to the link provided, searched Honda and… there’s no S660 in the model selection dropdown… :-(
I thought… I’ll see if there’s any Suzuki Alto Works Turbo RS’s… err… no. :-((
The government should have pushed something like K cars for cheaper economical driving, rather than trying to force us into huge +2 Ton SUV EVs!
Nobody is forcing you into anything.
Sadly the huge SUV part has nothing to do with the government, that's just what people are buying.
@@drunkenhobo8020Having shit roads done by the governments certainly has an effect.
@deeno9804 yes they ARE forcing us. Have you seen dealerships? 80% are suvs, and there are WAYY less sedans and hatchbacks than before.
There was the Mini. Unfortunately, it got turned into a heavy, expensive abomination.
Fun fact: the stock ecu backs off the drive by wire throttle to 40% at redline, to keep the power under 64hp, even if the pedal is matted. Reflash the ecu to allow actual full throttle, and you get 76hp with no other mods.
Hey, thanks for the info, I'm a guy that's looking to learn more about cars, so can you please share the source or hub where you got such info during my free time?
@@aadidevnair8507 If you hook up a scantool to the ECU and view the throttle position data, you can see that the throttle opening reduces dramatically above 4000rpm to cap the power. Boost can be observed reducing to half by redline too. Scantools are inexpensive, get one and see for yourself 🙂
@@aadidevnair8507 you can verify this easily enough with a scantool. Set it to display a readout of throttle position and boost pressure, and you can observe throttle reducing dramatically above 4000rpm, and boost is cut by half by redline. Scantools are inexpensive nowadays, get one and try it out on your own car 😀
@@aadidevnair8507bot
I have a picture of a ghost on a tv.
日本でS660に乗っています。
S660がイギリスの町並みを走っている姿を見て感動しました！
たくさん乗って楽しんでください！
エンジン始動時に喋る機械はETCといって、日本でチケットレスで高速道路に乗るときに必要なものですよ。
We all thank Japan for all their wonderful cars and bikes😎👌
@@Jestersson I'm glad to hear you say so.
There are a lot of foreign cars on the road in Japan. (British ones, of course!))
It's mutual☺
@@Jesterssonランドローバーの品質は素晴らしい
日本車は安い
@@Jestersson We all thank Great Britain for all their wonderful tea and suits
Got to say in the real world, the K car makes so much more sense than the stuff most of us drive in the UK
Un bun exemplu de automobil compact, încăpător și totodată cu dinamică plăcută este Suzuki Swift Sport 1.4 boosterjet cu motorizare K14C.
the UK is shite so it does not matter what range rover supporter you drive
Iirc there was micro car boom in UK untill safety regulations rise up and favors bigger car with better crumple zone and things
But I need my tank SUV to carry my fat ass to the shops...
You are right Matt. The little Honda is probably the coolest car you own. Full of character and cheerful in its looks. Being a manual shifter is a big bonus for me.
20:15 yes, that's the toll system called ETC in Japan. The voice is just saying "please insert your card"
bruh
That's right
ETCcard wo irete kudasai
And it’s probably the most famous Japanese phrase in countries in Africa that import a lot of used Japanese cars. lol
Ohhhh, we import a lot of little Jap ecos here and they all say that. It's nice to know finally wtf she's saying💀💀💀 the only word I understand was "please"
Honda manual gearboxes are brilliant, such slick and precise changes, I can confirm this as an owner of an S2000.
My 64 year old mother also has a S2000 cause it was her dreamcar at the time and she loves that thing to the moon 😂
My 20 yrs old Civic gearbox was smoother then in my 2016 GT86, Toyota should never let Subaru build that car (GT86/BRZ), they should do it with Honda.
As an ex Jazz owner, definitely can confirm this too
My civic 1.6d has the nicest gearbox I’ve ever had. Way better than you’d expect in a diesel 😂
I owned a 96 del sol and a 96 EJ1, I can confirm that they have better gearboxes than anything that I have driven.
Happy to see you enjoy S660, Mat. I'm an owner of the small car and it's my ever favorite!
