Use the link "wise.prf.hn/l/MbBEbY8" to sign up to Wise and convert up to 600 dollars to yen for free! Big thank you to Wise for sponsoring this video-legitimately been using their service for years!
people don't understand how important these kinds of cars are and how japan does their domestic car market so well. people here in the US are struggling not only because of extreme housing costs but also the NEED to have a car and when the cheapest new cars are roughly 30k to start with not even as many features or well thought out design as the soleo.. it's rough.
That's because the US manufacturers only care about uber rich people who buy $100,000+ Ford Lightnings. Everyone else can take a hike as far as they're concerned.
You can buy imported Japanese kei cars and other rare Japan domestic market cars and vans (Nissan Skyline, Toyota Hiace, etc.) here in the US. The only caveat is that the car has to be at least 25 years old from purchase date and you'll have to check your state's regulations for limitations. Most states except for CA allow registration for nearly all types of JDM cars including kei cars, but now that buyers are becoming more aware of this, the prices are going up.
>Never expected you to be such a car guy Really? Did we watch the same video? I only saw a wholesome video about a guy sharing his excitement regarding his new purchase (congrats btw!)... that's about it. Some car guys love car design, others love the history behind cars, others are obsessed with driving, or engineering, or development stories, or marketing angles, etc. There's lots of "car guy" points of view that could make any car seem interesting to other car guys. This video wasn't any of that. Not everyone who buys a car needs to be a car guy, which is fine. This to me is the perfect "non car guy makes video about a car" video. A+, would watch again.
A car with those features and reliability would literally cost 40k in america minimum. Try finding a brand new, latest year car with heads up display, blindspot monitoring, adaptive cruise, full safety ratings, high fuel economy/mild hybrid and you're already well above 35000$. Unreal how good the value is on that car
As someone who is not in the market for a car at all, let alone one in Japan, I still found this video incredibly interesting. I'm loving all these non-comedy skit videos lately! Please keep making whatever you want Dogen, I'll be here for it
Basically any hybrid (that he calls "mild hybrid" here) will get *at least* that. My combined mpg on my Kia Niro is 47mpg but in the summer I can get 70+ on town roads. It's the highway (and winter) that kills it (only get about 40 mpg). If you live somewhere with tons of traffic it's definitely way better to have than a gas vehicle but still allows the flexibility of going on super long trips
@@WTFKerFlimsas if the screen will never break down. Also, with buttons you might be stuck with one broken button. With a broken screen you cannot do anything that you need the screen to do…
You cannot overstate how convenient it is to have a slim car, that can easily ride on those narrow Japanese roads. I drove one for a few weeks, and the amount of space and comfort is incredible given the outside looks.
Love Doug Demuro's cousin based in Japan. What a great car, wish they would be sold in Europe, people would love them. Thanks for all your videos, regards from Prague.
I also like them, but I think in Europe they didn't catch on because of bad results in crash tests (maybe they got a little better now) and very bad air resistance. Highways and other roads in Japan are slower so you don't feel it as hard, but pushing a kei car past the European standard of 120 km/h feels harder than compared to cars in Europe. Though they're probably made for more urban regions so I think that would work pretty well there
Great choice. I love the Solio as well. Fell in love with it when a policeman gave me a ride in one (my car got rear-ended). When I got back to Australia, I ended up importing one. Great for the school pickups and dropoffs. Was initially keen on the Roomy, but the Roomy is harder to import for some reason.
In 3 minutes Dōgen explained every grip and desire I have for the car industry, I'd personally love to import a Solio (for the UK) when the right time comes
I wish I could import a Solio for America, were it not for the steering wheel. I’d have to look at Portuguese and French cars since they drive on the correct side.
As someone who lives in suburban Stockholm with easy access to trains and buses, I have no need for a car at all, but I still found this video really fun and informative. It's always interesting to hear what people with different needs look for in their cars. If I did need a car, something like this could absolutely work for me.
Firstly, love the subtle call to Doug Demuro. Secondly, AUD$20K?! Dear lord, I WISH we could get vehicles like that in Australia. Hell, a used one would run more than that here on the grey market.
I just realized I would watch about anything as long as it is Dōgen who is narrating it. Like, I am NOT a father of two who is living in a small city in Japan, and I have literally no use for any of the information in this video. Yet, I have just spent nearly 20 minutes just listening to him list the features of a car I will probably never even encounter, let alone own...
I never even brought the connection that you could have been dogentricks. As a longtime parkour athlete I loved your videos and still reference people to your titanium ankles video when they are beginning the thought process on taking better care of their ankles. Love your new content and super happy you’re doing as well as you are doing :)
Wait, we need this type of car in the States asap!! It's so small and cute, but so spacious and so cheap!! Physical buttons too 😍 Such a cute dad video though omg, I love seeing you so excited about your new car 🥺💖
American manufacturers will lobby against this kind of vehicle because it hurts their bottom line. We're starting to see older models getting imported (25yr rule) but Kei cars/trucks have been made illegal to drive on public highways in many states. I'd wager that lobbying is to blame for that.
@@Tilt_TMto be fair, everyone in the car will probably be dead if you get crashed into by a pickup running a red light. Driving habits force US to have stricter crash protection than these cars will ever offer.
@@arsnakehert They claim it's for safety and emissions reasons. These cars use engines that are small enough to put in a motorcycle. There's no way they create more emissions than all of the V8 trucks and diesels we have everywhere. Safety I can kind of understand, but at the same time I should be able to make that decision myself. I don't need the government to babysit me.
MA15S Solio owner in Singapore here. One thing to note about the automated doors, the lock should still be cable actuated, and there will be a point where cable fatigue would result in the auto door not working well, and not being able to close. Opening is fine, as the door latch works with a different mechanism. I would still keep my Solio if I could, but car ownership in Singapore is crazy expensive, and keeping my Solio for another 10 years would cost around 65k USD for paperwork alone.
