While China is obsessed with having really long sedans, the folks over in Japan are sticking to what they've always done best: think small. From Toyota's budget sub-brand Daihatsu, we bring you a forbidden fruit like you've never tasted before, the MiraCocoa PlusX. It's pink, it's strange and has a vibe you're never going to see anywhere else.
There are a total of 15 exterior colors, including this cotton candy pink shade and a few other pastel shades of blue, beige or green. The interior is all customizable though something Daihatsu calls "my room feeling". Essentially, you can select the type of dash, seat or seatbelt trim you want and there are a total of 160 possible combinations.
Just like on the Opel Adam, the colors have funny names, so for example the pink model is called a Sweet Cocoa. The company even sells a full catalog of matching accessories, which includes coffee mugs, iPhone cases, travel neck pillows, umbrellas or notebooks. If you look closely, you can actually see the brown umbrella in the trunk.
We've never seen something like this interior. It's got two pink bench seats, a knob you turn to start the engine and cup holders on the floor. Like all kei cars, the little pink JDM special is powered by a small 660cc engine with 3 cylinders. Output is strictly limited to 52 horsepower and a frankly hilarious 60 Nm of torque (44 lb-ft), sent to the front wheels by a CVT gearbox.
The MiraCocoa is priced from a very reasonable 1,404,000 Japanese yen, which is about $13,200 or just north of €10,000. Since the country is covered in snow for long periods, there's even an all-wheel drive version for about 15% more money.
Editor's note: Can someone explain to me how a 60 Nm engine works with all-wheel drive? There are more powerful lawn mowers in America.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News