Driving S660 on public twisty road delivers you full of joy.
s660運転が楽しいですよね
Fun fact - indicators on the right side of the steering wheel is the correct location for a right hand drive vehicle. It means you can indicate whilst changing gear with a manual gearbox. Vehicles with indicators on the left side of the steering wheel usually started life as left-hand drive cars. Japanese cars are designed to be right-hand drive from the very start. 🤓
Yes and the older UK cars had it the same way as the JDM cars still do, AFAIK ... So the "modern" change was to make it no different to other European cars ... 🤷♂🙅♂
マットさんがS660のレビューをしてくれるなんて！！早く日本語版が見たいなぁ
I had a Honda Beat imported new from Japan. 1992 model. That had a naturally aspirated 660 cc engine also producing 64 bhp and revved very high. It had a speed limiter at 84 but you could get a black box fitted which removes this. Wonderful little car - proper soft top and it had a boot behind the engine - of sorts. First day I took it to work, a van drove into the back of me! Not much damage but had to import a new bumper from Japan. I had a luggage rack fitted on the back so we could go away for a weekend. The radio was the same as yours in that the frequencies in Japan are different but there was a device available that changed this so that the radio worked fine - it also had noise sensitive volume control so it got louder as the engine got louder. Fabulous fun - I am just over 6'1" and it was fine for me - my wife was less keen on the passenger seat as this was 2/3rds the width of the driver's seat and did not recline! I kept it for a couple of years but we moved house and got dogs so it was traded in for a Toyota Camry estate 3.0 GX - the one with twin rear wipers - sublime to ridiculous!
このクルマはビートよりも快適性も考慮されていますよ。
カムリを再び交換するに値しますよ（笑）
Indicator stalks on the right-side is actually the correct configuration for a RHD car, so you can indicate and change gear at the same time (important on roundabouts) we've just got used to cars built for predominantly LHD markets having indicators, exhausts, and fuel fillers on the wrong side.
Erm... German cars....
@@rayoflight39the only german car I can think of where the indicators are on the right is a W124 Mercedes
You shouldn't need to be changing gear and indicating at the same time on a roundabout. Same with corners. Get your braking and gear changing done in advance..
@@ThePedroDB And also indicate before the turn, not while already turning
Having the indicators on the left makes it easier for foreign drivers to drive too. I didn't know Japan had the indicators on the right.
The S660 is absolutely lovely, I really can’t understand why Honda hasn’t sold it abroad. Specially in sunny places, like Italy, Spain or California, I think it could have been a hit, in a 100bhp version. Saw a few of then in person, and its cuteness and “tinyness” is even more shocking.
A lifetime of German cars I’m now driving Japanese cars, why did i wait so long they are brilliant amazing, buy one!
20:12 「カードを入れて下さい」は海外でもっとも知られている日本語の一つです😃
(高速道路の料金システム)
試乗で乗ったことあります。視界が悪くて購入には勇気が要りますが、MR搭載エンジンの回頭性の良さとなにより個人的にはブレーキが非常に驚きました。後にも先にもこんな車との一体感があるブレーキフィールは初めてで、踏めばふむだけ効くとはこういうことなんだなと感心しました。
That car with 100-120hp and new set of tires, would be flying.
HKS actually has a turbo kit for this to achieve a reliable 100+hp, and there is one out there with 150hp, which I could imagine becoming somewhat scary.
i wonder if anyone has done engine swap on this thing, car looks pretty decent and it's so light
Question is if you can get good tires in the size the car has.
@@CONNNE Suzuki hayabusa engine!
@@tamma369 nankang make heaps of kei sized semi and full slick tires
Fun car! Yes, when you start the motor it's the ETC (highway toll). It says: "Please insert your card". I know because I live in Japan (since 1997!). Enjoy you mini car!
One of my biggest pet peeves about living here is how everything is constantly talking. You can’t turn anything on without it immediately yelling something at you. It’s especially annoying if you’re stressed out and trying to get whatever it is to shut up lol
@@conor7154 My EU spec 330i E90 got delieverd new in Japan with some japan only options (spent 11 years there, now in Belgium) and my mirror just beeps on startup displaying 'no card' but no talking out loud
Thanks for the translation! I was in fact wondering if the previous owner remembered to take out their ETC card.
Great purchase, and excellent review. This is the coolest Kei car, enjoyable for all ages.
This is such a cool car. Perfect little city cruizer. Please show more of these cars on your show.
is definately a cool car! (i own one) but for little city cruizer, the NBOX might be much better!