Japanese people want what works and no unnecessary extras. In a country that needs to min max all their space and structures for space efficiency, purpose and reliability, it's crucial. In America, everything is marketed as excess. Excess space that the car takes up on the road, excess towing capacity that hardly anyone fully utilizes often, excess size of tires, tow beds, length and price. And with how large cars are getting in America, it's getting to the point where it's hard for people to feel safe on the road unless they're in an equally large tank because a collision with anything smaller can be unnecessarily fatal. As someone who loves efficiency and things built with considerate purpose and function, cars like this are my dream car too. 100% functional with least amount of wasted space/features/functions/parts.
I watch videos likes these and go "wow! such an amazing car! I want one!" then remember the US has nearly insurmountable import restrictions on imported vehicles. I think japanese car manufacturers are under estimating how much of a desire there is in the US for tiny/small cars that are incredibly functional.
Laste year there was an interesting article in The Economist about US farmers importing Kei trucks from Japan because American trucks aren't actually that useful to them - they've gotten too big and are hard to repair.
@@Tilt_TMUS automakers were always behind the curve after the 1970s. They basically had to cry to Congress to limit importation of cheaper and more reliable cars. See even today, the BYD EV cars that are actually affordable by average Americans are being held back from being imported by our government.
I completely agree! If there were cars like this in the US, especially if they were good budget options, I know I would buy one in a heartbeat for my next car. So many features, lots of physical controls, and looks great too.
These APV is really popular in Southeast Asia actually which is good since these are really sensible cars. As much as I would rather get like the likes of AE86, I believe these type of cars are most sensible that what should most people be driving. Not huge but spacious, practical, comfortable, powerful enough, easy to drive, easy to fit in parking lots and small streets. Instead we get SUV and pickup tanks getting too common for regular road, most of them probably won't be going to off road or what they are designed to. Crossovers are fine, but seems too big for a same capacity of a hatchback, just taller. Kei cars and these APVs are super efficient in design. Smaller but more spacious than it looks. As spacious as SUV without the eight and size.
@@Adi-Dassler You can still import them as a second hand car, they just can't be sold "new" in the uk. Pay a third party to purchase and export the car, then you'll need to pay the import fees etc.
Malta actually has quite a few due to the size of the island, in the 90s the Daewoo Tico, essentially a Suzuki Alto kei car, was produced in Poland and sold to Italian/Spainish/Greek and Eastern European markets. There are some Honda Beats and Autozam AZ-1s in the uk but those have always been enthusiast cars.
honestly am loving the transition from sole language videos to a few things outside that niche content.... its like having a friend who's REALLY interested in what youre interested in, ONLY talking about that one thing with which you share.... to finally opening up about things that interest them outside of that one interest and you go ooooh i've earnt the next expansion pack of you ae!? (loved the house renovation video also and LOVE your language videos too) big fan here!!! ❤
This type of cars is also popular in SE Asia, people love MPVs here. My father had something similar, a 2016 Nissan Serena, and it did a great job taking us wherever we need to go. Sadly we had to part with it after almost a decade.
Just watching the start of the video, I immediately said to myself "oh hey, we drive the same car!" only mine is bright blue. Probably only a year apart in age, too and my shaken is next month. Can't afford a new car right now, it still runs pretty good and I love the thing, but I know it'll be time in a couple years for a newer vehicle. I think all the features and the sheer utility of a car like this is what I need in my life now and in the near future. I will definitely be keeping this video in mind while I look for my next car! Thanks, Dogen!
I've been seeing more and more Japanese Kei Cars and Japanese Luxury Compact Mini Vans being imported from Japan to Australia and New Zealand recently. Which is great as in Australia and New Zealand in the past 5 years there are a lot more of the American Full Sized Pickup Trucks that is massive and takes up so much road space.
As a car guy, this really gave me the Doug DeMuro vibes but you honestly did it better. I currently own a 3rd gen Miata that I use to commute to work, and the size works out well for me as a 5'10" person. Currently working on that Skyline GT-R dream, but I lean more to the black sheep R33. Great choice on that MPV purchase! Wish qe had choices like that here stateside, but we are in fact saturated with oversize SUVs and trucks...
I really liked the Nissan Cube. It was such a neat little car. The Solio is giving me that vibe, but much more modernized (and small). If I didn't need a truck for my job I'd love to get a car like that just for driving around.
Proud Solio owner here! (2021 model) Fantastic review hitting all the good points. I'm 6'4" and love the headroom, and so true about the back seat area being big enough for school bags, water bottles, etc. Still get slightly jealous when I see Bandit owners drive past though...
I recall getting a taxi ride in a car like that once, had a really luxurious feel as a passenger with how spacious it was. Definitely a good choice if you're a dad constantly driving around kids, friends, and a variety of luggage.
This is the best small van I’ve seen! 😮 Was just in Tokyo and made a movie on small vans. The nboxs, palettes, tantos, etc were too small. The stepwagon, voxy, Noah, Serena, alphard, and vellfire, too big. Saw a Toyota roomy, seemed the right size, but didn’t like the look. Did not see a Solio, or anything else in that small/medium size category. I think it’s perfect! 😊 Besides, the freed, and roomy, what else is in this class?
I got my Nissan Serena a decent while back. It didn't take long for me to realise a lot of the features you talked about were great. The automatic sliding passenger doors, the lack of middle console, the extra console space behind the driving wheel, the passenger sunshades... I love this car! I don't need the size of the Serena anymore, but I'm so fond of all the features that I can't be bothered to look at a change just yet. Hopefully something like the Soleo gets offered on the market where I am by the dealers here. I'm aware they do full imports from Japan as an option, but the after sales service wouldn't be covered in that case. Enjoy your new car!
I have to say, this is a much more pleasant and interesting car review than many professional car reviews from big car channels and magazines. By the way, very nice car!
Those rooftop circulators are amazing and would do wonders for back passengers in most cars. I've ridden taxis for decades in places like Taiwan and these devices made an amazing difference. It was like having a massive rooftop AC vent.
