All Cars, All the Time

You're Not Green, Unless You're Zestfully Green











Although the Japanese domestic market Honda Zest may look like the Scion known as Xb, it's actually a much smaller keicar. Keicars are a special class of vehicles that get special treatment in Japan in the form of tax breaks, etc and are quite popular. Honda calls the Zest's look "volume styling " and feels that it's "intrepid" and "vigorous." Such a car would have quite a struggle in the USA as we tend to make fun of such cars in McDonald's "supersize me" commercials--although I'm still convinced that smart could make a go of it. As for this car's environmental performance, Honda says that all FWD models have earned Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport certification as Low-Emissions Vehicles with emission levels 75% lower than those required by 2005 standards.