These Kei cars ARE SUCH A WONDERFUL ANSWER to UK driving, a fun, economical choice for younger drivers that COULD also be cheaper in regards to insurance too (IF car manufacturers started mass/officially importing them)! I'm 53, ex biker, and what with parking issues around where I live, I WOULD buy a Kei car! We NEED a 'Kei car category' here! Japan has SO MANY fun looking Kei cars (MUCH BETTER than the bland, fugly jelloy mold Crossovers/SUVs that the market is FLOODED with!
Lovely little car! And you’re right, weight is everything. I had fun in my very first car, a VW Scirocco Mk1 with 110bhp engine. It weighed only 800kg.
I loved my MKI 'Rocco too!
it's way to slow to be appealing. You can get manual cars that are much faster.
I had one too, great car unfortunately the Golf Gti took all the credit which I didn't understand as the Scirocco was a better looking car. Jeremy Clarkson also owned one, he rated it as a great car to.
weight IS everything. This would be obliterated in a head-on with a cybertruck.
The reality is that this car is quite heavy for its size and engine. Plenty of sporty hatchbacks were under 900kg in the 80s. Then in the 90s, cars started getting fat.
It's amazing that you go out of your way to order from Japan. Kei cars are really useful in Japan. My wife is also have Daihatsu Copen.
I'm glad you seem to be having fun.
What do you recommend S660 or Copen?
@@sharpbhai2018660 more performance oriented
@@sharpbhai2018S660
@@sharpbhai2018 It's a very difficult question, I've driven both cars, and both of them are fun to drive.
but I think S660 is cooler than Copen because of its mechanism and nice shape. However, Copen is easier useful than S660 because it has a hard top, so the roof opening is large, and it can be opened and closed by electricity.
@@sharpbhai2018 The Copen has actual storage space lol
Big tip!!! Use Google lens to translate the screen and the manual.
i was gonna say that! it's a huge help especially lately the translation quality is way better than years ago!
He mentioned that he would do that in the video.
Don't even need to do that anymore he has a Samsung so has circle to search point your camera at the writing and keep the Home button pressed and it will allow him to translate making google lens obsolete 😉
@@memusti how can he make Google lens obsolete when there are literally millions of people that don't use smasnug?
@@careem3463 because circle to search is made by Google? Just Google it?
No doubt the little Honda S660 is adorable and it's probably a hoot to drive around, especially in town but in all fairness, I really love that Suzuki Jimmy. I've seen a few japanese Jimny pictures on Pinterest with aftermarket wheels and tires, plus modified front grills and bumbers and they're just absolutely gorgeous go-everywhere little cars. Ideally you do like Mat: you have both cars in your garage!
Definately want one. I'd make this my daily. And "weekend" drive car. Reminds me of a K10 Nissan MarchI once had. This car is the coolest ever.
Hey Matt. Congrats on the baby nsx from Pakistan. I owned the Alpha Trim auto for more than a year. Drove the hell out of it. Went from one city to another cruising on the highway. Mine had cruise control as well. Have taken it to the hillside countless times and its so stupidly fun driving doing a hill climb on it with the roof down. We actually have a massive Kei car group that has tuned snd upgraded s660s called Kei Nation. I still miss this car. Would definitely buy it again. And yes every single lane turns into 2 lanes when you're in this.
The Jaoanese voice on startup is indeed for the ETC card reader(toll pass), it says your device is active with a reminder that no card is inserted.
You can get special ETC cards in Japan which are connected to a credit card, you slot the ETC card in the device in passenger footwell and you can drive through toll fast lanes - the toll charges will go straight to your credit card.
Love the small hand print on the door of the Suzuki :) . That Honda is super cool looking. And it looks fun to drive. It is not supossed to be fast. A call it a good buy for sure.
This is a great video and the suggestion of episodes regarding this car is even more better.
日本の軽自動車を紹介してくれて嬉しいです。ぜひ他の軽自動車のレビューも見たいです。
I love your registration plate "He Is Mat" a legend himself!
Brilliant choice, parts might be a little hard to get but you already acknowledged that. I want one of my own now.
In yellow or red yes XD
safe drives on the UK roads Mat.
Just assume that your cute Honda is greeting you every time you start the engine (ignore the fact that it is coming out from the ETC unit).
How difficult is it to remove the toll system and is it possible to convert the japenese infortainment to english?