I don't think I can even get a new car for that price point around these parts, let alone in that size and with all those features. Seriously instead of going full electric we should just move all combustion/hybrid cars to be Kei style like this.
Unfortunately gm lobbied the government to engineer tarrifs and efficiency standards to make larger heavier cars the least regulated and most profitable types to manufacture in the US, which is why half the cars on the road are oversized pickup trucks, despite our number of tradespeople declining which means most are using it for commute and domestic purposes.
My family has been looking into cars in Canada since our current one is now a bit impractical fuel and use wise. This video really blew me away with how cars are in Japan. I expected them to be all low on head room and worse then the west in that regard. It’s really cool to see how many cool features this car has at its price point. Amazing video Dogen !
I love the solio, i'm looking to get one myself in the future, I do car shares a lot here and really enjoy driving the solio.. I hope that my japanese improves enough that I can approach a dealership to get my dream car too, really happy for you dogen-san!
My Scion XB is 19 years old, and we were discussing on replacing it. I can't imagine driving a different car because I love the high ceiling, legroom, and storage space. Now, this Suzuki is exactly what I want! I was disappointed they didn't have a retractable center console, but they made up for it with the compartment above the glove box and behind the steering wheel, AND THE SECRET COMPARTMENT UNDER THE SEAT!!! That blew my mind! I WANT IT!!! 😂
My scion XB which looks like the sola is 18 years old I love it. IKEA knows my car on a first name basis ! I can shop as is put together furniture like a Billy bookcase and drive. ❤
JDM cars have never been the "boring". Even old small cars are really good. I personally have the Nissan Cube z10. It's old, it has a lot amount of damaged parts by rust, but still, its fun car!
MPVs are such an amazing type of vehicle. amazingly space efficient while doing their jobs. I liked the direction Japan is going with their K cars compared to the western side of huge pickup trucks which never gets used for their purpose.
When I was growing up my mom had a Scion XB. It was an amazing little car, took it on a few road trips and even to the summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado. The only issue we had was the lack of 4 wheel drive in places that snowed. I loved that little toaster.
I fell in love with the boxy/toaster look after living in Japan, and bought a Scion XB when I returned to the States. That MPV looks so cool! Wish we had them here stateside! Congratulations on your new car!
I juuuust got back from Japan (first trip there ever!!!) and one thing that really got me was all of the cool and cute square cars. Whether the kei boxes (which wouldn't really work here in Canada) or how the alphard is just boxier and taller than the sienna in such a pleasingly quirky way. Now I'm looking up local vellfires...
The constraints (dimensions, engine size, etc.) imposed by the Japanese government on Kei cars have led to 'unconventional' solutions by car designers & engineers. The result has been mostly, 'quirky-in-appearance' but highly functional designs. On my first visit in 1998 I was immediately attracted by the 'little' Kei cars of all shapes & colors not seen in the North American car scene! This Suzuki Solio very much reflects the function-before-form (even though its style is quite eye-catching imho) design philosophy of Kei cars, even though not a 'bona fide' Kei car. With all of the features, and for a 'US $ 14,000' equivalent price tag, this is an excellent purchase, congratulations!
For $14k that car is a must-have. The amount of utility it provides is insane. It can't race, but it can transport; guess what you'd need more for a family. Drive train looks basic, but I'm sure you wouldn't be digging mud in Japan anyway
I was not expecting this video on your channel. And it get, it really feels good when a car company actually makes a fully efficient car for you. That's not common to see
Nice information. I've had a Suzuki X-Bee--a somewhat larger, more upright model--for the past six years and have been very happy with it (though the ride could be a bit more comfortable). I don't have kids, but I do own a bar, so it's great for hauling stuff after a Costco run, and it performs great on long drives, too.
Growing up, seeing the Skyline in 2Fast 2Furious made me fall in love with JDM. After moving to Japan a year ago and seeing all my dream cars, ruining my pants, and realizing I'm too poor for any of those cars, I'm looking into an early 2000's Daihatsu Gina xD great looking car though. Congrats Dogen!
The Gino can be insanely elegant if you style it correctly. One of the guys in my university’s car club has one and stuck a turbo in it. Not quite the feel of an MX-5, but it drives like a Swift Sport
@@arcturus4762 Oh for sure, I liken them to a Japanese mini. Super sweet looking things. There was a green one with a brown interior for sale near me. Reminded me of my 97 Mustang I had back in the states. Buuuuut it sold before I could pull the trigger...
I wish we had these cars where I live, I love them. You said it best, it’s convenient and a bit more sporty than the other similar versions of this car so it doesn’t look boring. I also love that you started by talking about your dream cars, you know your stuff!
Omg thanks so much for sharing this Dogen. I can't believe that you get a car with all those features on _top_ of being a hybrid just for 14k USD. That is a wild steal especially compared to anything you can get here in the US. Hell, good used cars here with maybe a fraction of those features are selling for like 20k USD 😭 Congrats on the purchase, I hope you and your family get to enjoy the new car for many years to come!
The spaciousness wasn't super clear until you mentioned the height data...and that made it ultra clear. Congrats on the car! In my many visits to Japan, I always wished to find MPVs back home where SUVs corner this important market (small family with no real need to go off-roading), of which we have plenty back in the UAE.
I lived in Japan and now in Korea for the past 12 ish years and never had a car until I had my first kid. But I had him during the height of the pandemic, so we didn’t go anywhere. But once I started really needing to drive him places, I got a Kia Soul EV and it’s so perfect. It fits two car seats, has a roomy enough trunk space for me and the kids’ stuff, I like that it feels taller inside than a sedan, but it’s not a giant SUV which would be hard for me to park into tight spaces. The fact that it’s also electric is amazing. Our apartments in Korea are all mostly equipped with EV chargers now and places like malls, hospitals, and other parking lots usually have them. I wish I had sliding doors, but I got mine used in great condition for a good price and it was really fun geeking out over all the different car options when I was deciding on one. I love how my Soul drives, and I think if I ever really need a different car (like if my kids are older and I don’t need to take them places) it would be fun to get something smaller like a Casper 😊 I love seeing people get excited about “normal” cars instead of huge decked out trucks/SUVs because we don’t all actually need those.
Nice introduction to the Solio! I knew nothing about it and was surprised how many features are the same as an N-Box Custom. The unique features such as the larger space, heads up display, and front passenger under seat storage was cool to hear about. I’ll have to consider it for my next purchase someday!
I can sense your excitement and satisfaction with your new car. I'm currently selecting a new bike to buy and scrolling through all the prices, specs, and brands, so I can see why you want to brag about your right choice through this video. It's understandable. I hope to have feelings similar to yours about my new bike.
I love how so many Japanese cars min-max size-utility in the best possible way. So much space and so many features crammed into such a compact vehicle. I'm in Europe and these days you see too many crossovers, which are just bloated hatchbacks with the same internal space and utility as the average hatchback. For a modern, safe, useful car that price point also seems pretty great! Seeing the issues Volkswagen is in now, I hope this makes automotive manufacturers turn back to such cars, instead of creating the current modern bloated monstrosities.
japanese cars are also taxed heavily by dimension+extremely narrow roads and parking spaces so they have to be well designed or else they literally wont fit on their roads
this is the perfect family car. the price is insane. i enjoyed this longer video dogen. its cool to see longer, non-comedy videos from you (though those are great too).
It's easy for Westerners to look art Japanese "boxy" cars and laugh or discount them for whatever reason.. Myself included! But then I moved to Japan and experienced these cars in real life situations instead of just photos/videos.. To quote the late and great Steve Jobs, "It just works!" They are simple, yet elegant. Practical and spacious. My brother in law back in the UK bought a Tesla last year, and yes it's impressive and powerful, but it's not perfect. The difference in price between something like a Tesla and your new Suzuki is astonishing! For everyday real life use, I think your Suzuki nails it! Congratulations on the new wheels, Dogen!
Super depressing that these aren't shipped everywhere. I was obsessed with all the boxy cars when I was travelling around Japan and really wanted something similar but the bulk of models are only for the domestic market.
Thank you for sharing your life with us like this! Edit: I am SOOOOO in love with your new car, really shows to those Americans, you don't need overly huge cars to really fit your family
was not expecting shutokou battle/tokyo xtreme racer recognition. i absolutely adore that series and am super excited for the new one coming out next year. i'm really liking the solio! so many neat features and the styling is pretty cool too.
I love this kind of car reviews because you not renting it but actually use it for your family. And this car will be lasted for years and years if maintained correctly.
14k. There isn't a car sold in the US for that. If I could buy one of these I would. My Sambar I imported will have to do, but man I would love one of these.
This is sooo goood!!! You're an expert at describing things and the features just captured me! Im only 17 but it makes me feel happy thinking about how I (5 '8) can just walk around the car easily if dogen (6') can also do so with a little bending! steal!
Use the link "wise.prf.hn/l/MbBEbY8" to sign up to Wise and convert up to 600 dollars to yen for free!
Big thank you to Wise for sponsoring this video-legitimately been using their service for years!
BYD shark only 42k
I am today years old when I learned Dogen is married with 2 kids
never knew he is a dad until he shows off how efficient his new car is.
I remember he talked about it when he built his new house.
I want him to be my dad
This Japanese dude's English is pretty good.
Berry Berry Jozu! Ne!
It's very jouzu desu ne
英語うまいな、まじでびっくりした
This is getting old. Everybody knows he’s fluent in English already…
What's really funny and cute to me is that he now has a certain Japanese rhythm to his English
Absolute Dad core
Gen Z core UA-cam core comment core
Core core!
...?
people don't understand how important these kinds of cars are and how japan does their domestic car market so well. people here in the US are struggling not only because of extreme housing costs but also the NEED to have a car and when the cheapest new cars are roughly 30k to start with not even as many features or well thought out design as the soleo.. it's rough.
Its by design. To keep us poor in our quest for vanity
Yup, Japan does everything right about centrally planned capitalism that the US opts to leave to billionaires to roll the dice on.
The best we got is the Bolt at 19K with tax credits but Dogens car blows it out of the water
That's because the US manufacturers only care about uber rich people who buy $100,000+ Ford Lightnings. Everyone else can take a hike as far as they're concerned.
You can buy imported Japanese kei cars and other rare Japan domestic market cars and vans (Nissan Skyline, Toyota Hiace, etc.) here in the US. The only caveat is that the car has to be at least 25 years old from purchase date and you'll have to check your state's regulations for limitations. Most states except for CA allow registration for nearly all types of JDM cars including kei cars, but now that buyers are becoming more aware of this, the prices are going up.
bro went from a kei car to a slightly bigger but same kei car
respectable choice
I initially thought he had the car he switched to in both shots
Not a kei car, engine is too large 1.2L
@@chkndnts If you weren't so anal about the exact specifications of what makes a _kei_ car, you'd probably get the joke
@@tomppeli. A)Kei is a government recognized vehicle classification in Japan. B) wasn't responding to you
It's noticeably better in every way except for the shape, because the shape was already perfect.
My brain still doesn't know if I watch a Dogen video or a Doug DeMuro video...
Never expected you to be such a car guy
Dogen DeMuro
Dogen does it better.
>Never expected you to be such a car guy
Really? Did we watch the same video?
I only saw a wholesome video about a guy sharing his excitement regarding his new purchase (congrats btw!)... that's about it.
Some car guys love car design, others love the history behind cars, others are obsessed with driving, or engineering, or development stories, or marketing angles, etc. There's lots of "car guy" points of view that could make any car seem interesting to other car guys. This video wasn't any of that. Not everyone who buys a car needs to be a car guy, which is fine.
This to me is the perfect "non car guy makes video about a car" video. A+, would watch again.
The only bad thing about this video is that now all of Dogens friends know he has a big car to help them move.