@@ahyaan2552 toll system is probably just guled and only connected to power, but with infotainment its more complicated as it depends how hard it will be to access memory to just rewrite interface by hand
Hi. I've imported a Honda S660 into the UK from Japan. I used a different importer based here with offices worldwide who sorted everything, even checking for recalls in Japan and getting them fixed there before shipping. Many parts are standard Honda ones but for its last service (5k km!) my mechanic said it might need new front disc pads but Honda don't have them on their system anymore. My Honda mechanic mate there said perhaps a Civic one might double up. Apparently an air filter is coming from Belgium for it. My importers supply a range of service parts and I've got a top spec front set from them in 24 hrs. (Reasonably priced too) I use a specialist insurer for imported cars and actually it's not stupid money. The Japanese voice is a kei car thing. It's like a 'welcome'. Mine's newer and there's another cup holder on the passenger side of the centre console. I have 2 keys. Mine's a cvt which actually flies. Reviews reckon it's sluggish but mine isn't. (Unmodified too) At lights it streaks away leaving many staggered. Yes it's restricted top speed etc but I find it amazing. On the cvt one it does say 'sport' on the button. Yes, it changes the dash to red and alters the screen guages. Having translated the handbook, when on it switches off the auto stop. (P 86 I think.) Fortunately the infotainment system has pictures beside the Japanese so you can set most things. (Date/time etc) Pairing the phone can be done but you can't hear much. Don't bother. Before this I had a Beat for 12 years. Similar spec but the S660 would leave it standing. Honda UK knew I'd got it and sadly the cambelt snapping required an engine rebuild. Honda Japan emailed my mate a 600 page document from their factory to help him. (He could have done it I'm sure) Fortunately he can read enough Japanese! He's called his son Jenson! Oh, the S660's capacity is 658cc. Some useful/less facts: Japan's MOT is from £500 I was told. (shaken) In Japan they measure the street parking space which determines the size of car you're allowed. KEI cars are exempt. (Driveways must be different) Having been to Japan I was amazed how many streets in Tokyo don't have names. Residents use PO boxes on corner buildings. I've been fortunate to travel the world and Japan's my number 1 destination of all. If you haven't been already you should go. I've watched many of your videos. How do you remember all of the facts? I can waffle but facts are facts!
マット！s660を紹介してくれてありがとう！660ccの小さなエンジンに運転の楽しさを詰め込んでくれたs660は日本の軽スポーツカーの中では最高の車です！
Such a cool looking car! 😀 Especially the back!
Exhaust and remap wakes them up love the small cars
What a great little car to dart around a city! Love it!
I like the format of the video, driving around then doing some tests. Nice work. ❤
I used to import cars from japan to the uk and Australia in the 90s. The uk is great because you can import cars quite easily once a car is 10 years old. It was much cheaper years ago for shipping. You can fit a radio band expander to the aerial that will find the british frequencies
S660！
人生の中で一度乗ってみたい車
試乗しなかったのね
想像以上に加速は遅いよw
N-ONEターボの方が速い。
楽しさは別だけどね。
Loving this little racing number
Great drag race. The slow ones are the funniest, You can get a frequency converter for the radio and can probably translate the language? These cars make so much sense in the UK cities. Why the hell did we not get them? Just love it. It's like a real life hot wheels. Got to do some mods air box and exhaust 😁👍
We had the Smart in two sizes, the Forfour is roughly Kei size and came up to 108BHP. Nobody bought them. No point in importing when most British people look at cars by size not quality or performance.
This is so cool, imaging living in a small town and cruising like a champ. ...
I live in a sunny area,so I prefer the indicator on the right,as I use it far more often than the wipers.
12:20 the indicators on the right are actually much better especially in a manual for us in the uk. Means you don’t have to indicate and change gear at the same time when turning corners
I've wanted one of these for a long time. Thanks for doing the videos and confirming how good it is... and cheap. I'm sorry, but it's going to be slightly less rare soon!
You are correct about the little box being for toll roads too (lots of them in Tokyo). It's asking you to 'Please insert your card' by the way.
Darn, Matt is 51y/o yet he's more alive inside than me. I feel old, compared to him. Props
I feel like your love of cars really comes through on this channel
I have never ever heard of that model before...
But what an amazing car, love it 😅
We need K-Cars all around the world!