A car with those features and reliability would literally cost 40k in america minimum. Try finding a brand new, latest year car with heads up display, blindspot monitoring, adaptive cruise, full safety ratings, high fuel economy/mild hybrid and you're already well above 35000$. Unreal how good the value is on that car
As someone who is not in the market for a car at all, let alone one in Japan, I still found this video incredibly interesting. I'm loving all these non-comedy skit videos lately! Please keep making whatever you want Dogen, I'll be here for it
I wasn't really sold until Dogen sensei said 45 mpg. Now, I burn with envy...
Well, it has a mid trim Suzuki Swift powertrain so they will have similar fuel economy. Perfectly adequate performance for a city car.
Hopefully that's American gallons (3.78 l) and not British gallons (4.54 l)
Basically any hybrid (that he calls "mild hybrid" here) will get *at least* that. My combined mpg on my Kia Niro is 47mpg but in the summer I can get 70+ on town roads. It's the highway (and winter) that kills it (only get about 40 mpg). If you live somewhere with tons of traffic it's definitely way better to have than a gas vehicle but still allows the flexibility of going on super long trips
Pure ICE just doesn't make any sense anymore imo unless you're trying to get some kinda sports or muscle car. Hybrid is where it's at man
It was the Power SLIDING Doors which sold it for me. Now i'm looking to see how much it would cost to import one to my Right Hand Drive nation.
Physical buttons ftw.
Till it breaks down 🗿
@@WTFKerFlimsReplace the button / accutator / whatever it is 🤨
@@WTFKerFlims Bad take
@@WTFKerFlimsas if the screen will never break down. Also, with buttons you might be stuck with one broken button. With a broken screen you cannot do anything that you need the screen to do…
Using a screen I have to take my eyes off the road to see what I'm doing. With buttons I can change settings by touch. MUCH safer.
You cannot overstate how convenient it is to have a slim car, that can easily ride on those narrow Japanese roads.
I drove one for a few weeks, and the amount of space and comfort is incredible given the outside looks.
$14k for a new car like that is incredible. The cheapest minivan in the US starts at $38k. You can't get any new car for under $20k now.
But you have to keep in mind that salaries and purchasing power is also quite low in Japan.
Love Doug Demuro's cousin based in Japan. What a great car, wish they would be sold in Europe, people would love them. Thanks for all your videos, regards from Prague.
I also like them, but I think in Europe they didn't catch on because of bad results in crash tests (maybe they got a little better now) and very bad air resistance. Highways and other roads in Japan are slower so you don't feel it as hard, but pushing a kei car past the European standard of 120 km/h feels harder than compared to cars in Europe. Though they're probably made for more urban regions so I think that would work pretty well there
See a fair few boxes jp cars here, but mainly they imported by individuals, but don't see as many surfs as I used to.
Great choice. I love the Solio as well. Fell in love with it when a policeman gave me a ride in one (my car got rear-ended). When I got back to Australia, I ended up importing one. Great for the school pickups and dropoffs. Was initially keen on the Roomy, but the Roomy is harder to import for some reason.
I love how small the cars in japan are. lol. So darn cute.
Hail the かわいい！
In 3 minutes Dōgen explained every grip and desire I have for the car industry, I'd personally love to import a Solio (for the UK) when the right time comes
I wish I could import a Solio for America, were it not for the steering wheel. I’d have to look at Portuguese and French cars since they drive on the correct side.
As someone who lives in suburban Stockholm with easy access to trains and buses, I have no need for a car at all, but I still found this video really fun and informative. It's always interesting to hear what people with different needs look for in their cars. If I did need a car, something like this could absolutely work for me.
Firstly, love the subtle call to Doug Demuro.
Secondly, AUD$20K?! Dear lord, I WISH we could get vehicles like that in Australia. Hell, a used one would run more than that here on the grey market.
I just realized I would watch about anything as long as it is Dōgen who is narrating it. Like, I am NOT a father of two who is living in a small city in Japan, and I have literally no use for any of the information in this video. Yet, I have just spent nearly 20 minutes just listening to him list the features of a car I will probably never even encounter, let alone own...
Fr same. Although I would like to be a mother some day
Omg same 🎉😂 no need for car. Just a cat mommy here and hubby decides for the car 😂 but sure the cats would appreciate the ac heehee
I never even brought the connection that you could have been dogentricks. As a longtime parkour athlete I loved your videos and still reference people to your titanium ankles video when they are beginning the thought process on taking better care of their ankles. Love your new content and super happy you’re doing as well as you are doing :)
Appreciate it dude!
Wait, we need this type of car in the States asap!! It's so small and cute, but so spacious and so cheap!! Physical buttons too 😍
Such a cute dad video though omg, I love seeing you so excited about your new car 🥺💖
American manufacturers will lobby against this kind of vehicle because it hurts their bottom line. We're starting to see older models getting imported (25yr rule) but Kei cars/trucks have been made illegal to drive on public highways in many states. I'd wager that lobbying is to blame for that.
@@Tilt_TMto be fair, everyone in the car will probably be dead if you get crashed into by a pickup running a red light. Driving habits force US to have stricter crash protection than these cars will ever offer.
@@Tilt_TM >illegal to drive on public highways
My god, that is extreme
I think Big SUV would never allow those to be a thing in the US
@@arsnakehert They claim it's for safety and emissions reasons. These cars use engines that are small enough to put in a motorcycle. There's no way they create more emissions than all of the V8 trucks and diesels we have everywhere. Safety I can kind of understand, but at the same time I should be able to make that decision myself. I don't need the government to babysit me.
MA15S Solio owner in Singapore here. One thing to note about the automated doors, the lock should still be cable actuated, and there will be a point where cable fatigue would result in the auto door not working well, and not being able to close. Opening is fine, as the door latch works with a different mechanism. I would still keep my Solio if I could, but car ownership in Singapore is crazy expensive, and keeping my Solio for another 10 years would cost around 65k USD for paperwork alone.
Japanese people want what works and no unnecessary extras. In a country that needs to min max all their space and structures for space efficiency, purpose and reliability, it's crucial.