*kei
Small is beautiful. This car demonstrates that a small engine, low power, compact dimensions, interesting design, can be fun and rewarding on many levels. More relevant to today’s motoring than many will ever realise.
It needs a remap because another 20bhp in a car that light would make daily driving much better
8:53
better fuel aswell
A 16hp powerup in my S660 cut 2.4s out of the 0-60mph time
Handling is everything and something like this just equals smiles👍
My dream car! Nice to have a new video about this car!
Mat awesome video, we need cars like this in Europe, I would definitely have one if available here in Slovenia.
This Honda S660 actually looks great, now you just need to modify it to proper pocket rocket ❤
Oh, yes, totally getting the feeling. I have a Copen with the 1,2 aspirated engine, 87 hp, it is a riot, although only FWD. These cars are not about top speed, but cornering and general agility. They are literally go-carts in traffic. Drop down tops are a bonus. Guess you can mount a luggage rack on the rear bonnet, if necessary. Too bad they never exported them to Europe, and did not have a LHD variant (for us, living on the continent).
そのコペン大変希少な車ですよ。
日本では販売されてませんし、輸出で生産された台数も少ないですから。
I've always loved the s660. It and the AZ-1 are the coolest kei cars.
100% the coolest car you own. 100% - not even a debate.
Cities really should be adopting some of these Kei cars from Japan. The city cars we have now are good but Kei's have benefits in Japan as mentioned in the video. If we get Kei cars here in the UK with those benefits would be awesome.
We used to have plenty of Kei cars available in the UK, they didn't sell very well which is why they stopped selling them to us. Probably because we didn't really need them back in the 90s as cars were more reasonably sized so more room for everyone. But we need them so much now!
@@kenzohkw Smarts and Twingos didn't sell and they were around up to 2019.
Love K cars full stop, I love the Honda N-Box & Van, just so well packaged.
私は赤いS660に乗ってます。
Matさん笑顔でS660乗っくれて
私も笑顔になりました😊
日本語字幕版があると嬉しいな！
that actually looks cool Mat
It is a great car, crazy hard to find however
This dinky 660cc little cabrio has so much more character and offers more fun per pound than any of Matt's other cars
Get it remapped , you could get 80bhp out of it 😂
Matt said he's having a 100BHP conversion via a new Turbo. That'll be a 50% power increase and should be much more fun.
Mine 93hp/118nm
No no, swap the Honda Fit sport engine; and you’d get 145 hp!
Busa engine
The 64hp limit is self-imposed, so there's nothing you can do about it (SUZUKI is to blame). 100-140hp is the standard in the aftermarket. SUZUKI's Works kei cars used to have a crazy 220hp.
Damn, I really think cars like these should've been introduced to various markets....Like some people do want to have a 2 seater car for a fun drive. So they can have a Sedan or SUV or daily commute and a car like this, maybe slightly more power and big engine and it's done, lighter it is so it'll be such a grt car...
It will be so fun to drive when it's remaped. 100 hp and 140 Nm on a 800 kilo car that is so low to the ground is not bad at all. We want the video quickly Mat😜
You so should make this the fastest and best handling one in the uk. Get the engine out and fully built, big(er) turbo, induction and free flow exhaust. That’s a project I’d watch!
Matt, this is a very cool car. I love it. Hat's off. You did good.
In the UK, there has long been a culture of driving small sports cars,
so I thought this car would be very well received in the UK.
I'm glad that people liked it after all.
I had the previous generation called the Honda Beat. Naturally aspirated 600cc with 65hp. Revs like a dream but underpowered am afraid.
My art teacher had a honda beat when I was in school, she was dinky, I think around 4ft 8 or something she was not a tall woman. It must have felt like an s2000 to her!
INDEED! This is the coolest car you own! 🔥🔥🔥
Small cars are good fun, love my UP! GTI
If you like this car then you might like Honda CR-Z too. It's more usable version but with similar values - small-ish, nimble, economic, very pleasant to drive with manual and hybrid system giving plenty of torque. Would be great to see your review of the car as there isn't one from any of big car UA-camrs.
These little Hondas are quite popular in Sri Lanka, where I am currently living.
I very nearly bought a genuine Mugen version of the 660, but in the end, I went for a Daihatsu Copen, purely because it had a useable boot, whilst the Honda's 'frunk' was not practical at all.
Looking forward to what tuning mods you will be adding to the car, and where you will source the parts .
I have S660 for 2 years and enjoy massive fun with it. You definitely need some sort of power limiter cut off as it is restricted to 64ps by voluntary regurgitation. My recommendation is HKS flash editor (ECU Reader/righter)with 44G shop special mapping. After removing limitations, Jimny is not fast enough to catch it. With regards to the shake, it is known issue in Japan and there are loads of solutions from specialist shops. In fact, it is not scuttle shake but weakness of steering gearbox mounting. You can have Spoon reinforced bracket. Anyway, you will need your wheels aligned properly! Enjoy modern interpretation of MG Midget!!
Love this weird little car, need more of them on the roads 😂🤣
Great video! Nice to see the Jimny again. Love that car 😊
A few years ago Honda talked about putting a bigger engine in this car. a 1.0L 3 cylinder, good for around 100hp.
It sadly never came to that.
A lovely little car at a not half bad price. I'd really need some storage though.
I find it hilarious that you're keeping the ETC card reader. Yes, it is for their toll roads.
他国でs660を愛してくれる人がいることはとても嬉しいです
Seeing most of the oversized and overengineered boxes that proliferate the roads today makes me realize why the original Mini was such a good idea
Good stuff. We having a big S660 uk drag race then after the Gt100R kit is fitted? A few of us have it fitted. POWA.
Are you in the UK
Yes, i help run the uk group, a fair few of us meet up at Japfest every year.
I'm up for this when I get mine remapped
what's weird is that i just saw this car yesterday and never knew about this car existing and now I happen to see matt upload a video of it
Swap engine for an engine from a sport bike, should fit in easily in there, tho i don't know anything about motorbikes in general,
I`m desperate to see this wee thing get tuned!
Matt, you gotta start a poll at how much power us viewers reckon a modern day tuning shop can squeeze from a 660cc engine starting from 64bhp, I doubt you`ll get anywhere over 70! Anyone else wanna have a stab at how much he`ll (they`ll) get?
It goes up to 74 with just a reflash of the ECU, 100-115 with the hks turbo upgrade and some have taken them to over 200bhp
軽くて小さいスポーツカーならロータスやケーターハムがあるのに敢えてS660をチョイスするのがマットらしくて好き
Wish we could get a left hand drive version for germany.
Really like that car. Will you make an episod on how it drives once you upgraded it to 100 hp?
We should just regulate to make vehicles smaller and lighter again.
Mat, the little voice when you start it up is asking you very politely, to put your ETC (Electronic Toll Collection card) into that little box.
And you're right; it's for our motorways, here in Japan.
Utterly pointless over there, but yep, a little bit of Japaneseyness is fun, isn't it.
Cheers mate,
Simon
In Japan. 🇬🇧💛🇯🇵
Daihatsu Copen is almost resemble to S660. Only diference is Copen has Automatic Convertible capability which S660 don't.
That was a fun video. I wish more companies offered mini sportscars in modern times. I think it'd be interesting to watch you compare the Honda with an old, tiny British roadster like the Austin-Healey Sprite or MG Midget. I'd bet the size and performance are similar.
The insurance thing was nothing new. Insurance is more about the cost to fix than anything else. I live in America, and I had a $6,000 used Mazda that cost double the yearly insurance of my $30,000 Jeep because Jeeps are so ridiculously easy to fix and cheap to buy parts for.
3:29 the aerodinamyc disadvantage against the Jimny starts showing at 3 mph
The wiper/turn stalk swap is the one thing that always gets me when I travel to Japan or Australia. Don't really have a problem driving on the other side of the road, I'm in the US, but I never get use to the stalk swap. Does leave me with the cleanest windscreen on the road though. lol
my dream car is a cadillac despite my chances of owning one or seeing one in real life are less than my hopes but in UK roads that car is perfectly suited
Someone in my neighborhood in Japan has a Cadillac Escalade. I see them driving around occasionally too. You should try to save up and get one, it might help you make connections. I’ve befriended a lot of people who have interesting cars.
@ believe me I would but with the situation I’m trapped in I’m not going any further than where i am now
Great video! Love the S660. ❤️
I love the concept of this car . Nice one Matt. Yep I’d def do a remap on it 😅
One of your best buys. Can’t wait to see how the HKS kit transforms it.
I want one of these so bad!