In America, everything is marketed as excess. Excess space that the car takes up on the road, excess towing capacity that hardly anyone fully utilizes often, excess size of tires, tow beds, length and price. And with how large cars are getting in America, it's getting to the point where it's hard for people to feel safe on the road unless they're in an equally large tank because a collision with anything smaller can be unnecessarily fatal.
As someone who loves efficiency and things built with considerate purpose and function, cars like this are my dream car too. 100% functional with least amount of wasted space/features/functions/parts.
Wow, that’s such a spot-on explanation!
I watch videos likes these and go "wow! such an amazing car! I want one!" then remember the US has nearly insurmountable import restrictions on imported vehicles. I think japanese car manufacturers are under estimating how much of a desire there is in the US for tiny/small cars that are incredibly functional.
Laste year there was an interesting article in The Economist about US farmers importing Kei trucks from Japan because American trucks aren't actually that useful to them - they've gotten too big and are hard to repair.
It's crazy how strict the laws are on this stuff considering how much other freedom there is in the US.
@@Tilt_TMUS automakers were always behind the curve after the 1970s. They basically had to cry to Congress to limit importation of cheaper and more reliable cars. See even today, the BYD EV cars that are actually affordable by average Americans are being held back from being imported by our government.
I completely agree! If there were cars like this in the US, especially if they were good budget options, I know I would buy one in a heartbeat for my next car. So many features, lots of physical controls, and looks great too.
nothing is stopping US consumers to go buy bleach white base model panel vans like your company issued it
I wish more Japanese Kei cars found their way to Europe.... They're perfect for commuting or just taking your kids to school.
This isn't a kei car. A kei is smaller than this. A kei has 660cc engine. This is 1.2 liter.
These APV is really popular in Southeast Asia actually which is good since these are really sensible cars. As much as I would rather get like the likes of AE86, I believe these type of cars are most sensible that what should most people be driving. Not huge but spacious, practical, comfortable, powerful enough, easy to drive, easy to fit in parking lots and small streets. Instead we get SUV and pickup tanks getting too common for regular road, most of them probably won't be going to off road or what they are designed to. Crossovers are fine, but seems too big for a same capacity of a hatchback, just taller.
Kei cars and these APVs are super efficient in design. Smaller but more spacious than it looks. As spacious as SUV without the eight and size.
@@TheBaldOne my dad wanted one in the UK but was told they don't meet safety standards.
@@Adi-Dassler You can still import them as a second hand car, they just can't be sold "new" in the uk. Pay a third party to purchase and export the car, then you'll need to pay the import fees etc.
Malta actually has quite a few due to the size of the island, in the 90s the Daewoo Tico, essentially a Suzuki Alto kei car, was produced in Poland and sold to Italian/Spainish/Greek and Eastern European markets. There are some Honda Beats and Autozam AZ-1s in the uk but those have always been enthusiast cars.
Liking these new longer videos!
when he said "this is my car" at the beginning, I though I was getting Doug DeMuro jumpscare'd in a Dogen video
honestly am loving the transition from sole language videos to a few things outside that niche content.... its like having a friend who's REALLY interested in what youre interested in, ONLY talking about that one thing with which you share.... to finally opening up about things that interest them outside of that one interest and you go ooooh i've earnt the next expansion pack of you ae!? (loved the house renovation video also and LOVE your language videos too) big fan here!!! ❤
This type of cars is also popular in SE Asia, people love MPVs here. My father had something similar, a 2016 Nissan Serena, and it did a great job taking us wherever we need to go. Sadly we had to part with it after almost a decade.
Just watching the start of the video, I immediately said to myself "oh hey, we drive the same car!" only mine is bright blue. Probably only a year apart in age, too and my shaken is next month.
Can't afford a new car right now, it still runs pretty good and I love the thing, but I know it'll be time in a couple years for a newer vehicle. I think all the features and the sheer utility of a car like this is what I need in my life now and in the near future. I will definitely be keeping this video in mind while I look for my next car!
Thanks, Dogen!
I've been seeing more and more Japanese Kei Cars and Japanese Luxury Compact Mini Vans being imported from Japan to Australia and New Zealand recently. Which is great as in Australia and New Zealand in the past 5 years there are a lot more of the American Full Sized Pickup Trucks that is massive and takes up so much road space.
As a car guy, this really gave me the Doug DeMuro vibes but you honestly did it better. I currently own a 3rd gen Miata that I use to commute to work, and the size works out well for me as a 5'10" person. Currently working on that Skyline GT-R dream, but I lean more to the black sheep R33. Great choice on that MPV purchase! Wish qe had choices like that here stateside, but we are in fact saturated with oversize SUVs and trucks...
I really liked the Nissan Cube. It was such a neat little car. The Solio is giving me that vibe, but much more modernized (and small). If I didn't need a truck for my job I'd love to get a car like that just for driving around.
Proud Solio owner here! (2021 model) Fantastic review hitting all the good points. I'm 6'4" and love the headroom, and so true about the back seat area being big enough for school bags, water bottles, etc. Still get slightly jealous when I see Bandit owners drive past though...
Remember seeing these in Japan a lot, also had a taxi that was exactly like this too. They're so comfortable! And they look great in the black finish
I recall getting a taxi ride in a car like that once, had a really luxurious feel as a passenger with how spacious it was. Definitely a good choice if you're a dad constantly driving around kids, friends, and a variety of luggage.
This is the best small van I’ve seen! 😮
Was just in Tokyo and made a movie on small vans. The nboxs, palettes, tantos, etc were too small. The stepwagon, voxy, Noah, Serena, alphard, and vellfire, too big.
Saw a Toyota roomy, seemed the right size, but didn’t like the look. Did not see a Solio, or anything else in that small/medium size category.
I think it’s perfect! 😊
Besides, the freed, and roomy, what else is in this class?
I got my Nissan Serena a decent while back. It didn't take long for me to realise a lot of the features you talked about were great. The automatic sliding passenger doors, the lack of middle console, the extra console space behind the driving wheel, the passenger sunshades... I love this car! I don't need the size of the Serena anymore, but I'm so fond of all the features that I can't be bothered to look at a change just yet. Hopefully something like the Soleo gets offered on the market where I am by the dealers here. I'm aware they do full imports from Japan as an option, but the after sales service wouldn't be covered in that case. Enjoy your new car!
I have to say, this is a much more pleasant and interesting car review than many professional car reviews from big car channels and magazines.
By the way, very nice car!
Those rooftop circulators are amazing and would do wonders for back passengers in most cars. I've ridden taxis for decades in places like Taiwan and these devices made an amazing difference. It was like having a massive rooftop AC vent.
Honestly, this is refreshing. Thank you for the video. I'm jealous, I wish I could at some point after college get a car like that (import).
I don't think I can even get a new car for that price point around these parts, let alone in that size and with all those features. Seriously instead of going full electric we should just move all combustion/hybrid cars to be Kei style like this.
Unfortunately gm lobbied the government to engineer tarrifs and efficiency standards to make larger heavier cars the least regulated and most profitable types to manufacture in the US, which is why half the cars on the road are oversized pickup trucks, despite our number of tradespeople declining which means most are using it for commute and domestic purposes.
My family has been looking into cars in Canada since our current one is now a bit impractical fuel and use wise.
This video really blew me away with how cars are in Japan. I expected them to be all low on head room and worse then the west in that regard. It’s really cool to see how many cool features this car has at its price point.
Amazing video Dogen !
This is so geniune. I can almost feel your enthusiasm from here. Thank you for making my day.
I love the solio, i'm looking to get one myself in the future, I do car shares a lot here and really enjoy driving the solio.. I hope that my japanese improves enough that I can approach a dealership to get my dream car too, really happy for you dogen-san!
My Scion XB is 19 years old, and we were discussing on replacing it. I can't imagine driving a different car because I love the high ceiling, legroom, and storage space.
Now, this Suzuki is exactly what I want! I was disappointed they didn't have a retractable center console, but they made up for it with the compartment above the glove box and behind the steering wheel, AND THE SECRET COMPARTMENT UNDER THE SEAT!!! That blew my mind! I WANT IT!!! 😂
Kia soul is probably the closest modern thing that's available in the us. They're not too bad.
@@クインと申します I'll look into it! Thanks!
My scion XB which looks like the sola is 18 years old I love it. IKEA knows my car on a first name basis ! I can shop as is put together furniture like a Billy bookcase and drive. ❤
JDM cars have never been the "boring". Even old small cars are really good. I personally have the Nissan Cube z10. It's old, it has a lot amount of damaged parts by rust, but still, its fun car!
Dogen is the kind of guy who buys a car and makes a video about its quirks and features.
I flipped out with the sliding doors, it feels like a Limousine, absolutely loved the video! 🎉
His kids can say 'thank you, driver' on their way to school.😅
I love how practical that van is but also I hope this video blows up and you get that skyline too Dogen.
Japanese Top Gear audition tape?
スズキカプチーノ最高
I wish Australia brought in more of these types of cars into the market. Great for city driving, its perfect and practical. I love it.
MPVs are such an amazing type of vehicle. amazingly space efficient while doing their jobs. I liked the direction Japan is going with their K cars compared to the western side of huge pickup trucks which never gets used for their purpose.
This was one of my favourite Dogen videos in recent memory. This and the house tour of course. Love the japan life content
When I was growing up my mom had a Scion XB. It was an amazing little car, took it on a few road trips and even to the summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado. The only issue we had was the lack of 4 wheel drive in places that snowed. I loved that little toaster.
the delica mini is one of my dream compact cars. it's such a cute compact and practical car on top of it's offroady looks
I fell in love with the boxy/toaster look after living in Japan, and bought a Scion XB when I returned to the States. That MPV looks so cool! Wish we had them here stateside! Congratulations on your new car!
I juuuust got back from Japan (first trip there ever!!!) and one thing that really got me was all of the cool and cute square cars. Whether the kei boxes (which wouldn't really work here in Canada) or how the alphard is just boxier and taller than the sienna in such a pleasingly quirky way. Now I'm looking up local vellfires...
The constraints (dimensions, engine size, etc.) imposed by the Japanese government on Kei cars have led to 'unconventional' solutions by car designers & engineers. The result has been mostly, 'quirky-in-appearance' but highly functional designs. On my first visit in 1998 I was immediately attracted by the 'little' Kei cars of all shapes & colors not seen in the North American car scene! This Suzuki Solio very much reflects the function-before-form (even though its style is quite eye-catching imho) design philosophy of Kei cars, even though not a 'bona fide' Kei car. With all of the features, and for a 'US $ 14,000' equivalent price tag, this is an excellent purchase, congratulations!
I love these style of videos. Good luck on getting that Skyline.
For $14k that car is a must-have. The amount of utility it provides is insane. It can't race, but it can transport; guess what you'd need more for a family.
Drive train looks basic, but I'm sure you wouldn't be digging mud in Japan anyway
I was not expecting this video on your channel. And it get, it really feels good when a car company actually makes a fully efficient car for you. That's not common to see
I'm here for Dogen DeMuro
Nice information. I've had a Suzuki X-Bee--a somewhat larger, more upright model--for the past six years and have been very happy with it (though the ride could be a bit more comfortable). I don't have kids, but I do own a bar, so it's great for hauling stuff after a Costco run, and it performs great on long drives, too.
I used to have a Suzuki Every for my daily. Loved that car
Growing up, seeing the Skyline in 2Fast 2Furious made me fall in love with JDM. After moving to Japan a year ago and seeing all my dream cars, ruining my pants, and realizing I'm too poor for any of those cars, I'm looking into an early 2000's Daihatsu Gina xD great looking car though. Congrats Dogen!
The Gino can be insanely elegant if you style it correctly. One of the guys in my university’s car club has one and stuck a turbo in it. Not quite the feel of an MX-5, but it drives like a Swift Sport
@@arcturus4762 Oh for sure, I liken them to a Japanese mini. Super sweet looking things. There was a green one with a brown interior for sale near me. Reminded me of my 97 Mustang I had back in the states. Buuuuut it sold before I could pull the trigger...
I wish we had these cars where I live, I love them. You said it best, it’s convenient and a bit more sporty than the other similar versions of this car so it doesn’t look boring. I also love that you started by talking about your dream cars, you know your stuff!
Omg thanks so much for sharing this Dogen. I can't believe that you get a car with all those features on _top_ of being a hybrid just for 14k USD. That is a wild steal especially compared to anything you can get here in the US. Hell, good used cars here with maybe a fraction of those features are selling for like 20k USD 😭
Congrats on the purchase, I hope you and your family get to enjoy the new car for many years to come!
grats on the new car!
My god, I can't get over how affordable that car is, considering all the quality-of-life features packed into it..
The spaciousness wasn't super clear until you mentioned the height data...and that made it ultra clear. Congrats on the car! In my many visits to Japan, I always wished to find MPVs back home where SUVs corner this important market (small family with no real need to go off-roading), of which we have plenty back in the UAE.
As a fan of small cars, I can definitely appreciate this. It feels much bigger than it looks.
I lived in Japan and now in Korea for the past 12 ish years and never had a car until I had my first kid. But I had him during the height of the pandemic, so we didn’t go anywhere. But once I started really needing to drive him places, I got a Kia Soul EV and it’s so perfect. It fits two car seats, has a roomy enough trunk space for me and the kids’ stuff, I like that it feels taller inside than a sedan, but it’s not a giant SUV which would be hard for me to park into tight spaces. The fact that it’s also electric is amazing. Our apartments in Korea are all mostly equipped with EV chargers now and places like malls, hospitals, and other parking lots usually have them. I wish I had sliding doors, but I got mine used in great condition for a good price and it was really fun geeking out over all the different car options when I was deciding on one. I love how my Soul drives, and I think if I ever really need a different car (like if my kids are older and I don’t need to take them places) it would be fun to get something smaller like a Casper 😊 I love seeing people get excited about “normal” cars instead of huge decked out trucks/SUVs because we don’t all actually need those.
Love it. We need these smallish boxy cars too in Europe. Super practical and roomy from the inside.
Incredibly functional car. Thank you for sharing.
That is crazy value for money. Nice buy.
Nice introduction to the Solio!
I knew nothing about it and was surprised how many features are the same as an N-Box Custom.
The unique features such as the larger space, heads up display, and front passenger under seat storage was cool to hear about.
I’ll have to consider it for my next purchase someday!
I can sense your excitement and satisfaction with your new car. I'm currently selecting a new bike to buy and scrolling through all the prices, specs, and brands, so I can see why you want to brag about your right choice through this video. It's understandable.
I hope to have feelings similar to yours about my new bike.
I love how so many Japanese cars min-max size-utility in the best possible way. So much space and so many features crammed into such a compact vehicle. I'm in Europe and these days you see too many crossovers, which are just bloated hatchbacks with the same internal space and utility as the average hatchback. For a modern, safe, useful car that price point also seems pretty great! Seeing the issues Volkswagen is in now, I hope this makes automotive manufacturers turn back to such cars, instead of creating the current modern bloated monstrosities.
japanese cars are also taxed heavily by dimension+extremely narrow roads and parking spaces so they have to be well designed or else they literally wont fit on their roads
this is the perfect family car. the price is insane. i enjoyed this longer video dogen. its cool to see longer, non-comedy videos from you (though those are great too).
Never expected a car review, but this is a damn good car review. MPVs ftw
19 mins felt like 5 mins
It's easy for Westerners to look art Japanese "boxy" cars and laugh or discount them for whatever reason.. Myself included! But then I moved to Japan and experienced these cars in real life situations instead of just photos/videos.. To quote the late and great Steve Jobs, "It just works!" They are simple, yet elegant. Practical and spacious.
My brother in law back in the UK bought a Tesla last year, and yes it's impressive and powerful, but it's not perfect. The difference in price between something like a Tesla and your new Suzuki is astonishing! For everyday real life use, I think your Suzuki nails it!
Congratulations on the new wheels, Dogen!
there are also wagons that fill the role of having a good amount of space while still being sporty
There's no way that car would only go for $14k in the US, but I would buy it in a heartbeat if it was.
Super depressing that these aren't shipped everywhere. I was obsessed with all the boxy cars when I was travelling around Japan and really wanted something similar but the bulk of models are only for the domestic market.
Auto-focus with Dogen. Love it!
Damn, another fantastic Dogen Demuro vid. Keep it up! 😆
I always knew Dogen was a dad - but this video MAKES SURE I know he’s a dad. LOVE IT. Great video and that car is pretty amazing.
Thank you for sharing your life with us like this! Edit: I am SOOOOO in love with your new car, really shows to those Americans, you don't need overly huge cars to really fit your family
was not expecting shutokou battle/tokyo xtreme racer recognition. i absolutely adore that series and am super excited for the new one coming out next year.
i'm really liking the solio! so many neat features and the styling is pretty cool too.
Great video on your 'dad' car purchase. Wish they had those here in the USA at that price range. Me envious 😂
I love this kind of car reviews because you not renting it but actually use it for your family. And this car will be lasted for years and years if maintained correctly.
This is so cool. Sugoi! I never knew these cars existed.
Loved it. Great video amigo. Can't wait to see more.
14k. There isn't a car sold in the US for that. If I could buy one of these I would. My Sambar I imported will have to do, but man I would love one of these.
This is sooo goood!!! You're an expert at describing things and the features just captured me! Im only 17 but it makes me feel happy thinking about how I (5 '8) can just walk around the car easily if dogen (6') can also do so with a little bending!
steal!
I love Japanese kei cars. I’m not even a car fan but living in Japan and seeing them makes me smile haha
Best feature of my Toyota Alphard.....yup the power sliding doors and back hatch! Game changer!